Right then you lot. These matches kick off on Saturday, but at the earlier time of 12.30pm. So get your predictions in nice and early - they won't be counted if they're sent in too late Otherwise, the rules are the same as always. Good luck!

Middlesbrough v QPR

Stoke City v Preston North End

Burton Albion v Plymouth Argyle

Blackpool v Sunderland

Carlisle United v Port Vale

Newport County v Cambridge United

Chesterfield v Bromley

Dagenham & Redbridge v Solihull Moors

Game 39 - Spitfires (H)

Team: Eastleigh

Date: 17/04/2021

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.

Slocombe 6 Exposed for the goal conceded, one great save to stop it being 0-2

DKE 5 Not as influential as once was, but then again it maybe the wing back system

Rawlinson 4 Underperforming now is of real concern. Never comfortable in a back 3 which is asked to pass

Turner 3 Took a yellow for the team, or more precisely for himself, for being so utterly......

Lacey 6 At least looks comfortable in defending and passing

Chicksen 4 Dead ball delivery hopeless

Reeves 4 Too deep about nothing

Griffiths 4.5 OK ish, did some nice things but far too few in the big scheme of things to make a positive contribution

Knight 4 There is some spark in there but an ability to get into this game was lacking

Knowles 4.5 Back to goal, he cannot control the ball, consistently depossessed . 

Wootton 4.5 another goal less game, but the only front player who can hold up a ball

Subs

Enzio 5.5 at least showed some spark

JOB 5 a good cut back though it was well read 

Miller 3.5 awful crossing of the ball in good positions

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/mar/12/low-cost-high-pressing-how-barnsley-took-the-championship-by-storm

Barnsley have a “soft cap” on signing players over the age of 24 (at 26, top scorer Cauley Woodrow was the oldest player in their starting lineup in midweek) and target undervalued players from the lower leagues and across Europe who can develop into assets. Metrics such as PPDA (passes per defensive action) detail the intensity with which a team defends and can help recruit players accustomed to Barnsley’s gegenpressing philosophy.

“If we look at a player who is extremely talented, and his goals and assists are through the roof but he is not able to sustain an element of pressing and defending high up the field for 90 minutes, that is a red flag for us,” says Murphy. “There are lots of clubs that use data and have brought in analysts to push in this direction ... but at Barnsley it’s the principle, it’s the root of what we are doing. There are clubs that say, ‘We need to bring it in as an ingredient’ but here it is the bedrock. Like Brentford in a way and Red Bull on a global scale, data is the first thing that wipes out the noise for us.”

Slocombe 6 - Cracking save to deny Hudlin. Some of his late kicks gave me the scares

Rawlinson 5 - Poor decision making. Lost his man for one of the goals

Ellis 6 - Good distribution. Not much else

Lacey 5 - Like Rawlo, poor decision making and erratic passing

Kelly-Evans 5 - One good run forward in the first half. For all this "HE'S THE SAVIOUR" stuff, his forward outlet has been awful

Reeves 6 - Started well but his impact on the game diminished. Tries to do too much

Griffiths 7 - Controlled the play and put himself about a lot, trying to get things going. Only one of two who bothered

Chicksen 6 - Got down the line well and linked with Knowles in the first half. Diminished impact 

Knight 7 - Made some great runs in behind and always looked a threat. One of two who were bothered

Wootton 4 - Sorry I'm not having it. He scores that easy chance we win. Poor hold up play and lack of control

Knowles 6 - Well taken goal but he scores one and suddenly thinks he's won the ballon d'or and becomes ball greedy

Sam/Ruben/Enzio N/A - Didn't impact the game much

There is a massive problem in the mentality department. We have this issue where we will happily sit deep and invite pressure for no reason. It's like we want to concede. It's been the same all season. Go 1-0 up and think we've won. IB is trying with a group of players who didn't create much under Ardley as well. Both managers want us to take risks, press high and get forward but when the players cross that white line onto the pitch, they freeze in the moment and don't do what the manager wants. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Storer

Powerful, no nonsense, no mistakes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ferguson_(footballer,_born_1994)

https://www.hartlepoolunited.co.uk/pools-sign-david-ferguson/

Probably the best Left Back in the NL... a checkered career of ups and downs (maybe a late developer)  but Hartlepool have spotted a talent. How did we end up signing Chicksen when this guy should have been talent spotted. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richie_Bennett

Physical presence with good feet and can strike a ball

Five rounds to go, 135 points still to play for... As usual, the action kicks off at 3pm on Saturday and you have a joker each!

Bristol City v Nottingham Florist

Huddersfield Town v Rotherham United

Crewe Alexandra v Oxford United

Sunderland v Charlton Athletic

Salford City v Stevenage

Southend United v Crawley Town

Aldershot v Yeovil Town

Wrexham v Stockport County

We've are 10 games in, but collectively we've only rated the performances 6 times, 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses.

Here's the results.

Some of the results are skewed as they've not played many games, with the games they've played perhaps being when we've lost, scoring a lower rating. 

Using a minimum 4 game rating gives a clearer picture:

It starts to show a clearer picture. The new Dutch boys, despite a bad start (especially for Sam), are starting to rate high consistently. DKE also has a solid rating, never spectacular, but consistent. 

