Game 3 - The Bees (H)

Team: Barnet

Date: 10/08/19

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 think this game should be more open, Barnet are likely to want to play proper football and have a decent standard. I really feel Neal Ardley needs to drop playing one striker, at least have two strikers close together - as it limits the chances. I felt the midfield was more creative and confident against Stockport, Mitch Rose is a good captain in my eyes as he's a calm influence.

Notts needs to learn to defend without committing too early, protect Slocombe and get the ball back to the players who can damage Barnet.

Saying this, I know he will score, but I would drop Enzio Boldewijn. He seems a luxury still and wastes a lot of chances someone more 'passing' minded would enable someone else to benefit from.

Barnet are unbeaten. 1 win. 1 draw. They play good football, might suit Notts as they won't sit back. They are very dangerous on the counter so Notts have to keep control of the ball, not give it away with silly passes. I'll go for 1-1. 

I think the game will be open and hopefully Notts can come out the traps fast. Score and hold on this time. Each game I think the team are looking good there’s more fight than last season so I think we will get a 1-0 win 

We will have to see but i hope our first weekend home game goes well for us.

Stating the obvious maybe, but what a difference a win would make! The longer it takes to grab that first victory, the harder it will be.

I'd prefer to see Enzio out as well personally, he's had so many chances but he never makes an impact and I don't see the point of him tbh. Can't really comment on the rest as I haven't seen enough. I'd just like to see the defence grow into a unit (with Turner starting?) and some signs that we can take the game to the opposition instead of just reacting all the time.

I have a nervous feeling about if the game goes wrong today, a lack of strikers is a real issue and if Tyson and Dennis aren't quite up to it Notts will be very limited.

You have to hope the goals can come from the midfield.

1-0 to Notts, not the best game but good enough to grab the first win.

notts just needs to play well enough to get the fans behind them, stockport county did that and their fans lifted them. it would be annoying in my eyes for barnet to be louder than us, i will be singing regardless but i am not so sure notts will win.

If Notts can get the ball down and use it well, they tend to do well against Barnet.

I just hope Kevin Nolan's return doesn't dampen the mood, some will have forgotten that he is partly to blame for bring the club down.

That was sobering. Barnet had a game plan and executed it. Notts looked lost and were making it up as they went along. Do Notts practice defending set pieces? You wouldn't think so based on the games up to now. 

Both teams started quite well, I felt Notts was the better side for about 35 minutes and the lack of a clinical striker up top was very apparent.

I keep being told Notts requires a tall striker, which I agree with but against Barnet it wouldn't have changed much. Notts needs to learn to be more direct, there's a lot more pace in this season's squad, but they're very ineffective with using it correctly.

The issue is, we felt bombarding Barnet would have lead with a second goal for us.

However, it left us wide open and defensively, it's just not there at the moment. Once Notts concedes, confidence is lost throughout the team and I felt the play after this point became extremely wasteful. In recent weeks, I have felt Mitch Rose has been our best player but he underperformed massively. Enzio Boldewijn is an absolute luxury, did he play well? No, voted as the Man of the Match for simply scoring a wonderful effort.

Ben Turner did well at the back, yet the mistake for me was dropping Pierce Bird, who has been quite solid I feel in recent games.

The inexperience of Sam Graham, and I'm sorry to point this out really made it easier for Barnet. The fact to the side of him, Dion Kelly-Evans struggled not only with Barnet's height but also their pace. Both of these played well in the first half, yet quickly became the point of threat via The Bee's attack.

I would be tempted to use Kristian Dennis has a bargaining chip, his stature and persistent injuries make it hard for me to see how he can be successful in this league.

He tried, however, he didn't look effective at all and I realise he's the only natural goal scorer on our books who seems capable of scoring 15-20 goals - whilst I would love this to happen in Notts colours too, I just don't see it happening now that I have seen him against established National League sides. Honestly, I feel if the club can target signing a target man/someone who can hold the ball up - swapping Dennis for a taller and more suitable striker might make the world of a difference.

The confidence and pace of this Notts squad will have teams worried, we'll be hard to play, but the goals conceded won't disappear until we learn to sit on the play and attack games properly.

I thought Barnet played very well, they made the most of their chances and you can see the difference between them and us. They have an established squad who play for each other, ours are still getting used to it. I am only disappointed about throwing the lead away.

Notts really didnt play well yeaterday, im not gonna hope for 3 points and then i made be pleasently surprised sometimes.