For a team with a supposedly large budget for this level that we only have 1 'senior' striker, who is now out for the next 2 month.

Which means we are now left with 2 young strikers who haven't even played 10 professional games between them.

No doubt we will sign somebody on loan, but it's fucking shocking we haven't replaced Podge.

Oh I've forgotten about Reece Oates.

Still I don't think he's played more than 5 matches as an out and out striker either

Cassidy, Franks and Oates I'd all describe as senior strikers, the two kids are good and isn't a striker meant to be coming in this week?

We need an experienced striker. We'll probably end up with some kid from Boro

Maybe its time........

First I knew of Cassidy been out for 2 months. What an injury prone bunch of signings. Think Simpson could play up front on his own, Rodney and Oates alongside him in a front 2 wouldn't work imo, or it could be a front 3 of Rodney or Oates, Franks or Simpson, though I think a 4-4-2 is what we should be looking at in most games. Seems to be one step forwards, one backwards at the moment.

Maybe we can get a striker from that Finnish Club that Coxhall developed relationships with.

We have one striker with experience. We were sailing close to the wind by only having him. Everybody knew the Amond situation was going on for weeks so we should have at least lined up a replacement by the time he had left.

We are now relying on a 17 year old and a 19 year old. Frank's fair enough is experienced but he's hardly a striker.

Just find it baffling how we have allowed ourselves to be in a situation where we have no genuine experience up top when just 1 player gets injured.

It smacks of imbalance in the squad.

That Mr B is such a negative twat.

I just think any team with genuine ambitions to win a league should have a squad in place to do so.

We do indeed have 6 players who can play attack, might as well shot Scott Harrison in that bracket though as he used to play up top for his school.

We started the season with 2 relatively experienced out and out strikers who were complimented by 3 younger players.

We are now relying on a 17 year old kid, certainly over the next 2 month to fire us into the top 7. It's not how things should be.

If we are looking for experienced strikers then great, but we could do with one sharpish.

I can feel it happening more and more.

Must be an old age thing

Its not a nice feeling

I quite enjoyed watching Simpson/Franks/Rodney last game. Its a front 3 with pace, height strength and plenty of effort. I imagine Simpson is awkward to play against and Rodney must be a defenders worst nightmare at this level. Pure pace and strength to boot. Franks has plenty of energy and will run all day.

Although im sure Maidstone were far too 'nice' and made things relatively easy for us- im quite happy and intrigued to see how it progresses as a front 3 for the next 4/5 games to be honest.

This for me is an ideal opportunity to give Rodney a good run out for what ive seen so far at Guisely and at home to Maidstone he contributed more than Amond could only dream of.
Had amond had stayed probably Rodney would not have a got a look in i just hope that the club dont make any knee jerk reactions simply because as the past has told us it tends to back fire plus we are 8 games in and any striker worth his salt is well sorted now with a club.

Wasn't aware we were looking at the likes of Bird etc. Hopefully we can strengthen soon then.

Slightly off the subject what on earth is happening with this Luke George . Every week we hear that the next match is coming too soon intimating he is close to fitness. Then when he is fit we will be told he needs match fitness.
If you think back to when he signed Chester supporters came on warning us that he was always injured or suspended and they were over the moon to get rid of him.

I reckon we should utilise the strikers we already have as well, rather than sign someone for the sake of it, ok a Ryan Bird type wouldn't come in wrong , but please god no namby pamby Premier league academy players on loan. I thought Franks came here as a striker anyway? goals in him , if he can keep up the form and workrate shown so far.

More chance of seeing George Luke

It was actually Billy Paynter Chip. Experience rules

Penalties don't count

Why do we need an experienced striker? Its simple, if your good enough to play at 17 years old, your good enough. We have had so many experienced players in the last 7 years and most of them have been shite.

We need strikers who are going to score goals ahead of experience. We need another striker but do they need loads of experience?

I see no danger in the fact Cassidy is out - gives Simpson hopefully more time to flourish if he gets played week in week out. Play like we did on Saturday and we wont even need to be looking for another striker. Just by a stroke of absolute luck we might have found a strong starting line to see us through the season (give or take Cassidy and Oates rotating it a bit). Play a solid 4-4-2 in the next 3 games as these appear to be our hardest. My thinking if we don't get many goals in those games, if any then think about a Ryan Bird type playing coming in to help, otherwise look at other areas... Watson is only on loan with us till January, be awesome to keep him for the season.

Maybe bring in a perm CB ....Id like to see us bring in a left sided attacking winger with pace. like some have stated we have enough senior strikers just need that something else to add to the team. Bit like what Franks has brought to the table, massive surprise for every pools fan that one.

