Match Thread vs. Hartlepool United 10.04.21 [NL]

[drillerpie]

DKE in midfield! Unorthodox I know, but we might even win the odd second ball - imagine that!

[jackal2]

We simply can’t control a game against any team with legs in midfield. Squad is completely flawed, every problem you solve creates a new one.

We do have a problem in midfield, without a doubt, and Michael Doyle isn't the answer. Successful teams always have a strong spine and I don't think we're lacking too much in terms of central defenders and strikers, but there's definitely a lack of energy in midfield, especially when you're having to rely week after week on players in their mid-to-late 30s. The weaknesses in the centre of the park mean we aren't able to win the midfield battle and control games as often as we should, which in turn limits the quality and quantity of service to our forwards and wide players and exposes our defenders.

[KCNotts]

Can't really agree with that. We didn't control the game in the second half, and they did look better than us.

It wasn't "just one of those days", we got exactly what we deserved.

Disagree. We had most of the possession in the second half. They managed about two shots after the break, one of which went in (when we had 10 men).

It wasn't a great performance, but i honestly don't think they looked loads better. A draw would have been a fair result.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

TBH don not think he will be judged this season, if he can get promotion it would be a bonus, but he will be judged next season

I agree. He's got to work with the hand he has been dealt with. He can clearly see where we have been having issues and has been bold on two occasions in this game in particular to change tactics and formations during the game to try and change things that are not working.

That might be the unpalatable truth for some fans, but the manager is not a magician. Likewise this team is not like a Munto team and has never shown at any point this season we can be consistent enough to challenge automatic otherwise we would have been top, 2nd or 3rd which we've never really been at those heights. We've managed four wins in a row at once, but unfortunately you need a couple of five or six win blocks in a season.

The fundamentals are we lack energy, intensity, aggression and are slow. That won't change now until the summer with new recruited players.

I would like to think we have enough about us to finish 5th or 6th which is where we are now and if we have a bit of luck we could sneak into 3rd. That's got to be the aim and focus now.

[CheltenhamPie]

Wootton won every header today, but he was too deep for my liking. Our final ball is poor and Enzio has lost all purpose. All of his threat has been taken away.

Griffiths looks another waste of a loan and the central midfield just isn't dynamic enough.

We can't hammer Birchnall for the rubbish squad. That is Ardley and Abbott's doing.

I agree with most of your comments. However Birchnall picked the team and dictates the way we set up and play. We were very negative in the first half, and took over sixty minutes for our first shot on target. Not really good enough.

[the_anticlough]

The problem is we've tried 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 also, and it hasn't often worked, especially when Wootton gets isolated. And even those who crave a 4-4-2 would have to admit we haven't really got the central midfield players to make it work against teams who sometimes pack the midfield. Neil Bishop and Ricky Ravenhill were energetic workhorses who made it work ten years ago, but you can't expect a veteran like Doyle, as fit as he is, to do that job; and Reeves isn't really dynamic enough either. O'Brien's maybe the hardest worker, but again he's no spring chicken.

I've seen so many different midfield pairings in 4-4-2s over the decades. I don't think you always need 2 holding players if you play that - if the defenders can be trusted to defend and there are no passengers in the front four, pairs like Harkouk and Goodwin, Webb and Hodge can work..
Do we have those things now to play say a Reeves and Rodrigues partnership? No!

[Rez1862]

Let's not get carried away with the result here. Hartlepool are a very good and organised side so no shame in the loss. We looked a lot more coherent in the second half and I think with the right additions, we can challenge next season. This season, I fear, is too far gone to make any changes that will have any noticeable impact.

[Stan Marshall]

Very poor today. Passing in midfield was dreadful, particularly as we are supposed to be a passing side. Very sad to see Roberts limping off.
How many times have we left it until the second half, and a change of tactics at half time, before we start to play?
Never mind, we’ll have Doyle and Reeves back together again, next weekend!

[Robertomac]

The fundamentals are we lack energy, intensity, aggression and are slow.

Perfectly summed up in one sentence and that's why we never win 'must win' games.

Very disappointing today. Failure to compete in the first half cost us and once again too many players making basic errors like failing to trap a simple pass, failing to pass a ball 10 yards and making errors under no pressure. Football basics.

[KCNotts]

I really like your optimism but that was terrible... first half was too bad to be true, invited them unto us and offered nothing in response, second half there was a slight difference but never looked like scoring, biggest budget in the league but they made us look like Chorley today... that was very very bad

It wasn't very very bad! We defended pretty well and restricted them to very little in the second half. A terrible performance would have seen us turned over 5-0. We were poor in the final third and gave it away too much. That shouldn't be a surprise though, we've done that all season.

People need to be a little more patient and cut the new boss some slack.

I love that he tried to change it when he saw it wasn't working and I love that he has done away with ticka tacka.