Team for Saturday

Joe Mac · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:05 pm

I'd go

Carson

Richards
Harrison
Jackson
Carroll

Thomas
Magnay
Gray
Hawkins

Paynter
James

I think that would be our strongest team, Paynter and James could work very well.

Willis · **Joined:** Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:45 am **Posts:** 601

Agreed - i'd play a diamond.

Carson

Richards Harrison Jackson Carroll

..................Magnay
Hawkins............................Gray
..................Thomas

.............Paynter.......James

monkeybutt · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:24 pm

Looks spot on that Joe, you know it won`t look anything like that banghead

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:36 pm

I wouldn't go 442, but I think Moore will...

Carson

Richards
Bates
Jackson
Carroll

Gray
Woods
Magnay
Thomas

Paynter
James

tREE_wiTH_hAMStER · **Joined:** Sat May 19, 2007 11:00 am **Posts:** 20758

not sure you can get away with 4-4-2 with Gray in the middle to be honest. Would have to be Magnay and Woods imo as the only two who can get their foot in and tackle.

I honestly dont know what formation id play with the current squad. Its so unbalanced its probably worse than when Colin Cooper was just buying players for the sake of it with no clue what formation or system he wanted to put them in.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 12:50 pm

I'd try Gray on the wing personally. Excellent at running with the ball and works hard

chunky1988 · **Joined:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:33 pm **Posts:** 1066

surely no-one can firmly believe our strongest team is in a 442 formation?

we barely touch the ball and are so over ran its ridiculous. looked our most likely to score when we had thomas out wide, gray in behind.

if gray isn't playing in behind, i don't think he can play unfortunately which is something we should not be doing. looks like our most likely scorer

Jonnym4 · **Joined:** Sat Jan 31, 2015 7:04 pm **Posts:** 103

What I'd do:

Carson;
Richards, Harrison, Jackson, Carroll;
Magnay, bates
James, gray, Thomas
Paynter

What I think Ronnie will do:

Carson
Magnay bates Jackson Carroll
Oates featherstone gray Thomas
James paynter

loyal blue · **Joined:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:53 pm **Posts:** 1912

I don't think he'll go with james. Ronnie seems persistent to make the painter/bingham formula work. I think that will be the front two saturday

Malcolm Dawes Knew My Father · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 4:25 pm **Posts:** 4198

Oates and Bates could both be fit again by Saturday so it's three shakes of the lucky bag to guess who'll start out of about 16.

One who's guaranteed a place is Thomas. Could have thumped the radio post-match on Saturday when the manager was banging on about how he should have got more ball and how forwards need to be on the front foot for his crosses.

Ronnie man, you didn't start him against Exeter! He only got on early because Oates got injured!

How many minutes would Thomas have spent in the game otherwise? 10? 15? 20 tops!

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 2:42 pm

Wonder if Ellis Harrison is back too.

JohnnyMars · **Joined:** Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:24 am **Posts:** 2479

I'd leave Harrison out, put Bates back in. Culpable for both goals against Exeter and we were looking more stable with a Bates/Jackson combination.

I'd agree wholeheartedly that we can't play a 4-4-2 with Gray in there. It would have to be a 4-5-1 for me which will leave a lot of disgruntled forwards sat out.

monkeybutt · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 3:10 pm

The new midfielder if he is strong, with Magnay in the middle, Thomas and gray on wings, looks canny :banana-dreads:

Malcolm Dawes Knew My Father · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 4:25 pm **Posts:** 4198

JohnnyMars wrote:

I'd leave Harrison out, put Bates back in. Culpable for both goals against Exeter and we were looking more stable with a Bates/Jackson combination.

I'd agree wholeheartedly that we can't play a 4-4-2 with Gray in there. It would have to be a 4-5-1 for me which will leave a lot of disgruntled forwards sat out.

To be fair to Harrison, Richards was equally culpable for the first goal because of his habit of staying about a yard off wingers who attack him - he's never close enough to block the cross. Second half against Derby, when Camara switched wings to get at him, he got 4 or 5 dangerous crosses in.

Ironically, Richards along with Thomas is probably the best crosser of a ball in the Pools squad - but not great defensively.

RichyHpool · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:05 pm

Aside from the derby game I think Richards is very poor and I'd rather magnay played there if that laurent can do his job in the middle!

JohnnyMars · **Joined:** Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:24 am **Posts:** 2479

Yes, that is another area of weakness that needs resolving. We let attacking teams knock the ball into the box far too easily.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2016 4:47 pm

Something Carroll has been much better at stopping lately. We need Duckworth back

Malcolm Dawes Knew My Father · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2011 4:25 pm **Posts:** 4198

The Oates/Carroll combination was very effective against Camara in the first half of the cup game - Oates also deserves credit for the way he tracks back.

therealgsj · **Joined:** Thu Feb 05, 2015 9:44 am **Posts:** 99

Carson;
Richards, Harrison, Jackson, Carroll;
Magnay, Woods, Laurent;
Gray;
Paynter, James

The J Dizzle · **Joined:** Mon Jan 27, 2014 3:21 pm **Posts:** 342

Carson
Richards Jackson Bates Carroll
Oates Gray Magnay Woods Thomas
James

I'd leave Paynter til the last half an hour as I'm not sure if he's fit enough to start. James will tire the defence out like the good ol' days.

Team for Saturday

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