Let's Talk Harrogate

[MancMagpie]

Went to the away game where we won 2-0. Harrogate looked dangerous on many occasions and I felt we came away with a slightly lucky victory that day. That given, it was the beginning of the season and we weren't really up to speed by then.
Although I believe that in some way it was a catalyst for building confidence and helped us to settle in this league a bit more.

Obviously we know that Harrogate are a different prospect to Barnet and went through their play off game as comfortably as we did. At the moment I feel we are quite evenly matched.

Against Barnet, I didn't really know where we would be up to fitness/mentality wise etc. and it was more of an unknown. The fact that both Notts and Harrogate have now played a game is making me more nervous as it's now become more clear where both sides are. I didn't really think too much about the Barnet game in a way, it was kind of like a bonus. Now that both Notts and Harrogate have played and we've seen good displays from both sides, I've been trying to predict things from what I've seen (as I watched the Harrogate game before ours).

We will probably have to change our system for the final. It was hard to know whether Harrogate predominantly played a 442 or a 433 in their game as they were pressing and changing shape a lot. Barnet are more of a counter attacking team and Harrogate play a high energy, high tempo pressing game. Hopefully, the game will come down to quality, and I truly believe we have more of that in our squad.

However.....

what worries me is this:

1) They have already beat a team who got relegated from D2 in the play offs
2) The media and pundits are mostly backing them to win
3) The 'fairy tale' of Harrogate getting in to the football league
4) Jon Stead
5) Ref

Midweek nerves are showing, and I believe we have a good CHANCE of winning, although things are pointing towards a Harrogate victory. Hope I'm wrong again. I love being wrong.

Good luck Notts x

[PedroTheFisherman66]

They have Jon stead you say and imply this is a positive !
He was past it in our final season with us , he was and is to slow and to light weight to be an outright centre forward .
Not sure how Harrogate have been using him on the park , but he's to slow to be a danger and if he's in there to play clever little balls through to other forwards then he's occupying a place in midfield that could be filled by a proper midfielder.
in my eyes he's one of the reasons we got relegated
HK was the one who found him out and was right about him , did Big Al step in after someone went complaining to him ? possibly

[ForeignLegion]

Went to the away game where we won 2-0. Harrogate looked dangerous on many occasions and I felt we came away with a slightly lucky victory that day. That given, it was the beginning of the season and we weren't really up to speed by then.
Although I believe that in some way it was a catalyst for building confidence and helped us to settle in this league a bit more.

Obviously we know that Harrogate are a different prospect to Barnet and went through their play off game as comfortably as we did. At the moment I feel we are quite evenly matched.
Against Barnet, I didn't really know where we would be up to fitness/mentality wise etc. and it was more of an unknown. The fact that both Notts and Harrogate have now played a game is making me more nervous as it's now become more clear where both sides are. I didn't really think too much about the Barnet game in a way, it was kind of like a bonus. Now that both Notts and Harrogate have played and we've seen good displays from both sides, I've been trying to predict things from what I've seen (as I watched the Harrogate game before ours).

We will probably have to change our system for the final. It was hard to know whether Harrogate predominantly played a 442 or a 433 in their game as they were pressing and changing shape a lot. Barnet are more of a counter attacking team and Harrogate play a high energy, high tempo pressing game. Hopefully, the game will come down to quality, and I truly believe we have more of that in our squad.

However.....

what worries me is this:

1) They have already beat a team who got relegated from D2 in the play offs
2) The media and pundits are mostly backing them to win
3) The 'fairy tale' of Harrogate getting in to the football league
4) Jon Stead
5) Ref

Midweek nerves are showing, and I believe we have a good CHANCE of winning, although things are pointing towards a Harrogate victory. Hope I'm wrong again. I love being wrong.

Good luck Notts x

1) forgive me but who did they beat that had just been relegated from D2?

2&3 have no bearing on what will happen on the pitch and I doubt Stead will be a match winner either. I saw a pic of them in their dressing room with their Wembley banner; don't think that would've happened after the Notts game....feet firmly on the ground.

Don't worry about the ref....3-0 to the Maggies

[tied_up_in_notts]

Lol, methinks it was Barnet who beat a team that got relegated from League 2 in the play offs - they couldn't repeat the feat though!

[Davy500]

Went to the away game where we won 2-0. Harrogate looked dangerous on many occasions and I felt we came away with a slightly lucky victory that day. That given, it was the beginning of the season and we weren't really up to speed by then.
Although I believe that in some way it was a catalyst for building confidence and helped us to settle in this league a bit more.

Obviously we know that Harrogate are a different prospect to Barnet and went through their play off game as comfortably as we did. At the moment I feel we are quite evenly matched.

Against Barnet, I didn't really know where we would be up to fitness/mentality wise etc. and it was more of an unknown. The fact that both Notts and Harrogate have now played a game is making me more nervous as it's now become more clear where both sides are. I didn't really think too much about the Barnet game in a way, it was kind of like a bonus. Now that both Notts and Harrogate have played and we've seen good displays from both sides, I've been trying to predict things from what I've seen (as I watched the Harrogate game before ours).

We will probably have to change our system for the final. It was hard to know whether Harrogate predominantly played a 442 or a 433 in their game as they were pressing and changing shape a lot. Barnet are more of a counter attacking team and Harrogate play a high energy, high tempo pressing game. Hopefully, the game will come down to quality, and I truly believe we have more of that in our squad.

