In 2012 Hartlepool have played 19 games. 9 teams failed to score against them, 7 teams have only scored 1 and 2 teams have scored 2. That leaves just one other match Wycombe 5 Hartlepool 0
Say no more. Regarding Strevens, as far as I'm aware he has always tried and if that is the case he can't take any of the blame. If he just isn't good enough then full marks to him for doing his best and nil points for Waddock for team selection. I'm afraid his team selection and clueless substitutions have exposed him as lacking somewhat.
ron : strevens gives 110% but he is just not good enough. personally (expecting to be shot down) i think waddock made a mistake by keeping him and getting rid of rendell. i also think waddock should be brave and give matty mcclure a go for the next game. as for hartlepool, we scored 2 goals within about 10 minutes so perhaps its just a confidence thing?
Hayes returning to Cafc has left a big hole at the front but rendell?? i think that GW bringing him in and knowing then that letting him go again would underline his own mistake says a lot about rendells performances that said i agree with you about mcclure and team confidence.
I'm not convinced by McClure yet. He's young and may come good, but at the moment he's not the answer. Given our lack of options up front, I think we should be picking a team that gets the best out of Beavon and Strevens is the one to play with him. He does more of the physical stuff and chasing down than McClure which releases a bit of the burden on Beavon. Rendell isn't the answer either, how many goals has he scored in league 2 this season? I like Rendell, but if he isn't contributing goals then he brings little else to a team. Except taking penalties of course.
mcclure may not be the answer, but if the current system isent working we could bring in gaz or mcnamee and change to 442 with beavon upfront with mcclure/strevens
Agree, i know his legs have pretty much gone, but we ought to use Gaz a little more than we do. He still has the brain of a Championship footballer even if his legs wont carry them like he used to. His thorugh balls and crosses are sorely missed
Ainsworth of 2 seasons ago is exactly what we need. He is still a positive impact from the bench but you can't start a player that will only last 45 minutes on top form. After that he becomes a liability as, sad to say, age has finally caught up with him. The 4-3-3 formation that took us unbeaten in 7 did work and has been the only formation that has worked on any kind of a consistent level all season. I wasn't at Chesterfield but I heard we went back to 4-4-2? If so then get back to the 4-3-3 for tomorrow.
" I wasn't at Chesterfield but I heard we went back to 4-4-2? If so then get back to the 4-3-3 for tomorrow." Another masterful tactic from Waddock then.
I've been to the Kassam a couple of times lately, and I'm afraid Scott Rendell still looks a pretty average league two striker. To be honest, hard as he tries, I don't think Strevs is even that, and I would agree that Matt McClure is not really ready. It all comes back to the failure to make the right signings in the summer, and trying to paper over the cracks with loan signings always runs the risk of a player being recalled, as has happened with Paul Hayes. I think Waddock might as well leave Beaver as a lone striker, because the others just get in his way. If he does that, then the wide men need to have the pace to get up in support of him, which again rules out Strevens. Perm two from Ainsworth (60 minutes maximum but has a positive effect on the rest of the team), Grant, who has the potential but needs to be told in no uncertain terms that flitting in and out of the game is not good enough, and McNamee, who also needs to make sure he stays in the game.
