Pools v Doncaster....Predictions & Official Thread!!!!

Rose-Tinted-Specs · **Joined:** Sat Jan 31, 2015 6:27 pm **Posts:** 50

Well I must have been at a different game to most on here. We were the away side so would expect to be put under pressure but for the majority of the game we coped well and Carson really didnt have a lot to do. First half they probably shaded, but we had our moments as well. Seconds half we probably had the best chance when Amond should have done better with a cross early on. Jones coming on for the last 5 minutes or so seemed to make sense but a late lapse in concentration cost us the point, and that has happened far too often this season.
Some good performances, thought Deverdics again looked quite comfortable .
However Alessandra was off the pace today and I thought Paynter might have come on sooner to replace him and there are still big questions about Richards - but i guess Donnelly was unfit.
Overall gutted to come away with nothing but there were plenty of positives to take from the game.

RichyHpool · **Posted:** Sat Nov 19, 2016 9:26 pm

Can't knock Richards for effort the problem is he has zero quality, summed up by that crap corner at the end of the game. We seem to be experts at throwing points away, the players just don't concentrate at vital times, I knew they would score from that breakaway after podge hit the post,it was blatantly obvious it was gonna happen with this lot! We have some good individual players but they are miles away from being a good team unit.

Hartleblue · **Posted:** Sat Nov 19, 2016 9:30 pm

derwent wrote:

I'm afraid I couldn't watch that week in and week out, even though we could have won that game.
Amond had a gilt edged chance at 0-0 but hit the post, then Donny went straight to the other end and scored. Instead of scoring Donny should have been kicking off again after going one down.
Then we get a penalty which would have been 2-0 to us.
In the second have we had a smart, slick passing phase culminating in Almond scooping the ball straight into the Donny keeper's midriff. Would and should have been 3-0 to us.
I don't think Donny were that good, in fact I thought they were poor and there for the taking ( certainly didn't look like a team challenging for the league champions crown) but chances have to be taken.
As for defending we were totally unable to prevent the ball being continually crossed into our box.
Our fullbacks never, at any stage, got the better of their wide men and subsequently that was a major contribution to our downfall.
We had a draw in the bag going into the last few minutes and, in my opinion, that was thrown away by an unbelievable decision by Hignett to bring Jones on.
I don't agree with our continuous insistence of playing from the back and creating nerve tingling situations. Featherstone lost or gave the ball away on at least six occasions by trying to taken on people in our final third. The Donny players simply crowded him out and he just hasn't the guile to profit from drawing players in.
We have no one in the team at present who can put their foot on the ball and control the game.
If Donny had been on their game we would have been murdered but they were nearly as bad as us at giving the ball away.
It would appear that we have established a knack at snatching defeat from the jaws of getting something out of the game and today was no exception I'm afraid.
A long way to go and a lot to do, Mr Hignett et al.

More or less this^ stupid substitution at the end putting Jones on, we would have seen the game out for a well earned point, so instead its back to the drawing board....again. Didn,t think Donny were that much better than us either as the home team.

And why take Hawkins off for woods

Montpoolier · **Posted:** Sat Nov 19, 2016 10:10 pm

Montpoolier wrote:

I can't see us getting anything from this one. We might be able to keep the damage down to 2-1.

Forget the prize. I'd rather have been wrong.

The Bishop · **Posted:** Sat Nov 19, 2016 11:21 pm

Where was the defence for the last goal, Very soft goal IMHO.

poolie · **Joined:** Thu Nov 13, 2014 4:31 pm **Posts:** 880

Once again today pools lacked Bite,pace and leadership even when it was 0 0 watching the players walking around with their heads down especially featherstone dont know whats up with him lately but for me he should not be in the team at the moment looking at his body language.

As said on here donny did knock it around but so did we the difference was they were a yard quicker is this because they were better or fitter players than ours i dont think so i just think today they just wanted to win the game more than we did and lets be honest you can look back at a lot of games this season were you get the feeling certain players just carnt be arsed
How ever good day out pools fans superb as normal its just a pity the players dont seem to have the same enthusiasm as the supporters

shilts · **Joined:** Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:32 pm **Posts:** 1573

Can't believe the massive difference between match reports

HonestPoolie · **Joined:** Mon Dec 08, 2014 3:46 pm **Posts:** 663

They started brightly with a lot of energy, put us under pressure when we had the ball and generally outsmarted us when they had it but without creating anything. We managed to get a foothold in the game, should have scored and then 30 seconds later the ultimate sucker punch on the counter as we let them get the cross in too easy. Until the penalty we struggled to get to grips with there formation and mount much going forward without being in too much danger of conceding.

Second half we played better. They still had more pressure but apart from putting a couple of chances over, they didn't seriously threated to the point that I can't recall Carson making a break after half time and we had the best chance. I wasn't too sure of the point in changing formation so late, when we struggled to get into the game maybe, but not when we were comfortable. Ultimately some poor defending cost us a deserving point.

The had more of the ball and outsmarted us moving around at will at times without being great or creating clear cut chances. We didn't play great but can still create the better chances, we just need fell a bit short at both ends.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37705

I once heard an aircraft described as 20,000 rivets flying in formation. A lot like pools, a group of individuals who play play vaguely like a team. I am still waiting to see some pattern emerging on the pitch but I really am at a loss to see anything.
As a team, they're what I think of as brittle, liable to crack up unexpectedly without warning under pressure. Trouble is now it's not unexpected when they do.
I'm having my doubts.

kevin pooles gloves · **Joined:** Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:28 pm **Posts:** 9727

Its well past the unexpected stage now when we capitulate.
Its become the norm sadly.

