Pools: Flinders, Richards, Baldwin, Burgess, Austin, Franks, Walton, Walker, Monkhouse, Poole, James.
Subs: Rafferty, Collins, Holden, Sweeney, Compton, Hawkins, Rodney.

Duckworth injured, big blow that

Mellish not playing?

Just found out he's been let go.

Came outta nowhere that

God awful referee again. Rochdale seem to be able to foul constantly with no cards being produced.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I was probably a bit kind on the ref there. He is an utter bounder

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

We are going to be in a relegation scrap here. Fact.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

2-0.

Christ.

In fairness we have had a tough run of fixtures, but form wise we are plummeting, and with a young team you can easily get sucked into a cycle of defeats

IOR need to back Cooper and allow him to strengthen , we have arguably been over achieving when looking at the level of backing the owners have given Cooper but that doesn't last forever without some investment

Worryingly I agree with you.

We have tough games coming up too. We need signings and quickly.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

3-0

When do we start looking at the defence/keeper situation?

We are shite end of


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In the last four league home games we have managed one goal, not good.

Teams are turning up and playing gash and getting the points we have a plan a and not working we need another striker I'm sorry James cannot take a man on I'm fearing the 2nd half the season we are edging close to the trapdoor we need to halt this slide quickly or it's like last season all over again


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We are looking wholly impotent in front of goal too. How we failed to convert the chance after the ball came of the post in the first half I do not know.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Easy to explain that one. We carry zero threat and have a static back line.

Add that to an officially dodgy keeper and we will do well to survive this season.

We showed NOTHING today

Big questions to be asked of both players and management.

Agreed on that couple if times ball came in no one on the end we have no threat ala bury game need to shape up fast as 23rd edging closer


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You can't call him a dodgy keeper. He is the best in League Two according to the experts on this board. But not the punters on the Mill House Terrace who can spot a wrong un when they see one

I stand in mill house and there is some tit ends embarrassing is not the word


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thought we missed Duckworth today, Richards didn't offer the same threat as Duckworth. We desperately need more fire-power up top.

Heard a few whispers that Duckworth isn't injured and could be off elsewhere.. Sheff Weds name was mentioned.. Don't shoot the messenger just gossip I heard in the town end.

Fact is despite the Cooper love in, we are in trouble.

flinders is a good shot stopper and i'm afraid it ends there. he is less than commanding for a top goalkeeper and his distribution is woeful at best. that is why he is playing at this level.

Franks... Where to start... He is yet to beat a full back, and for a winger that is your bread and butter. Cooper and higgy are constantly telling him to play the line and he drifts in field. His replacement in compton is a little better but not much and unfortunately, not good enough.

It says a lot when you look most dangerous when the players that run at the opposition are your full backs.

I'm afraid Luke James needs someone up top with him. he has led the line for most of the season and tried his hardest. But that wont wont win game just having a trier. We can't be playing balls up to James and expect him to beat 6 foot plus centre halfs in the air. We realised this and started playing balls in to his feet or the channels and looked dangerous. Unfortunately, doing this after 75minutes again is not good enough. We need to start and release some pressure off James' shoulders and quick.

I'd probably start with the following if everyone is fit.

GK
RB - Richards
CB - Baldwin
CB - Burgess
LB - Austin
RW - Duckworth
CM - Walker
CM - Walton
LW - Monkhouse
CF - Poole
CF - James

I know I said James needs a hand and Poole wouldn't release too much pressure but its the best we have available.

I've left the gk open as i'm starting to think is it time Rafferty started to earn his money

Iv never even bought he was a good shot stopper.

The buck stops with IOR, they fucked over Cooper in the summer giving him a budget that only allowed him to get players from the bargain basement , since then we have sold Hartley and fucked off Howard , if they come up with the same line about FFP then the responsibility for us struggling will be very much theirs and not Coopers

That 2nd one he got two hands to, but the ball flopped through his fingers and went in.

Too many payers think they are better than they actually are, and that is worrying.

Undoubtedly, we lack firepower. Hopefully the Marlon Harewood rumour has some mileage, as Luke on his own can only do so much, and he needs a battering-ram alongside him against big defenders. Yet again, it was Land of the Giants in Rochdale's defence and we posed NO threat all game.

It NEEDS sorting Mr Cooper. Goodwill is running out after one win in 10

That's the trouble though, we ask no questions of the other team until we are a goal or two behind. For me, Bury looked a better side than Rochdale. In both games however, we were architects of our own downfall. Let's just accept that refs are gonna be shit at our level. The last few linos on the MH side have been borderline abysmal, but we are doing the opposition's job for them by beating ourselves.

That should concern the manager enormously, and tells me we are better looking downward than up the table. VERY negative feeling about this tonight

from which, probably one of the best signings have been made from Duckworth.

Granted though, if were allowed to tie deals for some of the players we have and almost spoil the chances of signing the likes of duckworth really do set alarm bells ringing

Seems like we haven't got enough thugs.

Genuine question: why did Scott Hogan get booked and then give two more fouls away in the next seven minutes without walking??

Oh yeah.......

Naive across the park.

Only Walton, who I don't particularly rate, was cynical in any way.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned yet about monkhouse's chest being used to clean the bottom of one of their players boots

Fair point Chip but why do opposition players get away with it? We don't fight. We aren't cynical.

Are they all bad - the refs and opposition? No.

What we desperately need is a a Billy Ayre or, pause for breath, a Roy Hogan....

as for refs/ linos....it's crossed my mind they've had enough of travelling to Hartlepool and they'd love to see us drop

Does anybody think that only Walton will play them at their own game, and once he's got the card we quieten down??

