Team for Gateshead

In my opinion nobody should start this game who is likely to start the match with Barnet. With the possible exception of McKeown. The result is irrelevant it should be treated as a reserve game.

Agreed.

Barnet played a pretty strong team in their first game against Concord but played the reserves and youth in the replay. We should do the same imo

Fully agree this time, we can't afford to lose anyone to injury. Gateshead, I thought, were quite physical with a few bad challenges and we were lucky to come away without any serious injuries. Play the fringe players and the young 'uns. The promotion push is too important.

Quoted from BIGChris

Agreed.

Barnet played a pretty strong team in their first game against Concord but played the reserves and youth in the replay. We should do the same imo

Won't they be cup tied Chris?

I'd go...

McKeown

Walker
Parslow
Doig
Bignot

Mackreth
Brown
Mclaughlin
Winfarrah

Watson
Hannah

Quoted from GrimRob

In my opinion nobody should start this game who is likely to start the match with Barnet. With the possible exception of McKeown. The result is irrelevant it should be treated as a reserve game.

So that an unchanged team for PH then.  

we should field the same side again, and see if they can make up for the disgrace that was yesterday...

just get a new man in the dugout

If a professional athlete can't play twice a week at the peak of their game, considering they had a fortnight without a game at the beginning of December and ten days without one at the beginning of January, then don't play them for the Barnet game!

Quoted from Jaws

If a professional athlete can't play twice a week at the peak of their game, considering they had a fortnight without a game at the beginning of December and ten days without one at the beginning of January, then don't play them for the Barnet game!

It's not just about fitness it's about injuries and suspensions. Some injuries take a few days to clear up. And the match could go to extra time and penalties as well. It's not an important game so why risk anyone not being ready and available for Barnet, which is massive? We have loads of players who we pay and never play, let's use them!

Quoted from GrimRob

In my opinion nobody should start this game who is likely to start the match with Barnet. With the possible exception of McKeown. The result is irrelevant it should be treated as a reserve game.

100% agree but it wont happen .

Does it really matter, I doubt we will beat Barnet anyway, they usually score goals and the only way to beat them is to outscore them, like Hurst will try that

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Does it really matter, I doubt we will beat Barnet anyway, they usually score goals and the only way to beat them is to outscore them, like Hurst will try that

The only way to beat anybody is to outscore them!  

A 1-0 victory would do just fine.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Does it really matter, I doubt we will beat Barnet anyway, they usually score goals and the only way to beat them is to outscore them, like Hurst will try that

This is what baffles me. We have 2 huge scoring back to back games then for the rest of the season, we struggle to score more than 2

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

This is what baffles me. We have 2 huge scoring back to back games then for the rest of the season, we struggle to score more than 2

Too much excitement for us manager. Soon put a stop to that nonsense.  

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

This is what baffles me. We have 2 huge scoring back to back games then for the rest of the season, we struggle to score more than 2

Nothing to be baffled about. We have abandoned that way of playing. I share the view that we are really up against it next week. I can't see us keeping a clean sheet - Barnet are free-scorers and I just don't see Hurst setting us up to score 2/3/4 goals or whatever it takes. I can't see it being a scratchy 1-0 victory.

Quoted from GrimRob

In my opinion nobody should start this game who is likely to start the match with Barnet. With the possible exception of McKeown. The result is irrelevant it should be treated as a reserve game.

I will go along with that,  losing won`t even cause a snigger in the Lincoln camp, Barnet is the big one IMO

I would too.

Don't underestimate the physical impact of playing away on a Wednesday night. For a start they won't get back home until early on Thursday morning. That gives Thursday off before back in again on Fri. They then have an early start on Sat. Professional athlete or not they need to catch up on their rest. Don't understand why the game is a Wednesday not a Tuesday, the extra days rest would make a big difference. By the way who's at the peak of their game!

Quoted from Jaws

If a professional athlete can't play twice a week at the peak of their game, considering they had a fortnight without a game at the beginning of December and ten days without one at the beginning of January, then don't play them for the Barnet game!

Quoted from GrimRob

It's not just about fitness it's about injuries and suspensions. Some injuries take a few days to clear up. And the match could go to extra time and penalties as well. It's not an important game so why risk anyone not being ready and available for Barnet, which is massive? We have loads of players who we pay and never play, let's use them!

The team hasn't performed as well at it should. More playing time together can only be a good thing? The Barnet game is no more important than any other game - it decides nothing, if we lost it is the same as any other weekend that they've won and we've lost. Any decent manager (even Hurst) will say this, and tell the players it. If we lose the league to Barnet by 3 points, are we going to rue the game we lost at home to them in January, are we balls, it's the draws against teams like Dover. Nuneaton and the drab displays week in/week out.

