Match Discussion: Game 36 - Monkey Hangers (H)

[PON_News]

Game 36 - Monkey Hangers (H)

Team: Hartlepool United

Date: 11/03/17

Where: Meadow Lane

What line-up should Kevin Nolan opt for? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

[Chris]

Hartlepool can be there for the taking if we play carefully and well.

They have a decent midfield with plenty of energy and good options up front, for me they have a weak keeper (who should on paper be better) and a terrible defence - that creates panic and chaos. If they defend well, generally they play good attacking football. For me they have an issue with getting tactical instructions across to players who aren't as experienced but have potential.

Hopefully we will be quite direct, flooding their box with plenty of crosses and well taken set pieces.

Also shooting from distance should create good opportunities because their keeper isn't as practical. He will either overreact or knock it into the penalty area which can be quite dangerous, so hopefully we just make them scramble and take any chances.

Provided we don't allow them to play their a game, we should do well.

[upthepies]

A must three pointer, I do not care how it happens but it must.

I hope to see three changes at the very least but would understand Kevin Nolan choosing to stick with certain players.

[allardyces tash]

Hartlepool are a funny team, you think we will wipe the floor with them but they dominate instead. This year it will be a stale game I bet.

[liampie]

i wonder what the confidence of fans in general will be? pre stevenage i think like most i would assume notts would win.

it will probably be a boring draw with very limited chances for both teams. tho we seem to be playing better at home, i just hope we dont get sucker punched and end up losing two in a row. it would spark more negativity.

[AmericanPie]

We need to win at all cost so we can create a further gap between us and the bottom two, after Stevenage I have lost some of my confidence and if the players go into the game on Saturday feeling the same way. They will only invite pressure onto themselves, best we try to be cool and hopefully the result will come.

At least I hope it will!

2-1 Notts my prediction.

[ELL100T]

Hartlepool were on a bit of a slide, but they have one their last two games; against Newport and Exeter (both were at home). Hartlepool's striker Alessandra has scored 4 goals in his last two matches, so I'm certain Nolan will try to isolate him which would reduce their threat at the back.

I trust the lads to approach the game cautiously, and again we can't be too negative so early on in Nolan's managerial career. In recent seasons, Stevenage has always been one of those bogey matches so I'm hoping that is more of a blip than a sign of things to come.

In terms of performance, I would hope a large home turnout would spur the lads on to repeat the effort and play that I saw at the Cheltenham match. We did not need to worry too much about the threat at the back as we were constantly on the offensive and our fullbacks were making attacking runs that allowed us to get more players in the box. Some more of that and I trust County to continue the progress we saw pre-Stevenage.

2-0 County if we see more of that.

[Chris]

Take a bow @ELL100T that is a brilliant reply.

I just watched a video put out by Notts where Kevin Nolan spoke about the 12th man, it must make a massive difference to hear us and this will be a focus for me. Top of the Kop on queue, people in each middle flanks and those near me down front churning out NCFC chants after chant. The last 3 or so games at Meadow Lane has been impressive for this reason and I expect the Hartlepool fans to be in good spirit.

I know full well that they enjoy coming to Meadow Lane, they're one of the friendlies bunch of fans that I have come across.

Notts really need to silence them on the pitch mind, so if we can take a steady and careful approach - I am sure we can get a good result. I'd be quite happy to take a point (despite us needing more than that).

[TheSkipper]

We need a win, drawing or losing would not be good enough with the points Notts require to move away from the relegation zone.

After going, what 8 points clear? We should have gone to Stevenage with the mindset of taking a point but the loss leaves us with needing to win over Hartlepool. I believe we can, our home form has been decent under Kevin Nolan. If we can just create the chances, I am certain someone will put them away.

2-0 Notts would be my prediction.

[Turkey_Twizzler]

These are definitely a team we can beat, Stevenage were a decent team on the up, Hartlepool are the opposite, we have dragged them down into this mess and they are missing a few players aswell! 3-1 notts

[Who r ya?? You Pies!!]

A look at the table may well suggest a difficult game today and it will be I'm sure , but a good 12th man atmosphere and our recent home form I'm hoping that will help the players confidence loads , we have enough ability to turn them over if we play well , I'm with @ohstanleyaborah 3-1 notts , COYP .

[Joe Jones]

Team news:

Notts starting XI: Collin, Tootle, Duffy (c), Hollis, Ameobi, Yeates, Forte, Milsom, Bola, Grant, Hewitt

Notts subs: Loach, Dickinson, Clackstone, Smith, Howes, T Campbell, A Campbell

[Joe Jones]

Looks like it's NO-lan on the bench then...

 

 

[Chris]

On 08/03/2017 at 16:47, notts-joe said:

Also shooting from distance should create good opportunities because their keeper isn't as practical. He will either overreact or knock it into the penalty area which can be quite dangerous, so hopefully we just make them scramble and take any chances.

Thank you very much for this Collin and Hollis.

It's sod law....

[Piethagoram]

https://mobile.twitter.com/experimental361/status/840612065345732608 good analytical piece. Notts being "effective"

[Piethagoram]

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/hartlepool-united/notts-county-2-hartlepool-united-1-match-reaction-jones-angry-with-pools-1-8434063

[Chris]

You could tell Notts was nervous in the first half.

Our attacks wasn't convincing, yet we played in a controlling way that allowed us to take the edge. There was a few moments that made me concerned, though we made up for them quite well. Adam Collin slipped as he kicked off, to which the ball landed straight to an Hartlepool player and we was in no man's land. This highlighted for me the lack of confidence throughout their players, as normally you'd expect someone to take a pop a goal.

Perhaps it fell to the wrong player? Yet we can consider ourselves lucky.

Likewise we did two very short back passes with Hartlepool players could have intercepted, allowing them to be clean through on goal. One Collin superbly gathered the ball, the other Bola kicked out.

The goal for us made a massive difference, it allowed us to play with a bit of 'ease' in our passing and as a result we started playing with a more direct manner. We had two chances before the wonderful effort by Jorge Grant.

So I would say we was comfortable, even after we conceded the own goal.

I felt Haydn Hollis played very well and I wished some would try to give him credit when it is due, it may help the lad. Can we blame him for the goal? Of course we can't.

You could argue Collin should have held the ball or thought twice about where he pushed the ball after saving, it's never wise to push it to into your own penalty box with heaps of players around. However, the ball came in fast and it was hard. I think we can be forgiving to everyone involved as it was nothing more than a fluke, despite the Hartlepool players reacting like they had just won the F.A Cup.

Sorry lads, you simply wasn't good enough.

[Chris]

 

[Northants Pie]

Rob Milsom should have taken the penalty, great left foot.

Hopefully he'll get the next one

[DangerousSausage]

How classy was that finish from Ameobi? Haven't seen such an assured finish from a Notts striker since Hughes was at the club.

[DangerousSausage]

On 12.3.2017 at 09:08, Piethagoram said:

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/sport/football/hartlepool-united/notts-county-2-hartlepool-united-1-match-reaction-jones-angry-with-pools-1-8434063

The Hartlepool fans seemed to have us down as an easy win, "there for the taking", etc. If we were playing an opponent that had picked up 17 points in the previous 10 games I'd give them a bit more respect than that, regardless of league position.