It really does puzzle me. Baldwin's had a few but once they shut Walton up, we seem shagged. I've never heard anyone say Baldwin is cynical, everyone seems to rate him as a class player.

Murray, Boland......

Chip, I agree with you but let's stop blaming the officials....

How many years is it since we were Northern hard?

McGuckin?

Honour.

Nobbs.

Newton.

Every time I read an oppositions board when we have played them at their place, they say the officials give us everything.

Chip

I did not say anything like I want to see a group of hard arses kicking each other: my point was and is that we need some steel, aggression and cynicism in our team.

Sorry if that is too subtle for you; do I need to kick your shin away from the ref's vision?

You are right, you can't blame the ref any of the time never mind all of the time, hallmark of a p*ss poor team. We hardly made a tackle in anger and when we had goalscoring opportunities made the wrong decision. Now that means only one thing, either players are not good enough or coaching is poor.

Don't really think that Walton's game is influential in that way. Players who make a physical impact....eg Austin, Monkey, Duckworth, Baldwin go on doing what they do whatever Walton does.

Spoke to his Dad again today at the match, he is definitely injured.....been getting treatment all week but failed a fitness test

Forget all of the shit about referees, bookings, dismissals etc. The facts are that this Pool side is too young, unprofessional, lacking quality and worst of all, has an equally inexperienced manager at the helm who is restricted by his one-dimensional thinking - he is seemingly incapable to reacting to change by the opposition or even motivating his players prior to the game/2nd half. His poor selections, inane (or lack of) substitutions has directly led to loss of priceless home points and, given the signing of the likes of Niall Rodney, I for one would mistrust his judgement in introducing new players whose performances may decide if the club starts next season in the FL or not.

Blimey, 5 points away from the relegation places and young Nialle used as a wide man!!!! Who'd have thought this would have happened

I thought they were much better than a lot of teams we've played this season. Cooper needs to abandon 4-4-1-1 quickly, James Poole has cost 2 managers their jobs already he isn't the answer. unbelievable that after he went off we stuck with the same formation and just put Monkhouse there.

Cooper has the team trying to play good possession football.The difference between the dross from the last 2 seasons at home and this is still a marked improvement

We look like we can get the ball into dangerous areas far more regularly.The squad needs to work more on getting people arriving into the box at the right times,and on better shooting/finishing

We do lack experience, but how else are the young players going to get that?

IOR are clearly not going to give Cooper loads of money to spend, and basically he has to sign whoever he can get

To blame Cooper and to demand a change of manager is total and utter stupidity,wjich is what some here are suggesting!!!

This is going to take 2 or 3 seasons and may involve a couple of relegation battles... if people aren't prepared to endure that then go and support Man United.This is the reality of our financial situation and what the owners will do.

And I want a name of a manager from those who suggest a new one.

A name........... I'm waiting

Yesterday was hard to bare for many reasons. The midfield was terrible centrally. Now walker and Walton wernt exact piss poor but they play so far apart it becomes a problem. When Rochdale had the ball they had passes available at many angles but we didnt. Our players were just marked or not close enough so we lumped up to a 5ft 7 forward who clearly isn't going to win these headers. The formation needs a huge re think. The midfield battle is key to winning games but yesterday we lost it massively. Walker tried extremely hard but it wasnt good enough. Yes he's young and will learn but 5 PTS above relegation zone he needs to learn quickly. Its not his fault as we clearly need another body in there. Pooles position is becoming strange. Its now not working and needs addressing. Walton plays way too deep and again that's needs looking at especially when at home.

Onto the wingers and again we have problems. Neither can beat a man and both were too predictable when in possession. When Compton come on he beat his man but tried again to be clever and cross with the outside of his foot and once again failed. He needs to understand how important these pullbacks are and all this fancy shit is not necessary.

Defensively I thought burgess and Baldwin did well considering we lost 3-0. Richards was poor for me with the ball and duckworth was a big loss.

I thought Rodney was extremely poor when he came on. His touch and movement just didnt look like a professional footballer. Very worrying that he is getting on the pitch. Boagey has to move ahead of him for me in the rankings.

On a side note how the fuck did burgess miss that chance?? What was he doing.

I 'm not sure central midfield was the big problem apart from 10 minutes we controlled the vast majority of the game and I thought Walker had a really good gene barely wasted a ball and went past Rochdale players with ease at at times. Walton we know is a limited player. But the main problem is us going behind because the opposition then sit deeper and hot us on the break, our game plan is set up for counter attack football and the likes of James Poole getting space to play. When we don't have that we run out of ideas.

Were Rochdale a good team? I don't think so. What they were compared to us was streetwise. Cynical and dirty at times as well when they needed to be. A shitehouse midget if a red helped in letting them get away with murder but they were more switched to the ugly side of things and what it takes to consistently win matches at this level. The number 4 wasn't a footballer in a million years but he stopped us playing.

We need a couple of streetwise players in the spine of the team. Mark Tinkler and Joel Porter in this team and we'd be laughing.

I'm afraid Joe isn't 'on' anything. This is his default mode. It's easiest to ignore him.

I thought Austin was poor today, seemed to dither and gave the ball away in dangerous positions, particularly leading up to the first goal. We all know Franks can't beat a defender, yet when he has been played as a striker he has been more effective. When Poole had to go off, I would have played Compton wide and pushed Franks up front with James. Duckworth was a massive miss for us today, Richards does not offer any threat going forward to support Franks / Compton.