Game 43 - The Bees (A)

Team: Barnet

Date: 08/05/2021

Where: The Hive Stadium

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.

Who's going to want the win the most? I think it's going to be a fight from both teams, on paper I would favour us but I know Barnet has a tendency to suss us out.

I'd like to think we'd focus more on a balanced side, rather than attacking or purely taking any risks as a means to forge a result. Barnet do have some players who will punish a poor defensive side and that is exactly what Notts are right now.

It will come down to who takes their chances and whose midfield will work the hardest to make those happen.

My minds saying this will be a 2-2 draw.

 

i can see a loss happening and then for more fans to kick off wanting burchnall out.

Barnet's form has been a bit up and down recently, but they can play without restriction or fear as their season is over. All depends on which Notts team decides to turn up. Been let down too many times to think that after a good result and performance we are likely to build on it and progress from there, usually the opposite happens. I'd go for the lineup below, though I know we'll most likely stick with 5 at the back. The below doesn't offer much width, but you'd expect that with Knight allowed to travel wide and Rodrigues floating, that's where the width would come. 

Barnet have their own defensive issues, we have players who could exploit this but we need to mark better.

Barnet hit rock bottom in early April when they lost 5-1 at Wealdstone. They responded by going on a 4 match unbeaten run. The mini revival was ended by Sutton but it was only 1-0. They lost to Dagenham but then bounced back with a win away to Weymouth. I expect Barnet to sit back and try to hit Notts on the break. They can't go toe to toe with Notts because they don't have the quality. If Notts apply themselves properly, it will be an away win. I'm going for 3-1 to Notts. 

Excellent result, 4 goals (that's 7 in two matches) and back in the playoffs, great stuff. Really good that Rodders has hit form too. 

Interesting that, instead of basking in the win, IB immediately voiced his annoyance with the team relaxing after the last goal in his interview. A bit more intensity and concentration would certainly do us good. 

As far as making the playoffs is concerned, it's in our own hands. 

Excellent win and hopefully some of the fans will now give IB the chance he deserves.

Also glad his first comments were one of annoyance even though we won 4-1. That intensity is what we need.

This season May still go wrong, but it bodes well that, when given enough time to coach the players, IB has stepped up to the plate and the players have responded in kind. So good to see Ruben, Chicksen, Miller etc…doing so well. Just goes to show it was never about recruitment and all about player management and belief. 
So glad to see the back of Ardley and looking forward to next season when IB can really work his magic. If we don’t go up this season, then next is a definite imo.

You'd expect Notts to win and they did. It was a decent performance. Ruben has been the driving force over the last few games. 

Solid result, after the Altrincham game I was a tad worried going away to another team with nothing to play for could be frustrating but we kept a good tempo to the game and that goal before HT was huge.

Some pretty big results elsewhere with the play-off chasers; Wrexham, Chesterfield and Dagenham all winning comfortably too. Bromley and Halifax both dropped points though so keep playing like we are and we should make it. 

Also I completely forgot Petrasso plays for them, I was gutted we never extended his loan when he was with us. Weird that he’s there on loan now but 7 goals in 26 games in a really poor side is quite impressive.

Rawlinson still gives me nightmares when in possession in a back 3. Perhaps, we were stronger attacking as Barnet had a back 3 too, there was then room for the wing backs to get forward. With the current squad, a back 4 is still my preferred option

Performance was excellent and the result even better, its good to see the smiles on the players faces. 5 massive games remain, beating then 2nd place and bottom of the table it would be good to see things end well this season.