Match ratings v Harrogate 😬

[MancMagpie]

Wow.

What happened there Notts? That performance was the reason I was more nervous for the game against Barnet rather than this game. We have been perennial late starters far too often this year and I half expected that against Barnet.....unfortunately it reared it’s frustrating head today and we were finally critically punished for it today.

Make no mistake, Harrogate were well worth their win today but we sure as hells helped make it easy for them. I’m trying to keep a little perspective after everything but I’m struggling to think of a worst first half display than that which we witnessed this afternoon. The players looked like they had lead boots on, or were wading through treacle. I don’t believe they weren’t fired up for the match but as professionals they have to be looking at that now and be feeling really embarrassed. Ok ok....Ratings!

Slocombe - Hard to blame him for any of the goals really when he was left totally exposed by some terrible defending. Not much else he could’ve done - 6

Brindley - At times looked really sluggish and slow paced but he did attempt to get forward. Looked out of sorts and partly at fault for the last goal - 5.5

Lacey - Best of the back four, which wasn’t a difficult feat actually, some decent interceptions but let down by those around him. Will we be able to keep him? - 6

Turner - Had an excellent game last week which is probably why he started today but boy, I doubt he’s had many worse games than that in his career. I feel bad for him as he has been colossal at times this year but today was bad, very bad...and I’m sure he’s hurting very much - 4

Bagan - Obviously has something, looks like a right foot isn’t one of them unfortunately. On the plus side he has some nice touches and good vision, on the downside I thought his positioning was pretty poor, and was against Barnet too. I doubt we’ll see him again - 5.5

Roberts - Desperately tried to make something happen, but you can’t do it all by yourself, which he will do well to remember. Great goal, nearly had two - 7.5

Doyle - Did ok. We can’t expect him to work in a midfield 4 like that and expect wonders from him. Maximum effort, just an off day like almost everyone else today - 6

Rose - I’ve been critical of him this year but thought actually did well today. He battled hard, plenty of energy and used the ball much better than he has done previously. Nothing spectacular unfortunately - 6.5

O’Brien - Badly exposed out wide and barely had a notable touch. My favourite player but wasn’t in the game at all today.....again, that formation and line up will never play to his greatest strengths - 5.5

Wootton - Probably my player of the season. Although we were utter garbage today almost everything stuck to his feet when played up to him and he linked what play we did make up very well - 7

Dennis - Badly let down by the formation and team selection. Never in the game and took off at half time - 5.5

Thomas - Got on the ball and went very direct and could’ve scored. I felt for about ten minutes we were going to get a second but alas we didn’t....and deservedly so. Still, a decent energetic and passionate performance - 6.5

Enzio - Tried to make something happen, once or twice I thought he was going to bend one into the corner but today wasn’t his or our day. As the second half unravelled we became more and more ragged and Enzio then struggled - 6

Kelly-Evans - Why being him on? Must be thinking he has a chance to oust Brindley for a starting spot next season. No chance to impress - 5

I understand why, after such a strong performance last week, but I’ve felt for a long time that a 4-3-3 formation suits our style and players so much better than the 4-4-2 does....but managing behind a computer screen is so much easier than real life!

So, another pretty depressing display and performance in a long list of such affairs but overall I feel much better for the future now (ok, not right at this moment in time) and I can’t criticise the players this year. Many times they have been up against it and managed to hold firm, and even come up out on top!

They, like us, will be hurting, but we can bounce back from this...who’d have it any other way anyway....we are Notts County after all!

Great post and ratings fair (maybe a little high for the 7s) Pretty much feel the same as how you described it all. Totally gutted we didnt turn up first half, but I kind of knew it was going to happen. Everything was pointing towards a Harrogate victory and we couldn't cope with their ambition. Notts, bigger team, lots of playoff experience etc...Harrogate trying to get in to EFL for the first time ever. They wanted it more and totally smothered us. Imagine having the chance to take a club to league football for the first time ever....and in your way is the ex oldest league club in the world? Perfect scenario to think 'we have nothing to lose really, all the pressure is on Notts'. Wish we would have played Boreham.

Ah well. I reck we can go up next season if we keep most of the squad. Time for Doyle and Rose to go IMO. Need legs in midfield in this league.

Harrogate really did a number on us today.

[BJPIE]

Slocombe 5 not much he could do about goals
Brindley 3 Dire
Lacey 5.5 made to look bad
Turner 3 Runs like a square wheeled bike
Bagan 4 Rabbit in the headlights
O Brien 4.5 Never in it
Doyle 5 needed more time than Harrogate allowed
Rose 5 see Doyle
Roberts 7 Class
Dennis 5 No service
Wooton 7 Great work rate

Enzio 5 Flattered to decieve ( again)
Thomas 5 see Enzio
Kelly Evans( no mark but he was brilliant towards the end of the season)

[navypie]

How the fcuk anyone can give Turner anything above minus 10 is beyond me.