The rest shows what you'd expect for a mixed bag of results - average ratings. JOB is having a poor season thus far, with Brindley and Wootton perhaps being below par.

You can see the limitations of these averages though. Turner, who has had a nightmare start and only slightly redeemed himself, ranks better than Wootton. Despite low scores, he's had a couple of high ones which bump him right back up. Enzio has been hot and cold, poor at the start but better recently, whereas a Doyle and Reeves have been much more consistent throughout.

Game 37 - Pools (A)

Team: Hartlepool United

Date: 10/04/2021

Where: Victoria Park

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.

Slocombe - 7 - Good command of his area in the first half where he was bombarded with cross, no real chance with the goals.

Rawlinson - 4 - It's his man for both the goals.
Ellis - 6 - Dealt with everything thrown at him.
Chicksen - 5.5 - Had one dodgy moment, otherwise did OK.

Enzio - 2 - Was it a tactic to let them cross it? Allowed so many crosses to come in from their full back in the first half. He's not a defender.
Barnett - 0 - I feel like a broken record. He's just not good enough.

Reeves - 6 - He wasn't terrible.
O'Brien - 5.5 - Runs about.
Griffiths - 5 - He was OK. Probably unlucky to be subbed.

Wotton - 6 - Won a lot of ball. Should be finishing that chance in the first half.
Knowles - 5.5 - Tried, but decision making lacking.

Knight - 6 - Impacts the game with his pace and directness.
Roberts - N/A - Gutted for him. We need to think about his career now, not our season.
DKE - 4.5 - Rubbish going forward. Always passes it back. 
 

Game 38 - The Moors (A)

Team: Solihull Moors

Date: 13/04/2021

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.

a composed strike of the ball 0-1

I don't think Jake Reeves is a bad player at all, I think his recent performances comes down to needing a rest.

He's been one of the better signings this season IMO, but he carries a lot of responsibility and I do feel hes one of the current players who plays with the right attitude. He wants to attack and use it in a way which can bring chances but as of late I have noticed he's been struggling.

If the performances aren't down to needing a break, but concern about his future or Neal Ardley [pre-sacking], I would've thought he'd return to his former self.

Due to the centre of midfield being quite bare, it's hard to give him rest because he's an important part of the team. 

Great movement from the view behind the goal. how Ellis takes 2 players with him

Game 36 - The Cardinals (A)

Team: Woking

Date: 05/04/2021

Where: Kingfield 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.

What is the most important thing at a football club? 

Many will say the manager but a manager's ability relies to a certain extent on his "raw materials". Even Ardley seemed resigned that some players were not good enough for 90 minutes and others didnt have the ability to "accept instruction"

Where was the Dagenham level of performance... long since gone from my memory

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/gallery/london-road-nottingham-past-present-3442101

from the managers post match interview

The Yeovil captain died at the age of just 32 this week. He also played for Mansfield a couple of years back, so was no stranger to Meadow Lane. Tragic news at such a young age - RIP.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56604703

Easter Monday is round 40 of the prediction league - it's getting serious now! These matches all kick off at 3pm, and don't forget your jokers.

For any of you who are wondering, I'll post the scores for round 39 this evening.

Rotherham United v Wycombe Wanderers

Stoke City v Millwall

Blackpool v Gillingham

Oxford United v Accrington Stanley

Colchester United v Barrow

Stevenage v Bradford City

Dagenham & Redbridge v Aldershot

Wrexham v Torquay United

Slocombe - 6 - No real chance with the goals, did everything required of him.

Chicksen - 6.5 - Adds class to the backline. Played plenty of quality balls to the midfield and front-line.
Ellis - 6 - Some poor moments defensively but goes up 1 point for a fantastic goal.
Rawlinson - 5.5 - Dodgy moments defensively.

Enzio - 5 - He was OK. Doesn't take players on anymore and when he does, often loses the ball. 
Barnett - 3 - It's the same every week, he just isn't a good footballer. 

Reeves - 4 - Slow, backwards, negative. When he does try and play it forward, it's so predictable and easily read by the defenders. 
Griffiths - 4 - Not a fantastic second game. 
O'Brien - 5.5 - He was OK. He does what he does and ratted around without giving any real quality.
 

Sam - 2 - Reminds me of my cheapo robot hoover. Runs about, bounces off things and in general looks busy, but doesn't really do the job. Doesn't seem to have a footballing brain - teammates are always telling him what to do.

Knowles - 8 - First half rating was a 3. Second half a 10. Great finishing. 

Knight - 6.5 - Think he looked rusty. Some odd decisions. Almost gifts them a goal when he loses his marker near the end. However, his pace was the deciding factor.
Rodrigues - 6 - Some naff touches. When he gets on the ball in the middle he can really thread balls in behind for pacey strikers.


DKE - 10* - Gets a 10 for picking a fight with a bloke double his height. Balls.

Burchnall - 8 - Sometimes football is a simple game but is often over complicated. All this building through the thirds, transitioning, breaking the press...... this is non-league. A bit of pace in behind and half decent balls over the top will sometimes work. Good on him identifying that and making the right changes. Ardley wouldn't have won that, the tactics wouldn't change and our defence would've dropped should we go 3-3, 'respect the point'.

However, Woking are absolute gash