Notts v Stags

[Richard Cranium]

The cup final. Can’t wait. Are we allowed to predict anything other than a win or will the Boring magpie go off on one about it?

I’d take a point away, County made some good signings and followed it up with 4 from 6 against two good sides.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Early doors start to the thread. Like it.

2 weeks ago I would have been happy not to get a rinsing, 2 decent results later and I’ll be genuinely disappointed if we don’t win it.

Funny old game football.

 

[Wooderson]

Looking forward to this now, was dreading it three weeks ago after we lost to Yeovil, seemingly going down without a whimper, and Stags won at Colchester. At that point I was considering not going at all - what would be the point? And yet now incredibly it feels like we are the ones going into this with the momentum. Of course it will probably almost certainly end in an away win (Grant goal), but even if it does it won’t feel like relegation is nailed on.

Anyway, fascinating battle ahead, the headline is Doyle v Bish which should be a great clash of two veterans with still plenty to offer at this level. Grant and Pearce returning too, but not White. And Mitch Rose and Hemmings on our side.

Sweeney a big miss for the Stags? System change ahead from your usual three CBS?

Last two at ML have been a draw, I’d take that again.

 

[T.A]

Come on the County!

 

[Conker]

Looking forward to this now, was dreading it three weeks ago after we lost to Yeovil, seemingly going down without a whimper, and Stags won at Colchester. At that point I was considering not going at all - what would be the point? And yet now incredibly it feels like we are the ones going into this with the momentum. Of course it will probably almost certainly end in an away win (Grant goal), but even if it does it won’t feel like relegation is nailed on.

Anyway, fascinating battle ahead, the headline is Doyle v Bish which should be a great clash of two veterans with still plenty to offer at this level. Grant and Pearce returning too, but not White. And Mitch Rose and Hemmings on our side.

Sweeney a big miss for the Stags? System change ahead from your usual three CBS?

Last two at ML have been a draw, I’d take that again.

He’s a big miss in that we literally have no other fit CBs. Cannot see Rose being available so our bench not have a striker or centre back.

I’m not confident, but we should still be beating you lot, obviously - and I’ll be disappointed if we don’t despite not being particularly positive about it.

 

[Conker]

Come on the County!

If Bury finish above Mansfield I’ll cancel year of the stag. I’ll also be bitterly disappointed and surprised.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I’d put CJ Hamilton back up top with Walker, Jones in at wing back and Ajose to the bench for this one.

Hopefully Turner is fit and can fill in at CB

 

[Conker]

I’d put CJ Hamilton back up top with Walker, Jones in at wing back and Ajose to the bench for this one.

Hopefully Turner is fit and can fill in at CB

Completely agree, CJ is being nullified at WB and if he’s on it he can be unplayable.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

No need for that opening post Dickie lol. I fully expect all bar one Stags fan to predict a Notts victory or a draw regardless of what history tells us about this fixture.

After the corresponding fixture it would be nice if the pre match predictions didn’t change once the final whistle blows this time .

Agree with Wooderson, a few games ago this would of been guaranteed pure torture. However with the reinforcements now in and settled , and on the back of two impressive performances we should at least be in with a chance of something.

Saying all that, I wouldn’t be surprised if once again we fail to win or more likely lose. As the whole of L2 knows we can’t beat Mansfield even when we are clearly the better side on paper, or higher in the table or in great form. This time around we aren’t any of those things unless you isolate just two games. I fully expect the usual curse to strike no matter how improved our midfield , defence and overal character is.

Luckily we have surprisingly got 4 points from the last two games which is unexpected to say the least so this is a bit of a free hit.

I’m going 1-3 in a controversial game which include a sending off. The poor performance and defeat at Newport is the perfect prequel to a Stags victory here

 

[AdamStag]

Agreed on cj - he’s much more effective.

With Mansfield in the unfamiliar territory of losing a game and county on the back of an equally unfamiliar feeling of winning it’ll be interesting to see how both teams react.

County should be expecting something from this after impressive showings against Lincoln and forest green

 

[Wooderson]

Hopefully Hamilton stays at RB, he tore us a new one in November. As for us, unchanged I guess. Now that’s unfamiliar territory!

 

[northstandexile]

Normally we park in cattle market, after the fire the other month can people still park in cattle market.

 

[jacobncfc]

Just want to get out of this unscathed really. Before the Lincoln game we would’ve been delighted with four points from three games, but this fixture has a tendency to fuck us up and if we get beaten handily I could see it being like deflating a balloon.

