Match Day Thread Hartlepool United v Sunderland AFC - Friendly - Tuesday 1st August 2023 - KO 19:30

FT 5-2
work to do...

 

Looked like he was kicked up a height end of game

 

Well that was ****.

 

Been full of individual errors. Loads of players out of position too and it's showed. The first half was an absolute **** show. None of these players will start on Sunday so I don't think we should get too concerned. I thought Huggins was one of the few who did alright

 

Maybe there's some truth in this PSG RB, as our defense needs improvement.

 

Well that was all a bit flat. Was expecting the fringe players to give it a good go tonight.

Formations and positions are one thing but seemed to lack a bit of fight

 

And Ba

 

Too sloppy and casual - think the players read on here about it being just a run around to not get injured.

 

Regardless of the game, setting etc he has to be finishing them. Standard stuff really

 

finally it's over, that has to be the most lack-lustre display by a championship team i can remember...lads apparently trying to stake a claim in the 1st team have not done themselves any favours.

slow and sloppy start simply turned into slow and sloppy game, showed that we need CDM cover, gooch is not really a defender and obviously not a CDM either although we looked a bit better when he swapped with huggins, ba came alive a bit more 2nd half and honestly should have had 2 or 3 goals himself... back four obviously never played together or in that system before.

not going to take anything away from pools though, they put in the work and were good enough to capitalise on our mistakes as well as playing some good football as well, TM will not have learned anything new really, just hope that was more of a quick experiment than any actual future game plan.

 

Not Good Enough! I know it's Pre Season and a side full of youngsters but I expected more effort (Especially 1st Half) from young'uns trying to push for a place. 2nd half was a little more effort but too disjointed and we made so many mistakes messing about at the back and gave the ball away too easy. The passing was very poor and decision making non existent. I know it will be a different side on Sunday but the performance tonight was well below expectations and Abdoula Ba reminded me of Jozy Altadore at times...Lot of effort but no confidence or composure!!!

Well Done 'Pools' Showed us what commitment is all about and produced a Fully deserved victory! Best of luck for the Season.

 

More concerned at individual performances than the scoreline and how the team as a whole played. Especially the senior lads

 

If Clark does end up leaving I really don’t think Ba is the answer. Hope I’m wrong but I’m just not seeing what everyone else is

 

Senior lads havent really showed up tonight for me. Need to set some standards but they didnt lead. I dont mind the fixture being played and the result isnt relevant to Sunday, but one or two players had a chance tonight and have not taken it, which is a disappointment. I particularly thought Pritchard might earn a starting spot, but not for me.

Also shows how much Neil and Ekwah give to the side from midfield. They control the game. Chucking defenders in to a holding midfield role is a massive ask. It is the hardest position on the pitch to play in my opinion. Neil and Ekwah have played their positions for years, it shows when somebody who hasnt had all that coaching tries to step in. We definitely someone in to cover in there because I see nobody in our current squad able to cover for either of them as it stands.

Not sure who on the thread mentioned DB movement but I agree. I saw a training clip where he was in the middle of a rondo and looked really slow and cumbersome and it made me look closely. It was early pre season so I didnt worry too much, but it may be a few weeks yet before he is back to where he was.

 

Aye was me.

Biggest worry for me is that we have literally zero cover in ST and CM positions. Not of them tonight can be expected to come into the fray in the championship. Getting whooped big time. Need to get into the market and get some proper experience players.

 

Quite often seems to be the case that when you put out a team of players that need to make a case for themselves it falls flat, probably because they're utterly unfamiliar with each other and there's no chemistry. Also a lot of dicking about with positions.

There's often one preseason friendly that goes badly, it's not unusual. I'd rather take the positives from it (Like Nectar's pass and Jewi's finish) because I don't think the negatives mean anything.

 

Leyton Orient 6 Newcastle United 1

• 27 JUL 2009

"FRIENDLY or no friendly – Newcastle United put up a shameful display against League One side Leyton Orient as Toon fans who dared to venture to the capital saw their team stoop to a fresh low. Lacking leadership, discipline, belief, organisation, team spirit and the all-round clout to see off the Londoners, United have never required their leader-in-waiting Alan Shearer more than now."

Promoted from the Championship iirc.

 

Roll on the prediction league. I'm back in business

 

I wasn't massively impressed by our new Oz defender either. Was surprised at how easily their big striker bullied him on a few occasions

 

The cover is a worry. I am less concerned about strikers than centre mids to be honest. Although saying that I think Ekwah and Neil are nailed on starters so getting someone in of a standard may be a challenge.

Baath is getting on a bit, hipefully just needs a few more weeks to get sharpness back. He was immense last season, could really do with him at that level again while the new lads settle.