Howthe fook did colchester get two goals ? forget the whingers that said we went to sleep, or could have defended better !! BOLLOX !! A shite penalty and a goal from a freekick that should never have been awarded. That was as good an all round performance as we've put in for a long long time.


ALB 8: Did not put a foot wrong, and commanded his area. Nearly saved the penalty and powerless for the other consolation goal.

Sweens 8: Might not be everyone's choice at right back, but played very well. His pace is a major asset, as is his aerial ability.

Collins 9: Reassuring and confident. Read the game well and cleared virtually every hint of danger. massive signing for us and will serve us well in this league.

Nelson 8: Confident alongside Collins, and was a commanding presence at the back. Simply too strong for Colchester's attack.

Humphs 8: Assured, strong and great coming forward. Did everything he had too and won everything in the air.

Jones 8: Still picking up the pace of the game at this level, but did better than i expected. Took his goal brilliantly, lost the ball a couple of times but also linked up play really well.

Liddle 8.5: Exemplary game, defensively and going forward. Seemd to be playing with a lot of freedom and should really have scored the first. Very encouraging.

Boland 9.8: Simply superb. Ran the show from start to finish and scored a great great goal with his swinger. Keep him fit and interested and we'll struggle to see a better midfielder this season.

Brown 9.7: Scary. If we keep him, we'll be there or there abouts. He's filled out and learnt more. They just could not get near him and on this form we'll be cashing in by Christmas. Awesome does not begin to describe his two goals, and he worked hard in the second.

Porter 7: Not QUITE at the races. but still provided enough of a nuisance and threat to free Browny up. Doesn't look fully fit, but showed some lovely touches, as well as some horrors.

SUBS:

Foley/RobsonBarker 6: Not enough time to make an impression.

Wilson 8: Picked the right balanced team and constantly encouraged us to PASS PASS PASS. Early days, but encouraging in the extreme.

BAD POINTS:

Two fookin goals from assist by the tit of a ref and his inbred younger sun. Joke of a penalty. Why would boland want to get in the way of Sweeney's clearance deliberately ? And how does Barker get penalised when ho's still two yards away from the player he's supposed to be fouling. I've come away naffed off because we deserved a clean sheet and they deserved fook all.

It seems the refereeing standard of the Football League hasn't changed - I hope we ont get screwed like we did at Brighton and Southend last season.

If this season includes us "clicking", this could be the start of something quite interesting, quite glorious.

I agree entirely aido - that was never a penalty in a million years. I was sat nearby and it looked and sounded like the ball hit his stomach or chest.

Boland was superb today - he is a player who many don't appreciate but his passing and workrate were excellent.

I would have liked to have seen Power in action - I thought the three substitutions that we did make broke up our pattern of play a bit. Overall though a brilliant performance - well done lads

ALB "commanded his area well and no chance with 2nd goal"??

The cross was about 4 yards out and he was nowhere to be seen. His judgement at when to come off his line and taking crosses is woeful.

Come on Tree, It was Gaido who said it so its going to be a load of bollox. Like saying Liddle was exemplary! Liddle was the only disappointment for me today, I think he has gone backwards since we signed him.

Oh and the ref was a fookin joke. That was the worst penalty decision I have seen in years

Our only weak point was right midfield...but Jones scored a beauty (which he told hes lass he would) so that gives him a rating of 7/8 at least.

Overall very, very promising and almost worth every penny.

There was never three minutes of injury time either. Neither trainer came on once. Very frustrating.

5 x 0.5 = ??

yes

Isn't there supposed to be 30 seconds added for each goal as well ?

Gaido ? Is that the best you've got ?

that's how a lot of folks felt- it was a hammering out there yesterday. They were 4 down because they deserved to be, then the ref took it upon himself to boost their goal tally.

I was surprised but delighted that DW picked a very , very well balanced side and I was equally surprised and delighted by how poor the opposition were. I expected a hell of a lot more from them, and I think they underestimated Pools. Pools kept the ball well and did the simple things well, Boland stuck to his task well in front of the back four - Sweeney was excellent and showed what a good athlete he is. However you can't help feeling he would get a lot of goals in his usual midfield slot - will Lidds get as many as Sweens normally does? Food for thought, but to be fair if he plays as well as that at right back then there's also a strong case to keep him there.
The keeper did look a bit more assured than last season, however he wasn't put under any sustained pressure. One worry is they put a couple of good crosses in from their right side late on, one for the 2nd goal and one earlier where it was cleared off the line, and I thought he was lost on both occasions.
Going forward we looked tremendous, link up and hold up play between all areas of the midfield and the forwards was quality.
If Maynard is worth 2 million quid, how much is Brown worth?
He never loses the ball it seems, he's always shifting the ball with his feet so the defender is kept guessing, and if the opponent dives in Brown just whips it away!!! The lad's close control and finishing is top top class. We have no chance of keeping him beyond this season, and he is without doubt THE single most talented player in League One. I don't care who plays for Leeds or Leicester, they have got nobody like this kid
I thought they would beat us based on,, I'm not confident that we can keep a clean sheet,or if the Pools team was lop sided or weakened in certain areas - but as it turned out, neither happened!!!

Well I've seen all six goals now, but not the incident leading to that last free kick.
The point is, whether a free kick is justified or not, it still has to be defended, and that is something we failed to do. It might have been last-minute laxism creeping in; I really don't know.
So one black mark (although in a sea of white marks) to Pools.
A moral 4-1 victory on the opening day of the season against a very heavily hyped team is still a Good Thing.