Disappointing result. Disappointing performance - we didn't deserve to win. Overall, I thought we played pretty averagely - nobody was terrible, but nobody was great, either. There are three key things which affected us in my view: Goldson at RB. - We miss the attacking outlet and he hoofs the ball a lot. I don't have a problem as he's young and playing out of position, but he doesn't offer as much to the team going forward as Grandison. The flipside is that he does make us a bit more solid defensively. Lack of a genuine left winger. - Purdie offers little going forward. His place in the side has helped improve our defensive record, I'm sure, but against teams like Hartlepool, we need to be attacking them. Morgan and Rodgers - Both looked a little more tired than normal, particularly Morgan. Bradshaw looked much livelier in comparison when he came on, but missed a sitter (although I missed it due to turning away in disbelief at their Keeper's save), so it is clear we need a striker Turner has sufficient trust in to start. Rumours of illness/knocks may well be true, and I think Marv needs a rest soon. Next game, I'd not change it much. Swindon away is not a game in which we'll be looking to attack them from the offset, so I would make a maximum of one change. McGinn oozed quality when he came on and should start in lace of Richards or Purdie in my view with Summerfield needing to be eased back gradually. Next home game, I'd like to see more changes. However poor Parry has been, I'd prefer to see him on the left than Purdie or Richards when we're at home - he's naturally more attacking and gives us a different outlet. I'd give Bradshaw a start and Morgan a break, with McGinn or Summerfield partnering D Mac in the centre. Anyway, that's all a bit of a tangent. I thought our star players today were Grandison (yet again) and Jacobson. McGinn looked very good and improved us when he came on, and Marv did create a couple of chances but was wasteful in possession and didn't harry as much as usual.
Nothing in the final third. Morgan had the ball in the penalty area in the first half, took a split second and then shot. Only for it to go three metres wide of the left post cutting the grass as it went. Grandison and Jacobson did well. Jacobson did some nice interceptions of players running in and ghosted the ball off of them, he sometimes goods the ball towards the centre circle which doesn't help matters though. In defence of Goldson he might be under orders, or just trying to get his defensive duties sorted before he acts more in coming forward, but tbf he did make a few good runs and got involved in our goal. Perhaps 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1 might be a system to utilize our range of strong cm players.
Grandison's fault for the equaliser which resulted from his desperate clearance and leading indirectly to the goal. Otherwise the defence coped well restricting Hartlepool to long range . Richards was woeful always turning backwards. No pace in midfield, whatsoever, until Summerfield came on to add some urgency. As in his first spell McAllister started adequately hustling and bustling rather than creating. McGinn showed some neat touches. I disagree about Morgan he had 2 really good efforts in the first half forcing good saves from their keeper but both with his left foot. The other 2 which missed were on his right foot which he normally uses only to stand on. Rodgers was a waste of space and it doesn't help his cause that he was fed long aerial hopeful balls. Bradshaw was certainly an improvement and I expect him to start alongside Morgan if no one is signed before Swindon. I also would expect Summerfield to start and maybe McGinn. If anyone needs a break it is Richards. MOM Taylor hardly put a foot wrong and why was he not taking the corners in the second half late on?
I agree with many of the comments on here - the selected team were overly defensive in a game we needed to go all out to win. Morgan was not himself and I think has been unwell recently. Rodgers has had a lot of game time recently and has started to look a bit tired. I said Bradshaw should have started and his movement and energy improved us when he came on. I think it was a bit unfair to say he missed a sitter as he turned very quickly and hit a powerful shot. To be fair to the front men the delivery to them was often dire and we always look a much better side when we pass it through midfield. I agree that Purdie (though a useful squad player) does not offer enough going forward but the main disappointment for me was Richards whose passing and crossing was very poor. Mcginn looked a class act and I would start him and Summerfield next match in place of Purdie and Richards as they added both pace and purpose to the team. As for the front men I think we have been very lucky to get through the last month or so relatively unscathed with just the three strikers when there are reservations about all three in terms of ability to perform consistently well in League 1. I, like most supporters, do not know much about the ins and outs of signing decent players but I do see some of the clubs around us succeeding in bringing in some quality players while we are not. We probably still need twenty more points and we will not get those with draws - we probably need five more wins. I thought we were lucky to get a point yesterday against the poorest side in this League and we will soon be back in the relegation zone with a few more performances like that. Very difficult to pick a Man of the Match but Taylor was always a threat and I would give it to him.
