That the teams we have watched over the previous two seasons were actually a lot worse than even the biggest pessimist on here thought they were.

Were many players in a so called comfort zone knowing they were playing in the next game regardless of previous performances.

The team has a spirit that I've not seen since our 23 game unbeaten run, when they had the "we will show the doubters" mentality. Player's showing committment and playing decent football, getting bodies in the way in the first 2 games that was missing even upto the Bristol Rovers game when they ,in my opinion went through the motions of we're ok we cant lose a 6 goal deficit, which they nearly did.

Yes we knew the keeper's were bad, we knew Nelson was possibly past his best, we knew we had square holes in round holes. But simply we were downright POOR.

We had over half a new team making their debuts against MK, and playing again against Coventry, but it was as if they had played 20-30 games together and knew each other inside out, as someone else said a "never say die" attitude.

Hopefully this carries on for the season and we have a reasonable successful one. It's now upto us, the fans to make the Vic a place the opposition just dont like and fill it with noise and support to show the current team that Poolies will back their team if they show the togetherness they have shown in 2 away games.

WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER, LET'S SHOW THE LADS WE ARE.......

Yes come on Pools lets show them... as for putting these square holes in round holes thats really clever..

I'm going to say it was deliberate the square holes and round holes were all the gaps in the defence last season.

I totally agree Bob.

exactly. 3 weeks ago two of our defenders were all but guaranteed a game (clark and austin) now after 2 outstanding performances by people covering for them they will be lucky to get back in the side. And the only way they will is by busting a gut in training and by busting a gut if and when they do get back in the team in order to stay there. If we selected our supposed best XI then our bench would consist of: cook, haslam, clark, humphreys, jones, larkin and behan. What a quality bench.

for me the main bonus of this season is te fact we have such a stronger squad, does anybody else agree?

I have to agree with we just wont know what team will start on Saturday. This goes to even the point of what formation, we play against Charlton. When we actually played against MK. I said it was 4-5-1, a mate reckoned it was 4-4-2 with McSweeney up front with Behan, while i said McSweeney, or Sweeney, even Monkhouse were trying to support him, and no one was actually alongside him. it could even have been 4-4-1-1 With McSweeney the man off the front man. And I watched the game.

Personally I would stick with the same 11, I believe in the two games so far they've earned the right to carry on, and show the home fans(hopefully) the form they have had in the 2 away games.

Just remember it early season and it not a time to begin throwing insults at players. the mistakes have been at a minimum at MK and Coventry, hopefully it will be the same against Charlton, but we're the home team this time against a so called "big" team, and some may just find there's more pressure on them.

Away from home it's not our responsibility to entertain the fans it's to get results, Saturday is the opposite.

agreed, the depth of the squad will help us in the long run, not only do we seem to have good quality but many players are versatile if need be (not wanting to put square pegs in round holes again)

from what i have seen of the highlights it looks like flinders might be a good signing but I am eagerly anticipating the game on saturday with Charlton who have just been knocked out the cup by Hereford

i wasnt dropping anyone or changing the team. I was trying to highlight that with everyone fully fit and turner playing what i would consider to be my first choice xi then our bench is amazing, thats all!

Oh and i never ever said that i dont rate jones, i just happen to rate sweeney and liddle more than him

starting line up has to be

flinders
haslam
collins
Liddle
hartley
mcsweeney
sweeney
jones
monkhouse
Brown (more pace than boyd)
Behan

turner is back to using his subs wisely getting players to run themselves out.
Larkin , Boyd and Frderikson to be brought on

Early joys 1) Renewed team spirit NEVER SAY DIE
2) A keeper that breeds confidence
3) "signing of the season" Liddle at centre half , He has added speed , ability to read the game and
use the ball from the back.

Early concerns are the way
1)Behan wins the ball then gives it away by either thinking too fast for the players around him or being over
intricate with back heels.
2) Our Inability to get shots from distance on target
3) creativity from freekicks seems limited
4) Brown has undoubted skill but needs more gymn work to add the body strength to the fast feet.

if they are as good at home when they have to attack and take the game to the opposition as they have been at stopping the home team playing in the away games then play off are the target.

