old codger

If ever a manager didn't want to win a game this was it. 1 1 from half time and going nowhere so what did he do wait until the 89th minute before making changes and then he removes our two best players! Mellon says they are not good enough. He has fulfilled his own prophecy. We have now tried a new to management signing and a been there done it manager and neither has worked, so far, but Mellon will no doubt get the opportunity to make a mess of the 24/25 season. I hope it comes right but fear it will not. Time to relax.

Forget the players! Mellon set up the team not to lose in a game we had to win. We have seen his keep it tight not to concede mentality which has seen us concede 4 goals in the last two games. What if we tried to win? I'm certain we have conceded fewer goals when in a try to win mentality rather than a not to lose formation. These players showed what they can do against Chesterfield but Mellon falls beck on his boring unproductive strategy time after time. His race has been run he is a yesterday man just as Rhino was a nowhere near man. This season, next season, sometime actually never with this manager. Players can do better but not when a rigid no lose system is imposed upon them. Will he do anything different against Rochdale?

Are we surprised? That kick off must have been premeditated and my heart sank - more hoof ball. The team appears to be where they were with Rhino just playing in a style that they don't like and can't be arsed. Not a good time to put 25% on my season card with players and manager anxious to get to the end of the season for all the wrong reasons.

I read through looking to see if someone else had spotted the differential increase for old codgers like me. Thanks LaticMark. There are so many of us and just as the Tories are moving the balance of taxation away from workers (broadly speaking NIC payers) to pensioners (who pay no NIC) the Latics want us old ones to pay a larger proportion of gate income.

I'm all for winning games by scoring more goals than the opposition BUT until we can concede fewer goals than them it is pointless. How about a decent centre half?

Hope is restored!

Just refused to talk about it in the pub and drowned my sorrows!

I'm not a fan of 5 3 2 and letting the opposition have the ball. It worked for the first half against Gateshead but then they just started passing through us. It worked for the first half today despite the added idea of not only letting them have the ball but also giving it to them. Fortunately the tactical change of four at the back did slowly produce better form and eventually a second goal. Nicely placed at 8th given the start under Rhino but a hard watch.

After a good start realisation that the National League is likely to be their home for some time has probably set in for both players and their supporters. Time for Pools to dig in and the ray of hope is how fragile we are at home. Could be messy and as bad as the Gateshead game was.

Must be a national holiday with all these comments. Mellon knows the obvious weakness of our squad and therefore decided on a let them have the ball until the final third. It worked well for the first half because we scored and then started to play better. Gateshead obviously told what was needed second half hence the early goal. Our team then flat so only one result possible. Some strange substitutions!

Best team performance for years!

PS Beer

Nuttall is actually a striker - what a well taken goal. A delight to see them play rather than just worry about formation. Not dropping back. Gardener more restrained but not making last ditch tackles. Fan bloody tactic. We have our team back!

Having watched all 90 odd minutes Rhino must have been somewhere else - the land of delusion. It isn't going for us because he doesn't have a clue. The second substitution made it clear to all as the team didn't then know what formation they should be in but settled on 4 2 4. What manager in his right mind has four strikers and a defender as his substitutes. Piss poor. We are going nowhere. well I hope we are going nowhere because down is looking a probability.

We are in a hopeless situation. Frank has done us all proud but the football is uninspiring and not worthy of support. Is there a fan or supporter out there who has any confidence in Rhino? We should win today but it means nothing. This is a league where you have to play to win and that is beyond the management. Surprisingly he is a dinosaur putting shape beyond expansive play. I hate it but I've paid up like so many, so amazingly many, and will keep going.

I didn't plan to go to any preseason games but at home with the new pitch changed my mind. Their first two goals came from our errors (Ward dived in and a poor clearance by Hobson) whereas we made five good chances and couldn't finish them - true National league strikers. Hobson was playing right back without the pace to get forward. Raglan good and Ward OK. In essence the only thing new was Ward as Yarney played as well as Raglan at CB and Sutton as well as Hobson at RB. We should make the top 7 but it isn't going to be pretty and the top spot is beyond that squad and our manager.

Blue with red detailing and white and red stripes for the away.

That was going to end in a 1 0 win with the team booed off the park but due to the baying crowd Sheron went forward rather than backing off won the ball and Reid converted. So it all ended OK but no chance created in the second half until the injury time goal. The players are better than DU allows. He is the sea anchor holding us back.

Well now 4 4 2 and the long ball reaps dividends. Unsworth now with us for the rest of the season. Main stand moaners rather quiet. I suppose it is worth mentioning that recent the signings have improved the squad. Everton would love the run we are on!

Could this be the Damascene Conversion we need?

Having been told that the plan for the club includes the possibility of a relegation this season I'm not surprised that there appears to be a complete lack of concern with the results Rhino is getting. It's like a work in progress to a way of playing but even the players brought in the last three months don't seem to get what he wants. His latest interview is either all bluff or from someone confident of his position. The sensible positive steps the club is making off the field are in complete contrast to inexplicable unbelievable mess on the field. What a wonderful December with Southgate squandering the best group of players we have ever had and then being begged to carry on and Unsworth failing spectacularly with a group of players who I'm sure are good enough to be mid table. Southgate only fails against the best but Unsworth only fails.

It seems there was a moment when their confidence in Unsworth was teetering on the brink but it now looks like there has been a stay of execution. My concern is that the 'plan' includes the possibility of relegation to the National League North. I'm not sure I will be keeping the faith if that is the outcome come 29th April.