Are we keeping him at left back then or actually playing him in his preffered position?

He's going to get more time on the ball from left back, but it's going to be in deeper areas. His last season at this level remember brought 16 goals and 18 assists though. Plus I reckon in Blair Adams once he gets match fit is potentially one of our better players and he's a left back. It's a tough one but personally it's a switch I'd make, maybe into the advanced wide left position.

If everyone was fit this is the team I'd play;

...........................Loach........................

Magnay.........Watson....Ledger......Adams

.............Featherstone...Donnelly .............

Franks................Munns.............Deverdics

.......................Cassidy..........................


Away from home and form dependant Woods and Hawkins would be in contention for Munns and Donnelly's shirts. Then you have Donaldson, Oates, Rodney and Simpson in contention in forwards areas.

We weren't really leaking goals early the season though most of them were down to howlers from the centre backs. We've not conceded more than 2 in a game. I think you could easily switch Ledger into right back, Donnelly into the centre of defence if Magnay missed a few weeks. Arguably or not even arguably we need to start scoring more and have to look at that especially at home the away form is fine, we should be doing better offensively at the Vic when everyone is fit and available.

Keep him there, as Harrison said, despite his protestations he's a good left back. Also gets forward well.

I can't disagree with that, the thing is for me though I reckon Adams is good left back if he can get himself fit and into the team for a run of games. Our issue is that we don't have an abundance of creative players and I think we need to use the ones we have better.

What encourages me lately though and what the manager deserves credit for is that our players are actually putting a shift in now and doing the ugly side much better than they did in the first six games. I reckon the other side will come despite what some are saying we are showing signs of togetherness and team spirit that have been missing for years.

I do like Adams but he's definitely better going forward than he is defensively. If he could play with Deverdics where the two rotated or at least covered each other it could be interesting as they have very different styles of play. I think Deverdics' place is safe, if only for his set pieces, no one else comes close to his quality from freekicks.

Deverdics now playing with confidence and knowing his place is safe is another reason to use him in his preferred position for me though, this is his first proper run in the team since he signed.

I wouldn't do it now, I totally understand Harrison's pragmatic approach with the injury situation especially when it's picked up an average of two points a game (tradionally promotion form) over the last eleven league games. I think that strongest team looks pretty decent though, even better for with an addition or two maybe in midfield and the attacking area.

Surely Boro can lend us a few decent loanees, surprised we haven't got more tbh. This division is horse shit and I think with a decent striker we would fly

That's a cracking line up. Solid defence, good cover from Donnelly and Featherstone and the four attacking players all have goals and creativity in them. Hopefully Harrison reads this board and realises that we aren’t the underdogs in every game we play and could try a similar team with Laing in for the injured Watson.

I agree with PJs team as listed earlier. Promotion contenders!!!!!

I find it very strange that Munns couldn't get a look in off the bench in the two home games. He came on for the second half at Solihull Moors and had a hand in both the goals, but at home to Sutton and Tranmere defenders and defensive midfielders got the nod.

Maybe Pools have hit on a revolutionary new strategy for promotion - win your away games, draw at home!

For the here and now I don't see how anyone can consider dropping Oates from the starting 11 and Craig Harrison certainly won't - Rhys has finally learned how to time his jumps and is winning loads of headers and flick ons, he's got a couple of goals and his work rate is outstanding - defending from the front and tracking back as well as in attacking play.