However.....

what worries me is this:

1) They have already beat a team who got relegated from D2 in the play offs
2) The media and pundits are mostly backing them to win
3) The 'fairy tale' of Harrogate getting in to the football league
4) Jon Stead
5) Ref

Midweek nerves are showing, and I believe we have a good CHANCE of winning, although things are pointing towards a Harrogate victory. Hope I'm wrong again. I love being wrong.

Good luck Notts x

All Ardley has to do is toughen up a bit like Warnock and Clough, and harass and bully the Officilkas

[TSANHO]

Went to the away game where we won 2-0. Harrogate looked dangerous on many occasions and I felt we came away with a slightly lucky victory that day. That given, it was the beginning of the season and we weren't really up to speed by then.
Although I believe that in some way it was a catalyst for building confidence and helped us to settle in this league a bit more.

Obviously we know that Harrogate are a different prospect to Barnet and went through their play off game as comfortably as we did. At the moment I feel we are quite evenly matched.

Against Barnet, I didn't really know where we would be up to fitness/mentality wise etc. and it was more of an unknown. The fact that both Notts and Harrogate have now played a game is making me more nervous as it's now become more clear where both sides are. I didn't really think too much about the Barnet game in a way, it was kind of like a bonus. Now that both Notts and Harrogate have played and we've seen good displays from both sides, I've been trying to predict things from what I've seen (as I watched the Harrogate game before ours).

We will probably have to change our system for the final. It was hard to know whether Harrogate predominantly played a 442 or a 433 in their game as they were pressing and changing shape a lot. Barnet are more of a counter attacking team and Harrogate play a high energy, high tempo pressing game. Hopefully, the game will come down to quality, and I truly believe we have more of that in our squad.

However.....

what worries me is this:

1) They have already beat a team who got relegated from D2 in the play offs
2) The media and pundits are mostly backing them to win
3) The 'fairy tale' of Harrogate getting in to the football league
4) Jon Stead
5) Ref

Midweek nerves are showing, and I believe we have a good CHANCE of winning, although things are pointing towards a Harrogate victory. Hope I'm wrong again. I love being wrong.

Good luck Notts x

Good post.

I actually feel moe confident going into this one than I did the Barnet game although Harrogate are the tougher opposition. I’m not sure whether their high pressing game will suit us or not....I think it’ll depend which Notts turn up, the one from last weekend or the one that turns up slowly from the kickoff struggling to get hold of the game!

It’s a fascinating matchup between two good sides, let’s just hope we get the rub of the green on the day! Everybody will want Harrogate to go up, understandably, but we have to be strong and ruthless in face of that....we can do it, though I am getting more nervous and less confident as the week goes by!

[queenslandpie]

I am just glad the OP is not manager. What will be will be. Our squad is quality and on its day the best in the league. If we do our prep and play to our strengths and everyone puts a shift in we will go close or win. If we won't win that's ok I didn't expect us to get this far and I know we will be up there next season. Let's go for it but be realistic if we lose. If we don't put a shift in I will be disappointed but I cannot see that happening.

[ForeignLegion]

One of the biggest games in recent history and the top two threads are laced with negativity and squabbling.

[Elite_Pie]

After weeks of uncertainty at least we've ended up with the right final, with the second and third best teams in the table contesting it. It's as close as the betting suggests, where both teams are odds on to be promoted. I just hope it's decided on merit rather than by dodgy refereeing, but if the football gods are looking in I would remind them that we are still owed three goals from our last playoff campaign!

[navypie]

Went to the away game where we won 2-0. Harrogate looked dangerous on many occasions and I felt we came away with a slightly lucky victory that day. That given, it was the beginning of the season and we weren't really up to speed by then.
Although I believe that in some way it was a catalyst for building confidence and helped us to settle in this league a bit more.

Obvioiusly we know that Harrogate are a different prospect to Barnet and went through their play off game as comfortably as we did. At the moment I feel we are quite evenly matched.

Against Barnet, I didn't really know where we would be up to fitness/mentality wise etc. and it was more of an unknown. The fact that both Notts and Harrogate have now played a game is making me more nervous as it's now become more clear where both sides are. I didn't really think too much about the Barnet game in a way, it was kind of like a bonus. Now that both Notts and Harrogate have played and we've seen good displays from both sides, I've been trying to predict things from what I've seen (as I watched the Harrogate game before ours).

We will probably have to change our system for the final. It was hard to know whether Harrogate predominantly played a 442 or a 433 in their game as they were pressing and changing shape a lot. Barnet are more of a counter attacking team and Harrogate play a high energy, high tempo pressing game. Hopefully, the game will come down to quality, and I truly believe we have more of that in our squad.

However.....

what worries me is this:

1) They have already beat a team who got relegated from D2 in the play offs
2) The media and pundits are mostly backing them to win
3) The 'fairy tale' of Harrogate getting in to the football league
4) Jon Stead
5) Ref

Midweek nerves are showing, and I believe we have a good CHANCE of winning, although things are pointing towards a Harrogate victory. Hope I'm wrong again. I love being wrong.

Good luck Notts x

I thought Harrogate looked a good side when we played them. The first half was pretty even though I remember them missing a sitter ,our keeper making a great save and of course, they missed a penalty. The game turned when we scored a peno just before half time and they had a player sent off. After the break they changed to 3 at the back and though they controlled the game, I never thought they looked like scoring,even more so when they brought Stead on. We then hit them on the break and Enzio scores (with his head! ) , game over.
Two other things I remember about our trip up to Yorkshireville. Four portaloos for around 600 fans and it took me nearly an hour after the game to find where I had parked the car.