With O’Brien and Doyle in the middle, though, I expect us to compete and not roll over like we often do in this game. It’s a huge test for our young centre back pairing and surprisingly impressive midfielders playing at full back.

 

[jacobncfc]

Hopefully Hamilton stays at RB, he tore us a new one in November. As for us, unchanged I guess. Now that’s unfamiliar territory!

Maybe he’s good defensively, but on the fact of it I would really fancy Boldewijn having a go at Hamilton.

Also, just looked at the Notts team which lost at Field Mill in December and only Milsom and Stead are going to start this one, the former in a completely different position. That’s a dramatic turnover in two months.

 

[Optipez]

Ajose and Hamilton both regularly play well against us surprised Ajose is on the bench. Maybe he is one of those journeyman for whom Notts is a good team to play against.

I've gone from seeing no way out of this mess to believing there's no team in the division we can't beat in a fortnight flat. With the exception of the keeper we look strong enough everywhere on the pitch to compete and also have a very useful looking bench.
I'd not be unhappy with a point but believe we're well overdue a home win and a win against the Stags. 2-0, Gomis to score his first for us.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Had a quick look on Stagsnet to see what the latest thoughts are on the forthcoming big match.

The highlight is the guy writing 3 longish paragraphs on how much he doesn’t care about Notts and claiming that he heard Everton fans sing the Wheelbarrow Song back at us in 83/84(7 years before it came into existence, they’re clever those scousers).

Despite my long held belief that I really don’t care about Mansfield, this feels like a very big game because of the local rivalry, the league table,, the former players on both sides, the fact we haven’t beaten them for so long, and now of course we feel that we have at long last a decent side and we want to keep our mini run going. I hope we get a bigger turnout of Notts fans than we had against Lincoln.

 

[mds]

I'll be very disappointed if we don't win this, hope Grant go's missing like he did against you last season, 2-0

 

[AdamStag]

Had a quick look on Stagsnet to see what the latest thoughts are on the forthcoming big match.

The highlight is the guy writing 3 longish paragraphs on how much he doesn’t care about Notts and claiming that he heard Everton fans sing the Wheelbarrow Song back at us in 83/84(7 years before it came into existence, they’re clever those scousers).

Despite my long held belief that I really don’t care about Mansfield, this feels like a very big game because of the local rivalry, the league table,, the former players on both sides, the fact we haven’t beaten them for so long, and now of course we feel that we have at long last a decent side and we want to keep our mini run going. I hope we get a bigger turnout of Notts fans than we had against Lincoln.

Oh the game is as big for both sides this time round - I can’t really see anyone logically thinking elsewhere - differing pressures, ex players on both teams etc.

With notts and FG in the next 2 games it could go a long way to deciding our season, not that it’s my choice but I’d rather beat FG if I had to choose between the 2.

 

[Conker]

Had a quick look on Stagsnet to see what the latest thoughts are on the forthcoming big match.

The highlight is the guy writing 3 longish paragraphs on how much he doesn’t care about Notts and claiming that he heard Everton fans sing the Wheelbarrow Song back at us in 83/84(7 years before it came into existence, they’re clever those scousers).

Despite my long held belief that I really don’t care about Mansfield, this feels like a very big game because of the local rivalry, the league table,, the former players on both sides, the fact we haven’t beaten them for so long, and now of course we feel that we have at long last a decent side and we want to keep our mini run going. I hope we get a bigger turnout of Notts fans than we had against Lincoln.

Oh don’t get me started mate!! I had a look at your gaff and the arrogance from a team bottom of the table is astonishing, my brain is hurting.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Rumours surfaced yesterday of an almost impossibly long thread solely about Notts County FC on a Mansfield Town FC forum.

Nothing official yet*, but sources say it’s record breaking in terms of the number of pages, seemingly endless number of posts and intergalactic levels of views

More to follow......


* I read it on Notts County Mad so could be complete bullshit

 

[NCFC Kim]

My favourite thing about Notts-Stags week is the instance on both sides that we don't care about each other.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Arrogance ? Really ? Might be a bit of confidence seeping back in but I don’t see arrogance.

Some great match ups on sat, as others have said, Doyle v Bishop, Walker v Stubbs, and it’ll be interesting to see Grant and Enzio on the same pitch. I assume Grant will turn up on Saturday, which is more than what he did for a significant part of last season. I would genuinely take an in form Enzio over him every day of the week.