Something has to give surely Higgys on borrowed time even tho the chairman has publically give him the vote of confidence.

ElvisC · **Joined:** Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:55 am **Posts:** 4504

Since finishing 13th in 2011-12, we have been in a constant battle against relegation and we are in one now. Yes, we are getting "closer" to other, higher placed teams in lots of matches, but I've got to agree...it wasn't a shock yesterday to lose late on...it's becoming the norm.

poolietim · **Posted:** Sun Nov 20, 2016 11:28 am

Add in the fact that the goals we concede are poor. We lose too easily now and that becomes a hard habit to break.

The 2 goals yesterday were appallingly easy for Donny to create and score

If we don't sort out the ponderous and porous midfield, who between them couldn't hit a cows arse with the biggest of banjos and bring in a defender who defends we are in trouble.

This season is so tight there doesn't appear to be 2 obvious candidates for the drop and teams that concede regularly and can't manage games are the favourites to go, and that describes us I'm afraid.

PJPoolie · **Joined:** Wed Mar 06, 2013 6:28 pm **Posts:** 15342

We have defenders who defend, we just can't string two games together with a settled back four. We finally keep a clean sheet and win at home last week and now Donnelly is injured. Unfortunately his replacement although he's done ok at times this season isn't good enough for League football, did I mention Michael Duckworth was at the match last week? If you are constantly reshuffling your defence it's no wonder we can't build an understanding and a run of games were we cut out these soft goals.

I'm not flapping about relegation, we are not at away from a decent team at this level maybe one player in midfield we can compete and cause problems for anyone and we will go on a good run at some point. Take last week Cheltenham who won the National League last year, we were streets ahead of them in terms of the football we played. The League is very tight but we are better than we have been in recent seasons, we need to start proving that true but we're not a million miles away.

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

I wasn't at the game but from the TV lowlights Carroll looks to be badly at fault for their winner, not tracking the run into the box by their number 9.

Carroll has plenty of ability but seems to be the sort of player who needs a periodic kick up the backside to get the best out of him. There's not enough pressure on his place at the minute.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37705

Pools team. Good on paper, shit on grass.
Sorry, but it's all starting to get a bit tedious. We're even expecting it to go tits up, a sort of collective "Oh well" .
Well sorry,, it's not good enough, they flatter to deceive.
I'm not saying they haven't the ability, but they just don't seem committed and I do not see them as a team.
Hignett meanwhile seems infatuated with trying out odd tactics and being determined to stick to systems that just defy logic.
We're like a sports car without a steering wheel, potential there but heading for a crash if we don't get control of the direction we're heading in.

poolietim · **Posted:** Sun Nov 20, 2016 5:05 pm

Speaking to someone who works at the club he told me Hignett has the belief he is untouchable and is under no pressure from Coxall.

Don't expect any changes as it seems he has free reign to do whatever he likes regardless of how effective it is. And it would appear not all his staff are bought into it either

Kirsty · **Joined:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 10:39 pm **Posts:** 271

The Bishop wrote:

Where was the defence for the last goal, Very soft goal IMHO.

I couldn't understand the substitution and said so at the time. Second half we had restricted them to long range efforts and a 1.1 draw seemed nailed on. Playing 3 centre halves meant Toto going to the right bates on the left and Jones in the middle with the two full back slightly further forward. It just didn't work and we got exposed easily for the winner. We were solid enough with a flat back four so why change things.

Overall I thought we contained Doncaster reasonably well and Almond missed a really good chance just after the break. Out midfield were no where near as mobile as theirs and we still lack a leader to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Allesandra was quieter on Saturday but still a threat at times and I would have swapped Oates for Deverdics to give us a bit more energy in the last 15 mins on the left flank.

Away from home we also miss Thomas's pace to hit teams on the break. Need to bounce back with 3 points on Tuesday

The Colonel · **Joined:** Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:49 am **Posts:** 4891

I havent seen as many games as others, but isnt it just the case that we are just not that good. Not bad, but just not that good.

We have played 17 league games and only won 4. That should be telling enough.

The Colonel · **Joined:** Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:49 am **Posts:** 4891

If we keepus this record for the rest of season we will end up with 51 points. We cant be that good. Sorry.

kevin pooles gloves · **Joined:** Tue Oct 07, 2014 2:28 pm **Posts:** 9727

Will 51 points be enough to stay up?
Hope im wrong but cant see us getting more than that total and thats including a win v Accy Stanley tomoro nite.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:13 pm

If we can strengthen in January with a couple of decent, experienced (27-28 yr olds) players then we'll comfortably finish mid table.

misterb2001 · **Posted:** Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:58 pm

If that is true and we are struggling to pay bills then yeah might be a bit like last season

pooliecrab · **Joined:** Tue Dec 16, 2014 9:31 pm **Posts:** 6028

I'd only expect a few youngsters on loan in January, particularly since Thomas is unlikely to be going anywhere.

Snowy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:18 pm **Posts:** 37705

I feel we're going backwards at times. We've had several seasons of getting excited at avoiding relegation. Wrong. We can't go back to the days of celebrating survival.
When I first started going to pools regularly, we were happy to survive. I don't want to go back to that. It was shite then and it's still shite now.

The Colonel · **Joined:** Mon Aug 21, 2006 8:49 am **Posts:** 4891

It was a lot cheaper to watch it back then though.

The ground was ramshackle at best the team was shite but they were nearly all local lads that didnt earn much.

We were all in it together.

You need a mortgage to go to games now.

Pools v Doncaster....Predictions & Official Thread!!!!

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