Hartlepool v Barrow match thread

[McMark]

Taking this as a punch on the nose tonight.

Massive chance to go 2 up and the ball gets stuck under Broughs feet. We just don’t get the breaks do we?

Defensively we were poor as a unit. Would James / Platt have made a difference? I’m not so sure. We still concede soft goals with them in and that’s why he dropped them.

Bigger concern for me though is that we still don’t look much as an attacking threat. Rooney wonder goal aside we still don’t offer much up front

A very bloody nose indeed. Will take a lot of coming back from in my opinion. You just can’t legislate for inept defending like that. Embarrassing at best inept at worst. We offered so little attacking options second half. For the first time this season I am worried how we are going to address our frailties.

[Bingo]

If we beat Carlisle at home, walsall at home and scunny away we will stop up.. then we can start planning for next season

Its a BIG If !.

These sides are all fairly poor, plus we will pick up a few more points from elsewhere.

[Jonty]

Taking this as a punch on the nose tonight.

Massive chance to go 2 up and the ball gets stuck under Broughs feet. We just don’t get the breaks do we?

Defensively we were poor as a unit. Would James / Platt have made a difference? I’m not so sure. We still concede soft goals with them in and that’s why he dropped them.

Bigger concern for me though is that we still don’t look much as an attacking threat. Rooney wonder goal aside we still don’t offer much up front

A very bloody nose indeed. Will take a lot of coming back from in my opinion. You just can’t legislate for inept defending like that. Embarrassing at best inept at worst. We offered so little attacking options second half. For the first time this season I am worried how we are going to address our frailties.

Inept defending + little attacking options = current predicament. It hasn't happened overnight.

[behind the goals]

We kicked off tonight with only 2 players who have scored in the league this season, Banks(8) & Amadi-Holloway(1), our Subs had 3 goals Gotts(2) Williams(1) & James(0) not rocket science why we don`t win many games.

[Hitthebar22]

I'm a great believer in possession football, rather than lumping it forward in desperation, but at some stage there has to be some forward intensity with a view to threatening the opponent's goal. Nothing of the sort really tonight. When not in possession, have to defend as a unit, but win individual battles. Stood off for all three goals like it was training, and lost those three contests big time. Strangely should have been at least 2 up after Rooney. A top class save, and then inexplicably through legs on goal line. Drove over full of expectation, but drove back deflated and disappointed.

[blue nige]

Its a BIG If !.

These sides are all fairly poor, plus we will pick up a few more points from elsewhere.

SO ARE WE !

[mall]

Its a BIG If !.

"These sides are all fairly poor, plus we will pick up a few more points from elsewhere."

"These sides are all fairly poor, plus we will pick up a few more points from elsewhere."

With respect Mr Bingo, we are bloody 'poor' as well-it was on show for all to see last night. We aint got a goal in us. We finished up with our two most influential players sitting deep pulling the strings because they were the only ones with any idea. Holloway, as someone pointed out previously is a mile of the pace and is gonna take weeks to get up a head of steam (and we dont even know if HE is another injury worry yet) which means unless Gordon can start producing the goods when he returns the future of our stay in the EFL looks very bleak indeed because we cant see where the goals are going to come from after last nights display. I think there is only one way out of this situation starting this Saturday and, its as Blue Nige previously mentioned-In every game from now on we must start with an intensity thats been missing all season in the league and hope the goals come from somewhere. Oh, and yellow cards, we are also picking those up with an intensity that could end up costing us dearly as well.

[Bacon Bun]

Starting to worry now, that form from the first 20 games would see us bottom of the league.

Last 20 games

P:20
W:3
D:6
L:11
F:16
A:28

Top 10 budget?

COOPER OUT

[NUFFSAID]

Please, please, please go for it Saturday!! let's have none of this Oldham 0 - 0 b0llocks. Show some balls and go for it.....

[Jim]

Tale of two Tuesdays. What a difference a week makes. How can a team that fought so hard against Northampton and Tranmere play like that? It was awful and embarassing.

First 15 minutes we were pressing and I was pleased to see Hartlepool being pushed back and playing sideways. Then Rooney scored his great goal. Next 10 minutes or so, it was all Barrow. Amadi-Holloway shot on the turn and was a bit unlucky to see the keeper smother it on the line. Then I started to feel that Pools were getting too much of the ball in midfield and were being given too much time on the ball. Fortunately, most of the time the final ball was poor. Then after a bit of scrappy play around our penalty area, someone got a shot away and Farman (who should have done better IMO, though he may have been unsighted) failed to get down to it. From then on, to half time, we just let them have the ball and gave them loads of time and space, with the inevitable consequences.

Second half was forgettable for both sides, a typical 0-0 type performance from two poor sides.

Cooper's team selection was baffling and it is a pity he wasn't asked about it in the 'official' interview (if he did one with Adam, I haven't heard it). Why leave out James and bring in Wakeling? Was James unfit? Wakeling tried, but frankly I don't think he is up to it and I think his experience with Barrow will set him back. It was a game too far for Taylor as well. Overall, as someone said, we looked like a pub team. Some of the tackling in the first half was agricultural - clumsy and badly timed. With the yellows we picked up, I was expecting a sending off in the second half. It just seemd as if we lost our heads after the shock of Pool's' two goals. Headless chickens, collective panic set in.

Rooney at least offered some hope of creative play and tried to make things happen. Glennon got a lot of stick from the Barrow fans, mainly I think because most of the danger from Pools in the first half came down our left, but he did look dangerous at times going forward in the second half. James brought his usual scrapping intensity when he came on. Holloway tried hard, but as usual he didn't get much decent ball.

The Barrow fans were the quietest I have ever known, subdued by the horror of it! If they had made a bit more noise, it might at least have made that b....y drum less obvious. That really capped off a dreadful night!

[SayitagainSam]

Just watched Hartlepool's 3 goals and Jason Taylor was the defender most responsible for them all.

1st goal he fell and stumbled around (embarrassingly) like an OAP - yet he then goes and points fingers at everyone else...

He and Cooper have that trait in common.

2nd and 3rd goals, he was the closest to the ball, yet stood back motionless, like a 'deer in headlights'...

Will give him credit though for the Rooney assist.

Yes, he played well at Northampton, but his selection to the team should be the exception not the rule.

We have much better younger players sitting on the bench.

[Jim]

J
We have much better younger players sitting on the bench.

I forgot to mention in my diatribe above that White and James would have made a difference to that team if selected from the start.

[bamber678]

J
We have much better younger players sitting on the bench.

I forgot to mention in my diatribe above that White and James would have made a difference to that team if selected from the start.

Definitely agree. Did James have a knock or something to stop him from starting? Was one of the better players once he came on.

[Sonofsam]

Too slow with the ball last night (again) no leader on the pitch if you dont put in the effort you dont reap the rewards and not one of them did last night it was embarrassing im getting fed up following these lot away bottlers especially glennon

[Hadrian]

Noticeable that 'Pools had the confidence and ability to make accurate cross-field passes to switch attacks. We seem to regularly do this via a central midfield player, the two touches allowing opponents' defences to adjust.