Didnt really want it to end, fair scoreline to be honest. Super Tommy Miller missing a penalty after a Hartley handball.

Monkhouse hit the inside of the post with a header when it looked like all the world it was going in, Poole had agreat chance but touch let him down. Some good crosses going in and we really should have scored from them especially as their goalkeeper made ALB look good at taking crosses. Cracking save from Flinders early on too.

They looked dangerous, a decent side and am happy with a point. Thought Collins was immense, Hartley picked up an injury which hopefully aint too bad.

Oh and referee and CK linesman were fucking shite.

Did Howard have a good game?

thought it was howards header that hit the post?

You could well be right bus, thought Howard was class tbh

Agree with Tree, although I thought Howard wasn't quite at 100% for me.

Walton was poor.
We battled well but battling well won't win games. but i did enjoy the game.

I enjoyed the game. We had a really good spell 2nd half but as soon as they got the penalty the game went a bit flat.
They looked a quick direct team and apparently the bookies have them 5th favourites for promotion so not a bad point at all!!
Talking to one of their fans before the game and apparently their chairman has really pushed the boat out financially and is expecting a top 6 finish!!

You're just happy with a 0-0. Not even seen how we played. Why do you always post a report on the scoreline rather than the performance

Is it 'cos performances don't win games but scores do??

You're not getting what I say thick 'lovely lovely person'.

Mr Tree sees 2-1 and says we played slightly better
And so on...

He was leaning back when he made contact and Tommy never does that.

And, on the basis of that informed and dignified comment, I wish you goodnight. This place has become a sick parody of it's previous existence.

Did Miller ever miss a penalty for us?

Very enjoyable game, glimpses of the old monkhouse which is good to see. They were a good team mind and Di Canio is a bit mental!

God knows what Cooper has against Murray

Well i thought we did well first ten minutes after flinders made the save i was worried like. But after that i think we were the better team up to 70 mins then they came on.

As for howard i seen at least 3 times he controlled the ball and kept possesion from the long ball Nish couldn't do that in what ive seen of him anyway.

Howard needs more balls into the box not enough today thought franks was dissapointing with th monk slightly better.

Walton had a good game got stuck in.

Austin and horwood struggled at times.

All in all got to be pleased with a point against a team who will be their or their abouts.

That was my conclusion after last weeks game and admittedly limited evidence

See if you get what I'm saying. you're banned.

Murray is quicker too.

Thought the defence played well as a unit today, midfield 2 were the weak link, some promising signs from Franks and Poole, big lad up front could do with backing up quicker from the midfield.

Sat in the Niromax today, some people are hard to please, couple near to me, not once clapped, showed any emotion or nowt, why bother

did he score for uddersfield in the play off shoot out

oops just read excluding shootouts

NO deffo missed

I say missed im sure the keeper saved it, a piss poor pen if i remember

We, as usual, had patches of enthralling attacking potential that inevitably peetered out in the final third through - STILL - a total lack of bite up front.

And...

We had patches of horrendous ineffectual apathy wherein we appeared terrified to commit a tackle and simply flounder around looking anxious.

Basically, the exact same script as last year.

Having said that, Sam looked eager and Hartley is growing into his role a little more. Franks look a rough talent and Poole looked solid.

But we still don't possess a game changing playmaker...at all.

Thought Howard was excellent for an hour then maybe tired towards the end. In the first half there striker had as much space as he wanted to drift in between Hartley and Horwood and the defence seemed shakey throughout. Jury still out on Walton although Franks looked like he might be decent when played on the correct side

apart from all of the times swindon nearly scored

I can't remember them having more than two shots on target...

3 shots in the first ten mins, one off target. Poor game, two poor team imo.

That must be the same as all the times we 'nearly' scored then eh?!?!

The game itself was reasonably entertaining for a 0-0 but I thought Swindon were better than us. I also have to admit that I am a tad baffled as to what Cooper and the coaches are trying to do or what playing style they are actually going for.

On more than one ocassion NC talked about wanting to play wingers, it seemed for the vast majority of the game that Franks and Monkhouse were on the wrong sides. The balls into Howard were not going in at the right angles, and we rarely over lapped. If we persist with todays setup and personel then Howard will struggle to reach double figures in goals and we will only ever be a threat at set pieces.

Paul Murray should be in the team, everyone seems to agree apart from Cooper/Barron and co. Todays result was ok but for a lot of the time we were over run and seemed incapeble of holding onto the ball. Maybe Liddle should have been offered a few more quid...?

Horwood struggled as the game wore on (I'm banging the drum for Holden again) and Austin did have a steady game but with difficult games coming up I am not sure if we are set up right....

Really??

I am far from convinced. If that is him playing well then we need Murray back in that midfield urgently.

Flinders saved one at Brentford December last season though the rebound was put in, late on something like last 5 minutes, was winning goal.

Until today Miller hadn't missed a penalty in normal play(shoot outs not included before anyone mentions his miss for Huddersfield in last seasons play off's) in 40 attempts.

How many times have you seen holden play? I am one of horwood's biggest critics but for me he is positionally poor and is average going forward. We need new replacements but definately horwood over holden.

Spending far to much time in the pub you two. As i say they had three shots in the first ten mins. one off target.

I cant pass comment on the majority of the game as I only saw the last 15 minutes.

But what I saw in that last 15 minutes was worrying.

We were all over the place during this period defensively. It was just like last season, when ever a corner to us scared me, defensively. One simple pass out of defense yesterday and we were panicking like mad. I actually thought Horwood must have been sent off and we were down to ten men.

