Wrexham (A)

[caj85]

I've just watched recent bits of their home highlights and their pitch doesn't look half bad at all.

Doubt that will be a factor in the game. Our high line and mullins ability to draw "fouls" will probably end our title hopes if anything does.

[slack_pie]

We need to start the game in the right way. If we can have the majority of the ball AND not concede for the first twenty mins or so, there's a chance we could get something, or at least take the wind out of the fans. My fear is an early Wrexham goal and their crowd going bananas. That would be tough to recover from.

[PedroTheFisherman66]

My fear is a linesman/lady sorry assistant ref with a personality complex.! After he/ she has flagged them offside numerous times with the home crowd baying he/she will eventually leave his /her flag down to placate the volatile home crowd..give them a couple off one on ones with our keeper they are bound to tuck one away, or get tom daley mullins diving over the keepers arms or legs for a pen ..!!!!

[jackal2]

A bit like a Sam Allardyce team I suppose, they play all their nice stuff in the opponents half whereas we try to play it everywhere.

Neil Warnock's team(s) did the same as Big Sam's. It was a complete myth that Notts during the Warnock and Allardyce era were one-dimensional long-ball teams. They had physicality and could battle when they needed to battle, but there were some very good footballers in both sides too. As you say, they played their football in the opponent's half rather than their own, thus avoiding losing the ball in bad areas, but there has never been anything wrong with that philosophy.

The football we've seen this season has been the best I've ever witnessed in terms of pure entertainment, but we do sometimes "give opponents a chance". Fortunately, many teams in the National league aren't clinical enough to take those chances, but Wrexham at home will be. If we turn up at the Racecourse and expect the play 'business as usual' free-flowing football against them, we could be in trouble very quickly. Our style will definitely need to be more pragmatic if we're going to get a result, and we will need to win the battle before we can start to play.

[SwalePie]

....If we turn up at the Racecourse and expect the play 'business as usual' free-flowing football against them, we could be in trouble very quickly. Our style will definitely need to be more pragmatic if we're going to get a result, and we will need to win the battle before we can start to play.

Ah, but that's what they WANT you to think!

If we try to play them at their own game we'll lose.

[Elite_Pie]

My fear is a linesman/lady sorry assistant ref with a personality complex.

Apparently the real ref at Wrexham is the one who awarded two penalties against us at Bromley in the 1-1 draw there. The first was a soft one, but I could see why it was given according to the strict laws of the game. The second was a clear refereeing error which some close up pics after the game seemed to prove. Tiernan Brooks got the ball first, so it was a fair challenge. My worry is that the ref might be a 'homer', and if Bromley could earn two cheap penalties Mullins will be licking his lips in anticipation!

Whatever the result, I hope it's decided by the players on the pitch rather than poor officials.

[jackal2]

Ah, but that's what they WANT you to think!

If we try to play them at their own game we'll lose.

I think we have to be realistic about the quality of their players and their potential ability to impose their will on the game, relative to other opponents who arrive with all sorts of gameplans but don't have the personnel to enforce them.

Don't get me wrong, we're a footballing team and overall we absolutely should win playing our way or die trying, but as others have said, there may be some adjustments necessary, such as not playing quite as high a defensive line, because you've got to respect opposition of that quality.

[jackal2]

Whatever the result, I hope it's decided by the players on the pitch rather than poor officials.

Judging by National League refereeing standards in general, the chances are slim!

The best we can probably hope for is a referee who gets all the wrong decisions in our favour!

[matt_magpie]

It’s clearly a very tough game and I expect Fridays results to certainly dictate how Wrexham play. On the basis both win there’s no way PP will come out gung ho, he’d obviously rip someone’s hand off for a draw if we both win Friday.
It’s just a crazy season, 2nds looking the most likely but in the same breath it’s not inconceivable we could be top by 3 points come Monday night, well we can dream.

[TheBlackHorse]

... you have to smile at some of the comments by some Wrexham fans. Anyone who believes Wrexham will not set out to bombard Notts with long ball play from the start is in cuckoo land. It's called exploring weaknesses. Jimmy used to do this - first 10 minutes long ball into the box for Hateley et al - if we didn't score then it was open play. There's nothing new. What no-one knows is the level of resilience we will have against the supposed quality of Wrexham and the extent to which Wrexham will play as a team against a team of different quality, the like of which they haven't had to face before this game. All fascinating stuff ...