⚽ Match Thread vs. Dover Athletic [NL]

[jacobncfc]

I don’t get the Arter criticism btw. He’s doing the same job Palmer was doing before he arrived, theoretically ‘freeing up’ Palmer to play higher up the pitch. I’m not sure that’s MP’s best role, though, and I think there’s probably a fair argument that the two of them are pretty similar to be playing together.

[Elite_Pie]

I don’t get the Arter criticism btw. He’s doing the same job Palmer was doing before he arrived.

Positionally maybe, but I disagree. Palmer always puts effort in, while Arter just went through the motions today. It's very rare I don't applaud a subbed Notts player even if they've had a poor game, but Arter was an exception.

On that note, it's strange to see an opposition player applauded off the pitch unless he's an ex-player, but the spontaneous applause their number 33 Gyasi received shows what Notts fans are about. He was their one forward player who faced three opponents and got no service at all, but he ran his heart out all game. The one thing we demand is effort, and it was something Arter lacked.

[jackal2]

Positionally maybe, but I disagree. Palmer always puts effort in, while Arter just went through the motions today. It's very rare I don't applaud a subbed Notts player even if they've had a poor game, but Arter was an exception.

Not applauding is fine if you don't think the performance merits it, and today I'd say you were right. However, I didn't like some of the ironic cheers when he was subbed. That won't do anything to boost his confidence or enthusiasm, whatever is missing.

On face value, Harry Arter could just have stayed at Forest collecting his money. The fact that he approached us about wanting to get games suggests his problem isn't lack of interest or motivation. I was reading this article which may or may not give a slight pointer to what's wrong: https://www.nottinghamforest.news/20...e-city-ground/

It looks like he had some injury problems at Charlton and seems to have suffered a major loss of confidence, whether that's primarily a mental or a physical thing or both. There's no doubt however that Arter two or three years ago was a fine player at a much higher level than this, so maybe we've got to persevere and hope that the extra edge of the play-offs brings him closer to his old form. The guy shouldn't be past it at 32, indeed only 50/60% of his best should be worthwhile having at this level.

The best thing is for the supporters to stay or get behind him and see if we can bring the 'real' HA back to life, which would be beneficial for our future prospects and his.

[the_anticlough]

The best thing is for the supporters to stay or get behind him and see if we can bring the 'real' HA back to life, which would be beneficial for our future prospects and his.

is it a time for 'ifs' or player restoration projects?
Palmer's midfield partner has been one of our biggest problems, does HA solve it or not? Can we do better based on what he's shown so far? Can we trust him in the play-offs? (his performance level)

Palmer should be a/the holding midfield. The only reason to play him further forward is because we don't have anyone else.
It's not a massive problem having someone 'similar to' Palmer (when we have attacking full-backs and Ruben) as long as that player is good enough.

[i961pie]

Positionally maybe, but I disagree. Palmer always puts effort in, while Arter just went through the motions today. It's very rare I don't applaud a subbed Notts player even if they've had a poor game, but Arter was an exception.

On that note, it's strange to see an opposition player applauded off the pitch unless he's an ex-player, but the spontaneous applause their number 33 Gyasi received shows what Notts fans are about. He was their one forward player who faced three opponents and got no service at all, but he ran his heart out all game. The one thing we demand is effort, and it was something Arter lacked.

He did run his socks off but the two decent break aways they had he tried to dribble past two defenders and wasn't aware a couple of players had run 50 or so yards and were in much better positions.
They weren't happy with him.

[kill_the_drum]

Arter hasn’t been poor since joining, just in his last two games.
Prior to that he looked a cut above.

[upthemaggies]

You mean Maidenhead don't you? I'd hate to book a train ticket to Maidstone on the final day and realise Notts are playing on the other side of London.

Although we'll almost certainly be playing both in the league next season.

I wrote Wealdstone initially - I'm constantly mixing them up with Maidenhead - then got to Maidstone instead, With the latter promoted yesterday I'm going to be one very confused person next season with those three so interchangeable in my head - MAID-enhead MAID-STONE weald-STONE. I confuse Boreham Wood with Bromley a lot too, with those two having the same colours and both playing in the capital area.

Non-league brain damage.

[upthemaggies]

Just imagine how Grimsby are feeling. 4 points against Barnet with a gd of +1.

Football doesn't work the way we want it to all of the time.

Lets get behind the boys and the gaffer. Win the last two, we're 5th at worst and we have a home eliminator against a team that won't play a 640 formation against us.

COYP

Barnet are not the whipping boys of the division though are they.
This was our problem in 2019/20, dropping points against the sides down the bottom. We've dropped 8 this season against the bottom five whilst Stockport and Wrexham have 100% records against them home and away, Halifax dropped 3. We'd be 3rd now with those extra 8 points.
Yes we beat Dover yesterday but the GD may yet be another point dropped, so to speak, if Grimsby were to do enough to overtake us GD wise

But yes, you want a positive atmosphere around the place going into the play offs. Stall thought yesterday that will happen regardless of the run-in, once it comes to it, and that everything that's gone before it will be forgotten. Notts do need to be at home in the QF though.

[laddo]

Pretty much my point about the England thing - find a single comment you like and absolve the management team from any blame for today!

Even though you didn't see it.

You are correct I didn't see it that is why I asked anyone who did. The question and question mark was the big clue

I wasn't absolving the management team of any blame for the narrow victory. In fact I was questioning whether he was giving an accurate description with his post match comments. If you are a manager and you select a team, give them tactics to adopt and a style of play and that results in controlling the game, lots of shots at goals and many missed one on ones then yes the blame for only scoring once is down to the players who didn't score with only the GK to beat IMO.

I wish we had created lots of good chances at Aldershot, I saw it.

[JonahBabb14]

Barnet are not the whipping boys of the division though are they.
This was our problem in 2019/20, dropping points against the sides down the bottom. We've dropped 8 this season against the bottom five whilst Stockport and Wrexham have 100% records against them home and away, Halifax dropped 3. We'd be 3rd now with those extra 8 points.
Yes we beat Dover yesterday but the GD may yet be another point dropped, so to speak, if Grimsby were to do enough to overtake us GD wise

But yes, you want a positive atmosphere around the place going into the play offs. Stall thought yesterday that will happen regardless of the run-in, once it comes to it, and that everything that's gone before it will be forgotten. Notts do need to be at home in the QF though.

My point with comparing it to the Barnet games is that no team goes out every week and wins 5-0 every game. To do that, however poor the opposition is, you need things to go your way

Sometimes things go for you, and sometimes they don't. Yesterday we were a lucky deflection or a bit better finishing away from scoring a second, third, fourth etc.

It is the time of the season where teams do get nervous and Grimsby only getting a point at Barnet shows that. I would argue the quality of a team is defined by how well they do against the more difficult sides than against teams that they "should" be putting away by 4 or 5 because those games are not 'proper' football matches. Dover did not even attempt to attack yesterday so there was literally no space for 80 minutes, yet we still managed to force over 20 shots and I would imagine Shots on target were in double figures too.

Our record against the top 7 stands up to scrutiny this season.