Last season Luton won 3 games out of the 12 played against the teams who ended up in playoffs... We've done fine against the better teams so far, but at the minute the table doesn't look great..

McKeown

Bignot
Humble
Doig
Walker

Neilson (get him fit before the Barnet game. They're the sort of side he loves playing against)
McLaughlin
Venney
Winfarrah

Palmer
Watson

Bench:
Parslow, Clay, Arnold, Hannah, Bemrose

We lost against Aldershot playing a pressing attacking game and Hurst has been scarred by that. Personally I believe we'll beat Barnet, we defend well when McKeown, Magnay, Toto, Pearson and Aza all play. If we can nick a goal on the counter twice and keep them out for two games, we'll throw the promotion race wide open. 8 points behind them with 2 games in hand.

Quoted from Vance Warner

Don't underestimate the physical impact of playing away on a Wednesday night. For a start they won't get back home until early on Thursday morning. That gives Thursday off before back in again on Fri. They then have an early start on Sat. Professional athlete or not they need to catch up on their rest. Don't understand why the game is a Wednesday not a Tuesday, the extra days rest would make a big difference. By the way who's at the peak of their game!

What about the part-timers that do it, then turn up to work on a Thursday/Friday on building sites then train Friday night then play on a Saturday and still perform better than our lot?

Full-day off Thursday, half a day training on Friday. Can't be that early of a start on Saturday's as some of the squad are up well past midnight on FIFA!

Quoted from Jaws

If a professional athlete can't play twice a week at the peak of their game, considering they had a fortnight without a game at the beginning of December and ten days without one at the beginning of January, then don't play them for the Barnet game!

I agree. Strange isn't it. If you tell people they will be too tired to play well on Saturday if they play in midweek, how often they don't play well on the Saturday.

True enough about injuries and suspensions but football life is a risky business and and what this team needs more than anything is some team spirit boosted by a win. There is a chance of that at Gateshead even if it is a nothing match. For team morale it would be a big plus prior to Barnet.

The only plausible reason for not playing a strong side is if the manager is scared of losing to Gateshead Reserves and that would have the reverse effect on first team morale with everyone joining in yet more criticism. If he plays a weak side it means little or nothing is expected of them and any win or even losing on penalties would be a bonus.

Quoted from SamTheMariner

We lost against Aldershot playing a pressing attacking game and Hurst has been scarred by that. Personally I believe we'll beat Barnet, we defend well when McKeown, Magnay, Toto, Pearson and Aza all play. If we can nick a goal on the counter twice and keep them out for two games, we'll throw the promotion race wide open. 8 points behind them with 2 games in hand.

If we do that I will go so far to say that I would give you a great big...................................................................green tick.

Quoted from SamTheMariner

We lost against Aldershot playing a pressing attacking game and Hurst has been scarred by that. Personally I believe we'll beat Barnet, we defend well when McKeown, Magnay, Toto, Pearson and Aza all play. If we can nick a goal on the counter twice and keep them out for two games, we'll throw the promotion race wide open. 8 points behind them with 2 games in hand.

I suspect he was "scared" as well as scarred, Sam. It was not long after that when he started to play the holding midfielder and concentrated on nullifying the opposition. You could be right about the results though there will still be plenty of critics if they are achieved in crappy games with a defensive game plan.

McKeown

Thomas
Doig
Parslow
Bignot

Winfarrah
Mclaughlin
Venney
Neilson

Hamish
Hannah

Subs
(in the voice of Andy Tate, Man Utd Fan) Don't Care

Quoted from Vance Warner

Don't underestimate the physical impact of playing away on a Wednesday night. For a start they won't get back home until early on Thursday morning. That gives Thursday off before back in again on Fri. They then have an early start on Sat. Professional athlete or not they need to catch up on their rest. Don't understand why the game is a Wednesday not a Tuesday, the extra days rest would make a big difference. By the way who's at the peak of their game!

Because the Gateshead ground is in use for have an athletics meet  on Tue night  

Quoted from cleethorpes_mariner

Because the Gateshead ground is in use for have an athletics meet  on Tue night  

That would liven the game up a bit, if the players had to dodge the odd javelin/discus/middle distance runner.

Quoted from Abdul19

That would liven the game up a bit, if the players had to dodge the odd javelin/discus/middle distance runner.

For me, has to be (if all are fit):

                       Draper

Bignot      Parslow      Doig     Thomas

                 Clay    McLaughlin
                                            
Mackreth         Neilson         Pittman

                        Palmer

Subs: Walker, Disley, Arnold, Hannah, Watson

What it will probably be:

                    McKeown

Magnay     Nsiala     Pearson     Thomas

Mackreth     Clay     McLaughlin     Neilson

           John-Lewis     Pittman

Subs: Bignot, Disley, Brown, Arnold, Palmer