Game 31 - The Imps (H)

Team: Lincoln City

Date: 02/02/19

Where: Meadow Lane

What line-up should Neal Ardley 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.

I don't want to see Notts play defensive football, so being too deep would really be annoying - unless Ardley managed to get the players countering attacks. I still feel that inviting Lincoln City to play further up the field would be a huge mistake, and one that could cause our defence heaps of trouble. There's got to be a fine balance, as we could do well if 6-7 players gave their all as a team.

If only a handful do their upmost, then Lincoln will thrive.

Creatively I would like to see David Vaughan in the middle, alongside an engine but not Rob Milsom (please he's been woeful over the last x games).

Hopefully we can see what Rose has to offer the club, he could do the job well. Enzio to the side, with someone else doubling up on the right. More importantly Jon Stead needs a partner, he needs someone who can feed him to ball and take off the pressure he naturally finds.

Just got to work hard.

I want to see a change in our play and way we've been lately.. lets see if we can bring back the fight in the players.

please, please can notts score first. just score.

i think its going to be a long game.

Top v Bottom. Lincoln saw off the likes of Yeovil and Cambridge recently whereas we really struggled.

I hope the new players can have an instant impact and I'd expect a couple more in and out before the window shuts. Predicting the team and formation is anyone's guess. Personally, I'd like to see Schofield back in goal with a back 4 in front of him. Dennis and Hemmings to get the nod to start assuming they're fit but I wouldn't be surprised to see Mackail-Smith start.

Almost guaranteed that Lincoln will score from a set-piece.

I'd absolutely take a draw right now, I just can't see us beating Lincoln.

1-3. 

If Tootle is back I'd expect to see Rose in central midfield. The new signings all need to come straight in as we're running out of games. Hopefully they can make an impact.

To be honest I have a little bit of hope again. Difficult against the leaders but crazy things happen in football.

Whos going?

Cheeky 2-1 win. Lincoln will be right up for this but there are weaknesses in their game. I personally think we can have a chance with the squad below. (Going off updates and news on injuries and players etc)

4-2-3-1

Schofield

Tootle - Bird - Duffy - Evina

O'Brien - Rose

Boldewijn - Vaughan - Craig Mackail-Smith

Hemmings

 

Use Vaughan as either a roaming midfielder or a CAM. I reckon well be shaky at the back with the likes of Akinde, Anderson and Andrade to deal with but up front and in the middle of the park we can really take the game to Lincoln. They would've focused on set pieces in training so I am going to go with a 2-1 loss to Lincoln but a much improved performance and something positive to go into the Mansfield game with.

Now we have signed Doyle hopefully we won't see that waster Vaughan in a Notts shirt again, praise the lord.

I think we may have a better change of getting a result out of this game due to the transfer window but it really does depemd how well they play together.

First time all season that I have been excited about attending a game, I had been nervous but now with all the new signings there is some hope. I think Notts might look disconnected but provided chances are created, the players should give Lincoln a game.

I don't think a draw at this stage would be good enough, there needs to be a clever plan to win it.

Tough ask I know but if we do our homework it's possible.

20 hours ago, macpie said:

Now we have signed Doyle hopefully we won't see that waster Vaughan in a Notts shirt again, praise the lord.

There's nothing wrong with David Vaughan if he's given the chance to settle and has harder working players around him, Michael Doyle should offer him that and I feel they would make a good partnership - along with Mitch Rose.

The signings gives the club a lot more quality, but they don't change much.

Most seem to fit the formation Neal Ardley has been working with, so I don't expect massive changes.

hope some of the players constantly getting slagged off show fans they can do better with decent players around them, i do not expect a win but a draw is possible, notts needs the points more than ever.

Fantastic performance Notts. Battled, scrapped, fought, got a point. 

We can now compete with any team in the league with the signings we've made, just need to keep them fit.

A note for the ref: comically bad. Really simple calls constantly being made wrong - for both sides.  Refs at this level  often make incorrect 'big calls'. This one pretty much got every call wrong. He was that bad, when a foul was made and you heard the whistle go, you still weren't sure which way he would give it. 

Much better game and at least a point. Saying where they are in the league, we have improved alot.

I went to the game saying whenever asked about the score, it will either end 1-0 to Notts or 3-1 to them. My heart said we could win, my head was nervous and cautious due to the mistakes previously.

This was a team performance and the standard we should have seen sooner.

Man of the Match is hard due to this, however Craig Mackail-Smith worked tiredlessly and he's a lot like Jon Stead but a little more direct. Seriously seeing him chase dead balls made me feel proud, the team worked well. It was nice to the players expressing themselves, Lincoln never deserved the penalty - it was a dive for me and I'm pleased they snuffed. I do think Ryan Schofield would have saved it if it was on target, he did very well. In fact all the player did, Rob Milsom looked like a new player.

I hope this is the start of the upturn.

Very good team spirited performance, they played well and everyone had a good game for me. Nobody stood out as being below par, all pulled their weight. Great to see.

good game by both teams, i think notts should have won if they had closed down the one chance it would have been much different but i am encouraged by the performance. its amazing to see the team playing so well, against a good team. it gives me hope we can survive the drop.

Good draw, can't dwell on the goal conceded because both teams put a good game on.

Yes, good performance by the team. I think the draw must be seen as a good point and the foundations for further improvement. Promising signs finally!

https://www.skysports.com/football/notts-co-vs-lincoln/394014

I'm delighted with the improvement and with the point. At one point in the first half Lincoln really seemed to be losing their discipline and I fancied our chances of scoring a second, but it wasn't to be. I was impressed with every one of the new signings, the grit and work ethic of Rose, O'Brien, Doyle and CMS is what we've been missing all season. Why didn't we sign players like this in the summer? What were we playing at?

However, that's another game gone without a win. We need to start winning now, regardless of who the opposition is. The sooner we get our next three points the better.

A big turn around from before. I know its only one match but its s big improvement to the squad and teams confidence.

Good result even at a point, the next fixture should be interesting.

Yes Notts could have won but you have to respect a point, especially when it comes from playing the leagues leaders.