[KintoreMagpie]

Slocombe 6 Seemed as bewildered as everyone else at the unfolding clown car crash in front of him.

Brindley 5 if they used to call Ray Wilkins ‘the crab’ for his sideways passing, I’m not sure what to call this bloke. What animal always goes backwards? Had a great chance for a cross or a shot at 2-1 and f00ked that up as well.

Bagan 5 Looks 15, played like it as well. Needlessly gave away the free kick for the 2nd goal.

Lacey 6 Pick of a bad bunch in defence. Was probably wondering what competition the bloke next to him won where the prize was to play in a playoff final.

Turner 3 I keep being told what a good player he is. All I see is decent but conference standard forwards taking the piss out of him. Time to retire.

Doyle 5 There are formations against Harrogate where having a 39 year old in midfield would be a good idea. A 4-4-2 with Rose and O’Brien isn’t one of them.

Rose 6 He didn’t actually have too bad a game. He just didn’t do any one thing all that well. As always.

O’Brien 5 He should be a great player at this level, but for a someone who comes across as a ‘leader of men’ he disappears an awful lot when we’re struggling.

Dennis 4 Did nothing, but non-existent service.

Wootton 4 If we’d have gone up, he’d have been fairly highly up on my ‘not good enough for the league’ list. Nothing stuck today, and a poor touch.

Roberts 7 Came out of the traps firing in the second half and a great free kick. Seemed to take the ‘Geordie Messi’ stuff a bit too literally after that, and wanted to take the entire town of Harrogate on all on his own.

Thomas 6 Gave more energy than Dennis and could have been in if it wasn’t for the most cynical foul you’ll ever see. Would have missed anyway though.

Enzio 5 Started the second half well but faded.

Ardley 5 Lovely bloke and a great representative of the club. But if he knew exactly how Harrogate were going to play, told the players how they’d play , prepared for how’d they play, but for whatever reason they couldn’t put it into action, that’s a big worry. I haven’t got much faith he’ll get us up next season.

Dunno if people have much interest in player ratings for a game we all watched, but at least I’ve I’ve found writing them a bit cathartic!

Really surprised at your mark for Wootton. I thought he did alright and his touch is usually good and he would have no bother in L2. Turner was obviously poor but the defence collectively were way below the standard that they have set. Possibly Lacey’s worst game in a Notts shirt? Agree with your thoughts about NA. I think his comments regarding the team’s preparation sounded a throwback to similar he made during last season’s debacle. Whilst clearly their styles are totally different I am hoping that he does a Big Sam next season and gets the players needed to shore up our weaknesses into the squad and motivate them all to win this league. TBH I thought he was a decent appointment and he has shown qualities which I have found admirable during his tenure. However I think we have to see a team challenging for top spot from Day 1 and maintaining that level throughout the season. Sorry Neal but there is no let up on the pressure and expectations!

[Biker9999]

I think these ratings completely miss the point. Ardley had the wrong tactics I think the players were uncertain of what they were supposed to do and the opposition completely out thought Ardley and his team both tactically and individually. We were playing a side who have only 16 players, have lost a few key ones and have next to no money compared to us. The start of the season is no excuse we have a squad capable of playing in Div 3 it may not be perfect but on paper its a lot better than Harrogate. Ardley has got us relegated and now produced utter failure in a play off game and with a little less luck and the skill of Roberts we could have been looking at a 7 - 0 score line. Only people to blame are the managemnt team which is clearly incapable of rising to the big occassion and that includes motivating and organising a team.

[the_anticlough]

Slocombe 5 - Can't blame him too much for the goals, he just looked what he was; beleaguered
Brindley 4 - Made him our worst performer and that's saying something. Agree with the commentators re: his effort for the 3rd
Lacey 7 - OK, not his 'best', but just imagine the scoreline if he'd been as bad as the other 3...
Turner 4 - You can't blame him for using all his effort and influence to get back in the team. It was on Ardley to say, you haven't played since Dec - Connell keeps the shirt
Bagan 5 - Horribly nervous and shaky in the first half. He did better in the 2nd
Rose 6 - He battled throughout. They didn't allow our midfield any space to play at all. And the back 4 were so deep it was always under pressure
Doyle 6 - Again, the effort was there. Not a pitch for a 38 year old (with 1 game in 5 months) in August
O'Brien 5 - Couldn't put his mark on the game. Another who looked out-paced
Roberts 7 - Our main threat for goals and creating something. His great free kick gave us a chance. Edges our MoM for me.
Wootton 6 - Great effort with the hold up play. Understandably went ragged as the game wore on
Dennis 5 - Good movement early on, then faded away badly

