Notts beaten today in a match that they needed to win to have any chance of remaining in the frame for automatic promotion.

So who impressed you the most for Notts today?

I have chosen players from the starting eleven for you to make your choice.

Belshaw, Ness, Macdonald, Bedeau, Bennetts, Palmer, Norburn, Jones, Iorpenda, Dennis, Ndlovu.

Kind of deja vu, I got Palmer over Ness - the only two who verged on being good IMO.

And that's doesn't include any captaincy issues - it's just based on the play that we saw.

Maybe Palmer looks good compared to the ineffective, inactive Norburn beside him.

The worst? Well that was a contender for worst individual game of the season from Bennetts today.

The subs were really poor too.

I picked Palmer as well, although he feels almost like a default choice. He consistently does his thing. Yet I feel we lack a character next to him, a Bish type, somebody who steps forward when it counts and refuses to be beaten. Palmer is Mr Reliable, but we need more.

Ive gone with Iorpenda

Hmm, not a tough choice really.

Only 2 candidates for me, McDonald, who defended on his own in the 1st half and provided composure on the ball and was solid in everything he did. Iorpenda provided energy & grit, which was sadly lacking in Norburn today.

I’d go for McDonald, simply because Iorpenda’s end product & final ball often let him down - but he was the only player offering any threat until Luker came on.

We need their Glover (15) & Stead (10), not to mention the gigantic Chinedu (22). They were the 3 outstanding players on the pitch today. I’d have had a contract in Glover’s hand before he reached the touchline when they subbed him.

We have no one with that pace, energy & creativity. He tore Bennetts apart from wing back then moved into central midfield and ran the show. Yes, he conceded the penalty but we have no one who’d have got back from the opposition’s box to make the challenge!

Edited 21 hours ago21 hr by YoopEyes

I also went with Palmer, just for the kind of default he did what he does. It was good to get McDonald back, I thought he did well too, I just feel more assured with in the middle than Ness... (even though we lost!)

I initially went for McDonald, but with two goals conceded it just took the the shine of it. But great to see him back! So my pick is Iorpenda, not his best game in a Notts shirt, but he epitomisies the desire and will to make something happen especially in a team performance that was lacking ideas and quality.

I believe Lucas Ness stepped up, but for me, Jacob Bedeau was the only shining example in defence. I believe Rod McDonald had a disappointing performance, with numerous misplaced passes and poor headers. I don't know if he's still not 100% but it was a very, very poor performance by him.

Midfield look very disconnected when trying to cope with the pressure Barnet put on us, even Matt Palmer missed placed passes and one almost very much punished us early on. I don't think he did that well in the first half, but did come into it in the second. The players who stood out for me, Bedeau, Tom Iorpenda and Keanan Bennetts, I have critised the latter for his defending but I believe he's improved.

I voted for Iorpenda, and he got my decision before it was even official.

Good calls @YoopEyes I don't need to post a Scouting dossier this week😉

Why ever was Ness playing at Right back when Macari was on the bench!!!!!he's a centre back.....he was found out several times......for me he should be played there....no where else....iam guessing it was an experiment to fit Mcdonald in....it's the wrong time of the season to be experimenting!!!!!!!!

1 hour ago, gtownjohnno said:

Why ever was Ness playing at Right back when Macari was on the bench!!!!!he's a centre back.....he was found out several times......for me he should be played there....no where else....iam guessing it was an experiment to fit Mcdonald in....it's the wrong time of the season to be experimenting!!!!!!!!

Have to agree @gtownjohnno 

He did the same with Platt (to accommodate Rodmac) v Chesterfield and he did his ACL sprinting back and forth down the line.

MP's treatment of Macari (constantly subbing him and dropping him for CBs at times) has been one of his blindspots IMO.

Either Rodmac was ready to come back or he wasn't, you gain nothing by putting another CB at Right Back for insurance

I think Ness can play RCB OK, but not for a must win home game when it means supplanting one of your best ball users

Edited 2 hours ago2 hr by theAnticlough

Baffled by the criticism of McD tbh. He shone like a beacon in the 1st half when Bedeau was getting fleeced down that left side, often because Jones offers him no cover at all. Ness misplaced headers and passes but Rod McD won every aerial challenge and cleared the danger numerous times. After 30 mins I got a text from a mate in the Family stand saying “good job McD’s turned up”, to which I replied “he’s the only 1 playing at the moment”.

He was composed on the ball and hit the 2 best long passes of the game. I think he was maybe a tad flat footed for the winning goal, but again there was just no challenge, tackle or awareness from the team in the build up.

On a day where several were way off the pace and lacked the guile and tenacity required, I’m not sure how McD can be singled out for criticism. Have a look at the video, he was immense for the most part.

FWIW I thought RodMac was fine. But a 6/10 maybe and a typical first game back from injury after a long lay-off.

It's a trajectory he has to go on, and lets hope he's at his best by the time the play-offs arrive. With Platt out we need him to have any chance.

I don't think we lost because of the backline yesterday - like Cambridge we just couldn't make the ball stick further forward