Chesterfield have "Achilles heel" to overcome if they want to match Notts County feat | OneFootball

Chesterfield were expected to challenge for the title in their first season back in the EFL, but their woes mirror Notts County's 2023/24 campaign.

Chesterfield were one of the favourites to lift the League Two title at the start of the season after a summer of big spending, but a run of just two wins in 12 games leaves the Spireites in 16th, 13 points off the play-off places.

With 13 games to go, despite the firepower in the Chesterfield squad, their play-off dreams are all-but over after slipping to a fifth defeat in six games against Colchester United, where the same issues in both penalty areas continued to plague the Spireites.

Similar expectations were placed on rivals Notts County’s shoulders at the start of last season after their high-profile National League title race with Wrexham left the Nottinghamshire outfit tipped for back-to-back promotions.

Much like the Spireites this campaign, the Magpies failed to live up to their pre-season expectations, finishing 14th with the worst defensive record in the division to their name. Chesterfield look like they’re on their way to a similar season unless they can overcome their ‘Achilles heel’.

Chesterfield conceding soft goals mirrors Notts County’s poor defensive record last season

Town boss Paul Cook has voiced his disappointment at his team conceding soft goals after their recent 3-1 home defeat to Crewe Alexandra, where individual errors once again cost the Spireites.

“Every time we try to make small steps forward, it has been blighted by injuries, that is football.

“We have an Achilles heel of giving soft goals away, that is as a team, that will never be individual,” Cook told the Derbyshire Times.

Chesterfield have conceded a number of avoidable goals in recent weeks, and it has coincided with their worst run of form this season, having won just two of their last 12 games in League Two.

Cook made several changes, including dropping star man Armando Dobra to the bench against the U's in an attempt to 'shake up' the squad, but history would repeat itself, with captain Jamie Grimes losing his man from a set-piece, leading to John-Kyami Gordon's winning goal.

This was Grimes' second error leading to a goal in three days, misjudging a header in the penalty area against Crewe on Saturday, which allowed the ball to bounce to Shillow Tracey, who fired home a powerful effort past Ryan Boot to make it 1-0.

Against Swindon Town, in a game that lacked quality from both teams, a mix-up between Tom Naylor and Boot led to Chesterfield giving away an innocuous penalty that was converted by former Spireite Kabongo Tshimanga in a 1-0 defeat.

Cook was left embarrassed by the Spireites’ performance away at Walsall after they threw away a one-goal lead by conceding two goals from set-pieces, and letting in another soft goal late on, when Ryheem Sheckleford’s misplaced pass was punished.

It was the same story against Cheltenham Town too, when Town came away empty-handed from a game that looked destined to be a draw. In stoppage time, Max Thompson parried what looked to be a routine save into a dangerous area, where Arkell Jude-Boyd tapped home to give his side the three points.

Comparisons can be made between Town’s recent defensive woes and County’s from last season, where they conceded 86 goals in the league.

Both teams have had their own problems though, with the Magpies' National League promotion-winning manager, Luke Williams, leaving for Championship side Swansea City in early January when the Magpies were in the play-off places.

As for Chesterfield, they’ve had to endure a cursed season on the injury front, with several key players unable to stay fit, as well as the departures of regular starters Dilan Markanday and James Berry in January.

Stuart Maynard’s men have rebuilt in the summer which has put them back on track for promotion to League One, sitting three points behind Doncaster in third with a game in hand, having lost just twice since New Year's Day.

The Blues should be looking to mirror a Notts-style rebuild this summer, with 17 first-team contracts set to expire and the season petering out, Cook will have some big decisions to make in the coming months.

Chesterfield will be looking for a defensive overhaul in the summer

With the futures of Armando Dobra, Paddy Madden, Dylan Duffy and Will Grigg secured for next season, as well as Tom Naylor in the midfield, Town’s priority this summer should be an overhaul to their defence.

A mixture of injuries and tactical decisions has meant Cook has used 10 different centre-back partnerships this campaign, with Cook not yet able to find a settled partnership at the heart of his back four.

The 58-year-old’s latest duo were captain Grimes and Ash Palmer, who made his first appearance of the season against Crewe, having picked up a serious injury in pre-season.

This was Town’s most used duo during their National League title-winning campaign last season, where Chesterfield only had the 13th best defensive record in the division, with the pairing susceptible to mistakes in the fifth division. Both are out of contract this summer.

Grimes and Palmer are Chesterfield's only fit central defenders, so they will likely be given the chance to play and fight for their futures in the coming weeks, unless Cook reverts to playing Naylor at centre-back, where he was used at the start of the season.

Kyle McFadzean and Tyrone Williams, who are both currently out with long-term injuries, are out of contract at the end of the season too, as is Janoi Donacien, who was forced off through injury against Crewe, with Cook confirming the 31-year-old’s injury ‘doesn’t look good’.

Chey Dunkley is Town’s only recognised central defender under contract for next season, and he has been out of action since October after undergoing surgery on his neck.

After their abysmal defensive record in League Two last season, Notts County looked to strengthen their defence with Rod McDonald, Robbie Cundy, Matthew Platt and Jacob Bedeau all signed in the summer.

Bedeau, who was signed from Morecambe, and Platt, who joined from fellow League Two rivals Bradford City, have become mainstays in the County team, and have helped massively improve their defence.

The Magpies have conceded on average 1.03 goals per game this campaign, compared to last season, a massive improvement on last year's 1.9 per game, with Bedeau starting 31 games, and Platt starting 33.

Bedeau, aged 24, and Platt, 27, both joined Notts after consistently playing League Two football, and this is the type of business Chesterfield should be trying to complete this summer.

Town’s business this season has largely consisted of experienced EFL stalwarts entering the latter stages of their careers and inexperienced loan deals, which could be a contributing factor as to why Chesterfield have suffered so harshly with injuries.

Signing League Two quality players in their prime years is easier said than done, but Cook will likely be backed again in the transfer window, so a shift in strategy could be in order, as they’ll look to bounce back from an underwhelming first season back in the EFL.

Cook is set for a big summer in Derbyshire, and he could look towards their rivals’ transfer strategy if they want to push for promotion next season.