i know you all really really want to know how we played...... ......so here goes.


Sheff Wed were clearly the better team, they had more cohesion, they looked like they knew each others games inside out and had a very lively attack. We werent necessarily a bad team, just they (1st half mainly) were a much better team.

Our defence looked as if they were a bunch of strangers (guess what.....they are!) Midfield looked lightweight, Monkhouse went missin more times than i care to remember, Mckay up front was a waste of time.


Flinders, may have let 2 in, but neither were his fault. He looks imposing, was vocal, came for a couple of crosses when he needed to, had a safe pair of hands, came and and smothered it well on a couple of occasions, made on very smart save when he was unsighted. And guess what, his distribution was EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Austin, seems steady away, nowt flash, nowt to worry me, only thing is him and McSweeney need to gel a bit more.

Hartley, i'm not sure on that performance, didnt really command the defence, and looked a little out of his depth (against some very good strikers, mind!)

Collins, looked like he was playing his first game of the season, looked rusty, did some good things, some not so good.

Trialist, didnt really impress (who were the gimps in the town end giving him grief, it was a frigging friendly for fooks sake!!) However wasnt helped by a wandering Monkhouse.

Mcsweeney, looked good at times although didnt really seem to want to fly down the wing and put crosses in.

Sweeney, same as ever, very lively. Was up against a very good midfield though.

Liddle, went missing several times as ever.

Monkey,

Boyd, half decent in the first half with poor service, 2nd half was poor

Mackay, didn't even touch the ball i don't think


Subs

Rowell, cant see what all the fuss is about, was pretty crap, gave the ball away a couple of times in very silly positions.

Frekriksen, showed some very good signs in a central midfield role, took out 2 players in the first 5 seconds of his introduction, loks like he has potential.

Behan, very very good start, held it up well, good first touch, decent vision & passing, chased defenders pretty well, i like the look of him.

Overall, against a better team, we struggled, but there shouldn't be alarm bells ringing yet, we may possibly start the season slow due to the lack of understanding, but there certainly is potential in there.

Do you not think Monkey was poor because of his frustration of not getting the ball and he went looking for it? The distribution of the left back was really poor dont think him and Monkey linked up once in the whole game.

Agree with everything you more or less said apart from Mckay did touch the ball when he fell over about 15seconds before they scored there second. Also Foley was poor one decent ball to Monkey and that was it.

thats Monkeys problem though isnt it, if he doesnt get the ball he goes looking for it, the second we lose the ball he's way out of position and a simple switch of play from the opposition and our left back is fooked. No wonder we let a lot of goals in last season from the left!

Yea letting goals in from the left last season wont of been King Humphreys fault will it. How long are people going to protect him for he was shiite last season.

who's protecting him? Humphreys made plenty of mistakes last season, but having a roving Monkhouse out of position certainly doesnt help does it!

Last season monkey stayed on the left the majority of the time because he linked up well with Humphreys and didnt have to look for the ball but the majority of the goals that came from the left were Humphreys fault like it or not.

Ausin looked lost, Collins unfit, Hartley was poor, trialist worst player on pitch. Liddle non existant, Sweeney ran forever but as usual they walk through our midfield when he plays, Monkhouse couldnt be arsed. Dont get me started on Mckay. Mcsweeney looked half decent to me, Fredriksen also, very good on the ball. Behan strong and good hold up of the ball, will compliment Boyd/Brown well imo. Keeper seemed ok. I wont comment on Boyd as he had to put up with high fucking balls aimed at him all game

Just like last season they just ran through us and our midfield may aswell not have been there especially first half. I like Sweeney but he aint a central midfielder. Were missing a man when he plays. Midfield offered no protection at all to our defence as usual. God how we need Healy.

Its only a friendly I know and against a much better side so il forgive them as they need time to gel but on that performance, its gonna be just like last season.

Couldn't of put it better myself !

Il be slagged off any minute..........

don't worry about it , you told it how you saw it , and i saw exactly the same thing

Sweeney was absolutely non-existent all game. Liddle wasn't much better. I thought the trialist looked relatively assured and solid at the short ball game, but his long balls were woeful. Hit and hopers. Some positives as I've mentioned in the other thread but a long way to go.

the only thing really different between what we saw was i thought austin had a half decent game

I thought sheff weds 1st goal was offside from my view in the mill house. the second flinders should have come out to narrow the angle down a bit their lad ran from near enought the half way line unchallenged.

Dont know what mcsweeney did to earn man of match award. i didnt see him beat the left back once to cross in fact every time he got the ball he probably kept hold of it too long !!!

no plus points in the 1st half as has been said hartley didnt look comfortable at all and was subbed at half time .

mcsweeney kept ball ok but no attacking play.

boyd just looked like he couldnt be bothered

2nd half was loads better behan held the ball up very well in a ritchie barker kind of way but with a better 1st touch and the odd trick or two.gave plenty of promise and the crowd recognised that.

Freddy from norway wa another bright point . Got a good range of passing and eye for a shot.doesnt mind getting stuck in.

was a good workout but crowd of about 1200-1400 i reckon the fans voted on the pricing of the game with there feet.

When are pools gonna get some sense with the pricing. supporters of this club arn't that bothered about friendlies they mean nothing.£10 adults tops and bring kids for £1 each.
Its a friendly for gods sake. Just like the centenary tournament badly organised and prices we all laughed at.

I think Boyd didnt look bothered simply because we wouldnt pass the ball to his feet.

You don't reckon Sweeney is any good in centre mid? What's his position then?

Sweeney is great breaking forward through the middle, but you need a ball winning midfielder alongside him who will chase and get stuck in. Liddle constantly fails to do this. He often fails to do anything. The midfield partnership just doesn't work but it's Liddle's fault more than Sweeney's.

I dont think he does enough. Yeah he breaks forward well but he cant hold the ball up or carry it and for me thats essential. The ball bounces off him. Id rather see him at right back than centre mid as we may aswell play a man down. I agree he would be better with a proper holding midfielder alongside him but even then i dont think his attributes suit his position.

It must be only me that gets slated for saying that about Sweeney, the lad isn't good enough to build a team around which is literaly what you have to do to accomidate him in midfield. A Boland / Tinkler tyoe player to control things in midfield is essential.....

Yes we know what you think of Sweeney

I honestly thought Sweeney was a better right back than he is in midfield. He not only looked relatively assured defensively but still managed to get forward quite a bit (much more than Liddle would for example)
Sweeney and Liddle do not have enough 'clout' to play in the middle of the park. We need a leader in there, a Tinkler or Dean Emerson. It is such a key position as it will stop us being over-run in the middle. I just hope CT uses the funds from the attempted Healy transfer to get another central midfielder (presuming of course boland is crocked)

I like Sweeney when he was played out on the right wing.