Oppositions View - Barnet

How do you assess your sides recent form?

Things are probably not quite as bad as they seem at Underhill. They are playing reasonably well but just not getting the results they deserve. They were quite unlucky to lose to Peterborough on Tuesday night. Even with ten men they put up quite a good fight. The main problem of late has been

Akurang...Opened account in 4-1 Shrewsbury win

scoring goals. They have only scored five goals in the last seven games, and four of them came at the weekend against Shrewsbury - so there is a problem. Just one win in seven.

How important was the thumping win against Shrewsbury in restoring survival confidence?

Well we hoped so but defeat at home Posh would be regarded as a step back. The sending off of Jason Puncheon was a real dent. He is Barnet's star player but his sending off was pretty stupid. He just kicked the ball at the linesman and got a straight red card. The fans are not very pleased about that. He will get a lot of stick for that.

You are in trouble but with some games in end. Is that quite deceiving or does it bring confidence?

The fans are talking about relegation but that is what fans do. Fairclough still thinks they can get more points than last season and finish comfortably in mid-table. The thing we have focused on this week is the discipline. Barnet have had ten red cards this season and this is something that could threaten their season. Fairclough believes if they can keep 11 players on the pitch they can beat anyone. He is still very confident they will be safe. But he has said that this Notts County game is a massive game so he has obviously had a look at the table.

What has gone so horribly wrong for Barnet?

Fairclough...Confident at Underhill

They have a tiny squad. Their is only really 16 senior players. The team is basically non-league players. He does not spend any money. Each year he just brings in free transfers from lower leagues really. Some of the players that come in are even lower than the Conference.

Is the aim now purely survival?

Well Fairclough wants a mid-table finish. He wants more than just survival. He wants to do so comfortably. He always says his aim is progress.

Is Paul Fairclough a man under pressure?

No not at all. I think everyone realises that they've got probably the smallest budget in the league. The crowds have really gone down in recent weeks - with just 1,800 at Saturday's game against Shrewsbury. His budget dictates that he cannot buy players. Most fans realise that he is doing a really good job by keeping them in the division.

Birchall...Not the solution up front

Who is your danger man?

Well with Puncheon out I'd probably go for Albert Adomah. He is another non-league signing, from Harow Borough. He seems to have adapted to life in the division more than Cliff Akurang. Adomah is a midfield player who looks capable of scoring goals. He is very exciting - he is a flair player. Akurang also scored twice at the weekend but before that had gone around 12 games without a goal. He is from Histon and seems to have struggled to adapt more.

Who else should we look out for?

Ismail Yakubu is fairly solid. In the last couple of months he has been in outstanding form. He is usually quite injury prone so he does normally miss a fair chunk of the season but at the moment he is doing ok. The defence as a whole has been playing reasonably well. You cannot really fault them. Yakubu is the captain and the leader.

What have you made of Notts' season so far?

They just seem to have had another season of under achievement. I would have thought that they would be at least challenging for the play-offs - a big club like that. They've probably got the best stadium in the division, not that it's everything but they should have done better. They've had a couple of seasons struggling now and I thought it was about time they would challenge.

Where do you see Notts ending up?

I think they will survive. Simply becauise there are worse sides. I can see someone like Chester dropping into it. There is usually a side that plummet

Puncheon...Suspended for trip to Notts

into danger from the higher reaches of the table. Maybe Wrexham or Mansfield will go. I think others will save them rather than them saving themselves.

What sort of encounter are you expecting?

I can see this being a really tight affair. I suspect very few goals wiht both sides lacking a form striker. Barnet do like to attack but at the moment scoring goals has been a real problem while defence has been good. I cannot see confidence being too high at Notts County either.

Team news?

Jason Puncheon missing through suspension is the main news to report obviously.

Prediction?

0-0 stalemate!