Wrexham (A)

[TheBlackHorse]

This will be our biggest test so far this season. On the day, it will depend on the players attitude and their character as a team. It's a test of brute force versus skill. We will have to work hard to overcome their direct style and use all our mental sharpness to deliver a win. It will be interesting to see if Wrexham are flexible enough to adapt their play when we go a goal up ... no one knows. Should be a classic...

[The_Don_ORiordan]

My worry is the high line we play. At home Wrexham broke this a few times.

The quick ball over the top turning our centre three is the concern for me.

Lots has been said about their long throws, but I think we’ll deal with them ok.

[Notts78]

My worry is the high line we play. At home Wrexham broke this a few times.

The quick ball over the top turning our centre three is the concern for me.

Lots has been said about their long throws, but I think we’ll deal with then ok.

This is why Brindley needs to come back in… just for his pace.

The high line enables us to press as a team without leaving gaps between the lines and I’m sure Wrexham will look to miss the lines and go long over the top more often than not.

I’m not sure our styles are as contrasting as some believe. Having read the Wrexham site it seems they are not all blood and guts and do play a bit as well. This makes them more dangerous IMO as they can be more versatile than us.

[OP67]

It'll be a continuous aerial bombardment from the whistle from Wrexham as we always look weak to that and that's their strength and style. Their pitch is absolutely dreadful for playing it on the ground which is our style mainly so I expect us to go over the top a fair bit as well. I can see it being a draw which will see us out of the running for the championship unfortunately.

I wonder what % possession Wrexham are avaeraging this season.

[OP67]

Wrexham fans having a laugh at Notts fan starting a thread about the Wrexham game It's a quite a laugh reading their replies, some obviously watch their football through rose tinted glasses. They apparently outplayed us at home, I remember it being quite even and the stats show we just edged it.

http://www.redpassion.co.uk/forums/w...8-notts-c.html

https://www.nottscountystats.com/post/report-wrexham-h

[slack_pie]

I think the 'brute force vs skill' idea is a bit naive to say the least. We have different styles, for sure, but Wrexham's squad is packed with talent. From what I can see, they can grind you down with long throws and ****housery AND play you off the park, whereas we can only do the latter.

My concern is that despite our incredible season, we have several weaknesses to exploit that pretty much anyone can see. Our passing about at the back makes us susceptible to mistakes when pressed high, we don't always look comfortable with early balls over the top and into channels, and we aren't the best at defending set pieces.

What's Wrexham's weakness? That's a harder questions to answer. As much as I love the way we play, Wrexham look a more complete team to me.

A lot hinges on Friday. If Wrexham somehow drop points against Halifax and we win, the pressure might get to them. But they've been under huge pressure all season with the Hollywood circus, and it hasn't been a problem so far.

[TSANHO]

I watched the Wrexham v Oldham game, and it was quite demoralising actually. They do go direct, but they’re also very capable of playing really nice football as well….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.

We’ve got our work cut out for sure but on the upside their pitch looked much better than it did a few months ago. Nothing but a win will do I guess but it is hard to see how we do that with how well Wrexham have done this year.

[slack_pie]

I watched the Wrexham v Oldham game, and it was quite demoralising actually. They do go direct, but they’re also very capable of playing really nice football as well….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.

We’ve got our work cut out for sure but on the upside their pitch looked much better than it did a few months ago. Nothing but a win will do I guess but it is hard to see how we do that with how well Wrexham have done this year.

I think the fact we need to win makes it easier for us. We only have one option - go out and attack. If a draw would do, it would be trickier to outline a game plan. Besides, we're not the kind of team that sets up to take a point.

The way I see it, we're finishing second barring a miracle. So let's just go for it. If we lose, nothing really changes - we're finishing second. If we somehow win, who knows what could happen in the remaining games. So it's a bit like a free hit.

[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.