Subs
Boldewijn 6 - Made a positive difference
Thomas 7 - Some great play away from the box. Finishing's always been the thing to let him down this season
Kelly-Evans 6 - In the short time he was on he showed that he should have been playing from the start

[Woodsetts_Pie]

Slocombe 5 not much he could do about goals
Brindley 3 Dire
Lacey 5.5 made to look bad
Turner 3 Runs like a square wheeled bike
Bagan 4 Rabbit in the headlights
O Brien 4.5 Never in it
Doyle 5 needed more time than Harrogate allowed
Rose 5 see Doyle
Roberts 7 Class
Dennis 5 No service
Wooton 7 Great work rate

Enzio 5 Flattered to decieve ( again)
Thomas 5 see Enzio
Kelly Evans( no mark but he was brilliant towards the end of the season)

I'm in agreement with BJPIE here. What I would like to see is 2 players in wide positions who have the guile to drive forward when they have the ball at their feet. Roberts and Osbourne for example. However, this forward looking mentality comes with a degree of risk, and we have a management team who are totally risk averse, so it's unlikely to happen any time soon. The safety first style yesterday produced Salford Part 2 for me. It was our one chance of escape and we blew it. Next season will not be the walk in the park some are predicting.

[the_anticlough]

I think these ratings completely miss the point. Ardley had the wrong tactics I think the players were uncertain of what they were supposed to do and the opposition completely out thought Ardley and his team both tactically and individually. We were playing a side who have only 16 players, have lost a few key ones and have next to no money compared to us. The start of the season is no excuse we have a squad capable of playing in Div 3 it may not be perfect but on paper its a lot better than Harrogate. Ardley has got us relegated and now produced utter failure in a play off game and with a little less luck and the skill of Roberts we could have been looking at a 7 - 0 score line. Only people to blame are the managemnt team which is clearly incapable of rising to the big occassion and that includes motivating and organising a team.

I get your point and would give Ardley 4 for team selection, game plan, motivation....etc
Still, he can't win races to the ball, make a challenge without giving away a silly free-kick, play a ball with the right weight, move laterally and turn when you have to... The quality of the individual play was shocking at times, so the players have to be accountable for that

[i961pie]

Slocombe 6 Seemed as bewildered as everyone else at the unfolding clown car crash in front of him.

Brindley 5 if they used to call Ray Wilkins ‘the crab’ for his sideways passing, I’m not sure what to call this bloke. What animal always goes backwards? Had a great chance for a cross or a shot at 2-1 and f00ked that up as well.

Bagan 5 Looks 15, played like it as well. Needlessly gave away the free kick for the 2nd goal.

Lacey 6 Pick of a bad bunch in defence. Was probably wondering what competition the bloke next to him won where the prize was to play in a playoff final.

Turner 3 I keep being told what a good player he is. All I see is decent but conference standard forwards taking the piss out of him. Time to retire.

Doyle 5 There are formations against Harrogate where having a 39 year old in midfield would be a good idea. A 4-4-2 with Rose and O’Brien isn’t one of them.

Rose 6 He didn’t actually have too bad a game. He just didn’t do any one thing all that well. As always.

O’Brien 5 He should be a great player at this level, but for a someone who comes across as a ‘leader of men’ he disappears an awful lot when we’re struggling.

Dennis 4 Did nothing, but non-existent service.

Wootton 4 If we’d have gone up, he’d have been fairly highly up on my ‘not good enough for the league’ list. Nothing stuck today, and a poor touch.

Roberts 7 Came out of the traps firing in the second half and a great free kick. Seemed to take the ‘Geordie Messi’ stuff a bit too literally after that, and wanted to take the entire town of Harrogate on all on his own.

Thomas 6 Gave more energy than Dennis and could have been in if it wasn’t for the most cynical foul you’ll ever see. Would have missed anyway though.

Enzio 5 Started the second half well but faded.

Ardley 5 Lovely bloke and a great representative of the club. But if he knew exactly how Harrogate were going to play, told the players how they’d play , prepared for how’d they play, but for whatever reason they couldn’t put it into action, that’s a big worry. I haven’t got much faith he’ll get us up next season.

Dunno if people have much interest in player ratings for a game we all watched, but at least I’ve I’ve found writing them a bit cathartic!

Seem to be on your own regarding Wooton and his mark.
O'Brien should be in the middle not stuck out on the wing, he was never in the game.

[sidders]

Is that to me? If it is, the '*' denotes man of the match (it's an old Sunday paper thing).

From what I can see all of us marked him as a 6 or 6.5, so I don't see the generosity thing.

Hi Elite. I'm sorry if I came over a bit sharp but texting/posting has no tone. I genuinely didn't understand the * . Everyone seemed to be slagging off Rose except you. I read on another fred that basically you thought he was the best of a bad bunch. I enjoy the ratings fred more than any other on here.