The Poolie Bunker

Well what can I say, a complete and utter defensive shambles today. The forwards did a cracking job, the midfield played well, the defence and goal keeper were a joke.

Not one of those five players should be allowed to walk away from todays game thinking they'd done okay, they all need taking to one side and telling straight that performing like that is simply not acceptable.

We discussed what we would do on the way back today and this is my conclusion.

Aran Lee Barrett in for the next game, Humphreys at left back, Nelson and Clark in the middle, Nolan at right back until McCunnie is fit. That's not rocket science is it?

As for bringing new players in, Humphreys has looked very good at left wing, but at present we need him at left back, unless we can unearth a permanent left back in the transfer window. I doubt that will happen because Elliott is on the books. So we'll have to look for a loan left winger to cover Monkhouse whilst he's injured.

We won't bring in another central defender because even if Clark is returned to action we have Antwi to cover him, personally I'd send him back to Liverpool. He's not good enough for regular League One football in my opinion.

Do we need a striker, I don't know, I'm starting to think we don't. Ian Moore has come on leaps and bounds since the start of the season, he's close to being the first name on the team sheet now. A combination of Moore and Brown or Porter or MacKay up front will surely bring us goals, with Barker to come off the bench as something different for the last 15 minutes. But is Porter EVER going to get back to his best form?

Completely disheartened tonight and fed up of following Pools, I really am.

The answer to that would be yes with a run of games.

He has a better goals per minute ratio than Beckford.

He has the most assists at the club.

He has the signs of heading towards that IF he has a run of games.

Then we don't need a new striker in January.

time for Mrs Hodcroft to come in

I totally agree with what your saying there! Its a bit of a concern that since Antwi and Nolan have started to play alongisde Nelse we've struggled at the back, Does that go against Nelson or is he trying to carry the other lads..? That said his game hasnt been brilliant recently!

I agree with Moore, He is quality and a good signing and will do a good job up front for us this season

I've said before the season I'd take a finish similar to Carlisle's last season, Mid Table but something to play for toward the end of the season, Looks like I was being over optimistic and I'd take 12th or 13th now, Mid Table, Consoldate and see what we do next season, But it is a huge worry now with us being just 6 points off the bottom 4 and a few of that bottom 4 to play in coming weeks!

Agree with everything.

If we attack that well and lose, what chance do we have?

ive been saying it for yonks, we need barker out of the starting line up, especially at home e.g. tranmere and crewe.

ffs and play who?

I would play Mackay ahead of Barker

You see I hear people say this I'm not sure what it's actually based on. Every player has plus points and minus points Mackay is a raw and at times extremely naive, Barker's game is seasoned and predictable. It's like going from one extreme to the other.

If we are to continue to play without wingers this brings mackays style of game into play, he likes to sit on the shoulder of the last defender and look to get onto the end of through balls, he has proven he knows where the goal is, albeit at a lower level though. His goal against Yeovil was a peach and showed what ability he has.

We do seem to play better when barker is on the bench funny enough think hes a good L2 player but not at L1.But how many others have we got also.List please

The form of Moore has been one of the few highlights so far of this poor season. We need a big target man( one who can win the ball in the air and has pace) to assist him now. No use waiting for porter, he is injury prone and is becoming a MICHAEL OWEN for us. If he is fit then its a bonus but we cant plan our future strike partnership around him.

I'd welcome Peter Crouch to Victoria Park!

You see that's one way of looking at it, but another would be the opposing team would put spend their time and effort marking him, leaving time and space for Brown and Moore to murder them down the wings.

Ohhh Ritchie Barker and Peter Crouch, a match made in heaven

This is beginning to sound like the Jon Daly scenario to me... ie, if we have a big man up front (Daly, Barker, whoever) there's a tendency - particularly from the defence - to look for the long ball at the first sign of trouble, or if there are no obvious runners. At first I felt sorry for Daly during the relegation season - he was putting effort in, doing a job, but when he didn't play (eg 2nd half v Huddersfield) we suddenly started playing some football again as the long hoof wasn't an option any more.

Barker up front to attract the markers is one thing, but persuading the rest of the team to actually play through Moore and Brown instead of hoofing it seems to be another matter entirely. Drop Barker and take away the easy option, and the players will actually have to think about what they're doing a bit more....