Does anyone know if it’s the first time Bishop’s been back at ML since he left? Should get a decent reception.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

There is some rare confidence on there (not seen for months!) but not arrogance#misreported

Grant first goal scorer is a must bet for all involved.

If I was in attendance , Bishop would get applause off me. That midfield containing Bish, Ravenhill and Ben Davies was a joy to watch. Obviously Bishop wasn’t in his prime , he wasn’t 37 but he was still very very good at this level .

 

[AdamStag]

Arrogance ? Really ? Might be a bit of confidence seeping back in but I don’t see arrogance.

Some great match ups on sat, as others have said, Doyle v Bishop, Walker v Stubbs, and it’ll be interesting to see Grant and Enzio on the same pitch. I assume Grant will turn up on Saturday, which is more than what he did for a significant part of last season. I would genuinely take an in form Enzio over him every day of the week.

Does anyone know if it’s the first time Bishop’s been back at ML since he left? Should get a decent reception.

Hes been absolutely brilliant for us so far, went missing on the paddy field in South Wales but it’s not an easy pitch to play on.

If he only does half seasons then fine, we only need him for that long.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

He’s a great talent in the lower leagues, can be a real match winner, game changer, and a joy to watch when he wants to.

Which he will on Saturday. If I was Ardley I’d get someone to take him out earlier on or at least leave something on him in a challenge just to ruffle his feathers. Stand off him,
let him feel comfortable and he can do serious damage as Notts fans saw a plenty last season when he was on loan with us

 

[Conker]

Arrogance ? Really ? Might be a bit of confidence seeping back in but I don’t see arrogance.

Some great match ups on sat, as others have said, Doyle v Bishop, Walker v Stubbs, and it’ll be interesting to see Grant and Enzio on the same pitch. I assume Grant will turn up on Saturday, which is more than what he did for a significant part of last season. I would genuinely take an in form Enzio over him every day of the week.

Does anyone know if it’s the first time Bishop’s been back at ML since he left? Should get a decent reception.

Don’t be silly, you are looking at it unfairly then mate, it’s like how patronising Forest fans are towards County. Same feeling, except it’s unjustified currently due to Mansfield being better.

Both sets of fans clearly ‘care’ about each other, the only difference is Mansfield are actually winning their main rivalry (Chesterfield/spireshites/non-league minnows etc) and the County-Forest thing is non-exsistant due to obvious reasons. Either way both our first choice rivals are out the way so this is all we got in reality for both sets of fans.


Apperantly Turner is unlikely to be fit for Saturday so that’s meaning we will probably drop Mal Benning to CB unless he switches formation (unlikely imo) bit risky due to Benning being a very attacking minded defender and never playing in that position before.

It’s imperative we chuck CJ up top along with Grant, because if it’s just one of ‘em they will be double marked in all likelihood and that’s a lot harder to achieve if both are there.

 

[Wooderson]

Never really agreed with my fellow Notts fans on Grant ‘going missing’, sure he would have quiet spells (which lower league wide player doesn’t) but would also conjure a vital goal out of absolutely nothing (Stevenage and Cov (h), Lincoln (a) as examples. I really hope we have done our homework on him and don’t give him any sighters from 20 yards as there will be virtually no-one in the starting line or on the bench, playing or managerial, that knows him particularly well.

Anyway, one of a number of decent attacking players in this game, really struggling to call it atm.

 

[Optipez]

Absolutely love Bish, one of my all time favourite players. Genuinely can't say a bad word about him.

 

[Son of Cod]

Anyone know if this has been picked up by some obscure foreign TV network? Another case of Sky missing a trick here. Absolute banger of a game on paper. It's probably gonna be a crap 1-0 but will be worth it for the tension alone. It's poised suspiciously similarly to Chesterfield v Notts back towards the business end of last season though, so I'm going for a repeat scoreline of 3-1 to the hosts.

 

[AdamStag]

Anyone know if this has been picked up by some obscure foreign TV network? Another case of Sky missing a trick here. Absolute banger of a game on paper. It's probably gonna be a crap 1-0 but will be worth it for the tension alone. It's poised suspiciously similarly to Chesterfield v Notts back towards the business end of last season though, so I'm going for a repeat scoreline of 3-1 to the hosts.

No, sky just picked us against Lincoln instead.