Those of us old enough to remember (Horden? The Colonel? Snowy?) will recall a young, gangly only-just-18yr old getting thrust into a struggling Pools side in 1978 (because Newton was suspended for 3 games....again...).

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Keith Houchen.

if you are good enough, you're old enough.

Stick with Simpson.

How come Simpson never got many (if any?) games for the reserves?

I seem to think Bates only got him training with first team to try and replicate playing against big men for the Cheltenham game?

Is he still on a youth contract?

I am disgusted that you have attempted to put me in the same age bracket as Stadler and Waldorf.

I thought he got 16 that season.

Pretty poor stat really no wonder we've not pulled up any trees!

That is really depressing.

John Akinde has outscored those totals two seasons in a row. For Barnet.

Bort will get 30+ this season though. Nailed on.

it's a lot easier to argue the case by moving stuff around....people don't like it if you score 15+ but it includes penalties....people don't like it if just league goals etc

paynter league record in his first season was actually a lot better than I thought (14 in 32 I believe) and was better than Luke James however in a season James is the last person to score over 15 goals. The way people go on about Amond you'd think he was one of our worst ever strikers. Regardless what thought of his work rate/ability he scored 14 goals in a horrendous hartlepool side; even the sides paynter and james played in were far superior.

What people have said is correct, you don't go into the season relying on youngsters but it's good when they get game time and show they are good enough. Simpson and Rodney look like they could handle themselves but guess we will see if they are going to play for an extended period now. It's all fine saying club was looking at signing players, but without fully knowing this (not saying you don't know exactly chip) but we got told same shite under Coxall about how players were coming in and never did.

I'd say we can get by at present but maybe isn't ideal as younger players naturally suffer a bit more with inconsistency and don't understand the people saying we stumbled on a good 11 but want to change formation. Keep it how it was from Saturday when the performance was good as any if not best this season

but this was what we needed? not due to amond leaving?

also not that I don't think he was good but Simpson got man of the match, not watson

I wouldn't be so sure. Some were saying our midfield needed strengthening first. Despite 90% of the goals we conceded coming from defensive errors. Though their opinions somewhat overshadowed by their hatred of Nicky Featherlite, I mean Featherstone

We have a good budget for this level (pam's words, not mine) and I would imagine the amond wage did cover the 2 loan signings plus franks. I'd be amazed if we paying much or any of ledgers wages but still doubt be much.

It looks good business simply because we couldn't get much worse than how the ch's have performed precious and we know franks gives 100%; something which couldn't be aimed as criticism as him. Harrison has been awful for years and Laing based on early form looks as bad so yes nice to see 2 what seem solid defenders in.

It doesn't take away from the original topic of knowing amond wanted to be off so having something in pipeline, even a loan striker

I still do !

Exactly ! I would imagine all players who go onto to do well in the game , make their debuts at a young age , remember Rob Earnshaw scoring at the Vic?

Simpson has the look of a young Steve Fletcher , lets hope he is like Fletcher and we keep him a bit longer and or sell him for a lot more when the time comes.

I agree ! people go on about chopping and changing managers, same then must go for players. We failed to get rid of all of last seasons deadwood, yet looks like we could of possibly acquired another load. If we bring in a striker on loan, what will Rodney, Oates, etc make of it?. As you say, someone has got to step up to the plate, hopefully Simpson, as he could bring in a lot of money further down the line. It is up to the coaching staff to bring out the best in the players we have , with coaching and motivation, maybe that's where the changes really need to be made ?. I haven't heard of any of the Dagenham players, but someone there has nurtured and galvanised a good team.

It looks like Harrison is finally sticking to playing what he thinks his best eleven and in what he thinks is the best formation. I don't entirely agree with it , but continuity rather than chopping and changing has got to be the way forward

Don't get me wrong. I'm not Featherstones or Woods' biggest fan. But people blaming the midfield for our early poor performances was strange. I still worry with that midfield. But they performed well on Saturday. It's doing it consistently is my concern.

Anyways. The defence.. The amount of mistakes Harrison and Laing were making. Basic ones at that was crazy. Glad Harrison brought the two lads in on loan as we desperately needed them. Injuries or not.

Jesus, I thought you were going to say John Borthwick there..

Spot on!

To be fair Pools had nobody capable of holding up the ball yesterday, whereas their big No 10 (Ferrier) was very good at doing just that and bringing others into the game.

It's not something Amond was good at either, which is why it was so frustrating seeing him play as a lone striker for so much of last season after Paynter got crocked. I said as soon as I saw Cassidy up at Whitley Bay that we could have done with him last season, so the news that he's going to be out for a couple of months is a blow.

Now they know the extent of Cassidy's injury I'm confident Harrison and the owners will look to bring in a suitable replacement, even if it's a loan signing. Some young players are naturals in the role - Jordan Hugill wasn't bad at it, was he?