At the risk of being accused of nitpicking (if that's the right word)

I've never seem Cook play, so I may be totally out of order, but watching him and Flinders warm up last night
I would be seriously worried if Flinders got an injury or a suspension.

I would hope CT would resort to the the emergency loans system.
We all know what a dodgy keeper can do to a defences confidence

Cook is only about 20 and from what I gather he is not quite ready for the first team yet so having another keeper in reserve would probably not be a bad idea.

FFS read the post

I admit I'm an exile who doesn't see enough, but on last night's performance, I wasn't impressed with him. Before the introduction of Brown and Boyd, we were tight at the back (although I could see problems and some good finishing from Cov would have killed off the game before we found our feet) without offering anything going forward. For me, one of the reasons for that was Jones. He didn't look to do anything to want the ball and when he got it, he lost it far too easily. Given we spent long spells chasing the ball, this was criminal. (Monky wasn't that much better in the first half to be fair.) This is the bit I don't understand when Friedrikson looks like a proper midfielder who passes well and makes himself available.

He merely said that he was concerned that we dont have a recognised back up keeper to which I explained that Cook is not considered to be ready for the first team yet

IF Turner drops Fredrikson for no reason, even to the bench my opinion that he may be now be edging towards the right man for the job will swing further back towards NOT BEING the right man for the job quicker than a poll for the tories in a by election seat held by the labour party.

Jones looked average during the first half as he was being used on the right hand side of midfield.
he is not a wide player and pools system away from home uses two wide men in the dual role of supporting the forwards and the full backs.

If fredrikson is fully fit i expect he will get the nod on saturday but is he fully fit?
He has obviously been told to run his socks off and then subbed towards the end of the game.
With today off will his legs return for saturday so to speak?

And at what point in my reply do I differentiate between his different positions? If he is a central midfielder, then that may excuse his inability to go past a man. But I don't think that matters as most that can go past a man (Robson comes to mind) usually don't use it well afterwards. A central midfielder should usually be able to keep the ball and move it on, no matter where they play. (See Liddle at the back.) He didn't. Come on Chip, I'd expect you to at least engage with the details of a footballing post. Afterall, I haven't played at a reasonable level.

He did and we turned it up a notch.

There isnt a 'fault' while Flinders is fit and well but as the other guy said, we dont have a back up keeper and while it is not doing us any harm right now, it is nevertheless something which could just put us in a slightly stronger position in the long run. He was perfectly entitled to say what some of the plus's and negatives were from the other night. Only because we won does not mean that you ignore things which can be improved. From what other people on here have said who attended the first two games we do not for example look like scoring many goals. Because we won will not mean that CT does not try and address such matters in training etc and keep trying to improve the side. There is no room for complacency and no harm in looking to improve the team.

the Fails front page headline today......Grave talks sense, SHOCK!

I don't understand how any one can become "seriously worried" about using Cook after watching him warm up - did he have a guide dog, large feet a red nose and a squirty flower or Jones printed on the back of his shirt? Otherwise I'm a bit puzzled as to what the heck you are on about!

I know its nice to have cover but its a small thing to be worried about I mean how often do keepers get injured. This Cook lad can fill in for one game while Tubby finds a loan signing problem solved.

You should not have said that! If he gets injured tommorrow then its your fault

CT said in the Mail last night that in the first half Jones was being used mainly on the right hand side of midfield to nullify their left winger who was a bit of a handful apparently, and which he obviously succeeded in doing. In the second half he was used in a more central role and he began to be more effective. I'm hoping he puts his pre-season shenanigans behind him and establishes himself as a first choice this season.

I thought it was women who worried about things that haven't happened yet??

Isn't that what I said ?

Also, CT must have a lot of confidence in this lad.
He got how many minutes playing time in the pre-season friendlies.
45 I think it was, against Garforth Town