And as for the high balls towards Howards head?

Please tell me we didnt do that all game. Surely we arent playing that sort of percentage, 1980's style. football.

I read people sayin we need wingers to get loads of crosses into the box, someone to anticipate Howards knock downs etc etc........all sounds very depressing to me.

Do some of you REALLY enjoy watching that style of football?

yesterdays game was the first home game of this season, we played one of the favourites for promotion and didnt lose, granted we didnt win but we remain unbeaten in the league this season. we had chances as did they, overall this was a reasonable game to watch, it was not total football but 3rd division football and its time to realise we support hartlepool united who are an average third division football team and i for 1 am happy with it, yes i would like to see us tear teams a new arse occasionaly but in the meantime will accept that this is a far cry from when i started watching pools almost 45 years ago, now where are my rose tinted glasses again.

7 or 8 times including friendlys and reserve games. Holden has played very well for the first team when he has had the chance. If Horwood continues to struggle he has to be thrown in....

It was a hot day but just as hot for both teams, our players in the last 20 minutes looked like they were playing the closing stages of extra time, very leggy which is a worry.

Another thing I noticed is how 'slow' the pitch is. Have they deliberately left more grass on because we have no intention of getting the ball down?

I don't think I've ever seen such polarised views on one match over the 3 message boards.

I don't understand why Cooper did that and play Franks and Monky on their least favoured wings. Especially after this week he had been banging on about how he was looking forward to Franks getting in loads of crosses for Howard. Baffling.

I agree about the set pieces we just seem to get either Horwood or Austin to lob high free kicks into the box which are easy to defend against. Surely if we work on this stuff in training there must be someone better who can whip them in with pace. Swindon had one first half where their lad whipped it in low and with pace and their lad got a flick header which if on target would have probably gone in. When we try that it goes straight into the keepers hands or out of play.

I would like to see Murray come back in and allow Walton to play more advanced, WTF people still see in Sweeney........absolutely anonymous. Can't pass, can't go past a man, can't head, can't tackle, weak as piss and has an awful first touch.

What style of football do you want AC Milan........Real Madrid or the kick the can under 6 league of which you're the chief coach
Hang on, go on tell us how your coaching skills have........no please don't bother

Common sense from Mr Bus.
From some of the views on here we're doomed after 2 games!!
From the comments I gathered where I sit most seemed to suggest it was an enjoyable game and that pools battled well against one of the favourites from promotion, i'malso guessing most would have took a draw before the games started.
Lets see how the next 2 away games pan out. Its going to be interesting!

I concur. I think some people need to go watch Arsenal or Real Madrid for the style of football they expect in League 1.

I don't know why people are concerned with who the bookies have favourites for promotion, I'm happy with a point because they missed a pen and barring the opening 20 mins of the 2nd half played us off the park.

It's very worrying how we started the game,very similar to the Newcastle friendly. They had 3 shots, 2 of which on target inside 4 mins. We seemed asleep for the opening of the game and that must not become a habit.

Cooper said the changes would come but all he did was swap Franks and monky over, very strange. All that proved is that franks can play left wing and Monkhouse still ineffective on the other. Austin played very well yesterday. I just wish he could be more consistent. The other 3 defenders did ok too.

For me the problems lie with Sweeney. I was watching Walton closely yesterday, when he gets the ball at the back, sweens is nowhere in sight. Murray had the same problems last year. I Defo think Murray is better than Walton but the criticism comimg his way seems harsh as sweens just dosnt help out.

Up top Howard was certainly a presence in the air but as in pre season it's 30 yards from goal and not were it should be, in the box. The lack of service is Definately a worry. His header that hit the post was extremely unlucky. A thought Poole was ok but when he had his chance he fluffed it with a very poor 1st touch and to me showed a huge lack of confidence.

Were do we go from here? Well for starters I'd drop Sweeney unless he goes 451. 2 away games to come. 2 pts from 9 isnt a good start at all and that's what I can see unless we learn how to attack more. The opening 20 mins of the 2nd half was fantastic but sadly the game is over 90 mins and that simply isn't good enough.

Looking forward to notts county but more for hooters bar than the match and that's wrong. I'm worried but optimistic which I suppose alot of fans are. If Murray dosnt start we could be in for another hiding. A certain mr liddle will be bang up for it

Same but it hasnt been addressed, we dont have them players. We have Sweeney who seems undroppable and Cooper is always going to start his summer signing (Walton).

We have two young strikers who have no idea yet how to play off a big man and defenders who like to hoof it.

No matter how much we dont like it, with that starting line up, long balls to Howard and hoping something comes of it is the best option it seems. If we had some footballers then of course that wouldnt be the case.

We Defo need service into the area. Franks tried but seemed to beat himself more than there fullback and monky just isn't the same player. Luscombe had a go when he came on but final ball wasn't good. Howard proved with his header that hit the inside of the post what he can do with service. Horwood could be the man on the wing but for some reason cooper wants him at left back.

I think it was PJ or Mr B who said it but there are wildly different opinions amongst us in relation to yesterdays game. I thought Austin was poor again and was caught out of position (basically missing altogether) a good number of times.

It may have been down to a lack of help from Monkhouse or the fact that Austin kept drifting into the middle.

Either way, i am a bit concerned at the tactics we are adopting and I think Cooper needs to pull his finger out. Things are clearly not 'right' but im sure it wouldnt take a great deal to sort things.