Match Thread Hartlepool United (A) 15 March 2022

Tin pot teams? FGR are miles ahead at the top of the table

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You missed the point where we should be higher up the football pyramid. Top end League One minimum, or Championship.

Had Rupp not taken over, that's where we'd be now, no question in my mind.

Had we drawn the League Two league leaders in the FA Cup we'd be saying just that; tinpot.

I don't expect to have to lower my expectations purely because Rupp's performance as 'custodian' has been so poor.

 

Not sure about that but granted we would probably be a league higher

 

Hughes quickly identified who the better footballers were. Cooke has been instrumental and streets ahead of what Daly was contributing. He soon saw through Robinson, too.

 

Don't underestimate the influence Glyn Hodges is having on our new found form.
He's very much a key figure for sure and a valuable asset to have at the club.
Great to see City control play tonight.
Onwards and Upwards.

 

I don't know what Adams was thinking with Cooke.

One second he's on TV and the commentators pick up on the fact he's the most creative midfielder in the division by a country mile (statistically, of course), the next game Adams drops him, and from then on he's largely a bench player.

Embarrassing look for Derek, to be honest.

I'm not gonna bab on Daly, though, good luck to the lad, but he shouldn't have been brought in to displace Cooke.

 

Yep. They can’t score if we have the ball.

 

Trueman's part of the team too, I think it would be silly to disregard his input regardless of his credentials as first team head coach.

 

Genuine question..
How is Derelict Adam’s going to explain any of this at his next interview at Wyke Wanderers?

 

You read some of the stuff on here with regards us not going "gung ho", and then you listen to Sparkie who says a forward ball is not always the best ball, you have to ask if some understand the game.

 

Cooke was excellent tonight, start to finish.

Again the midfield looked so much stronger under Sparky. In general we’ve looked so much more assured in the recent games.

 

The key thing is Olly it is starting to give us hope and belief again, still a long way to go but so pleased for all involved right now

 

HUGE way to go...

...but yeah, I agree about the midfield, 4-4-2 was out given the lack of wingers (Gilliead is a horrible winger, as it turns out, not just a horrible winger forward, Evans at his age is also poor in this position), but the diamond is a solid, solid choice. The five midfielders we've employed are all very mobile, technically proficient, although largely ineffective in the final third. The diamond under Hughes kind of allows for that.

The four goals we've scored in the last two games were a counter (Cook), a deflection (Cooke), a scuffed shot (Foulds) and a flick from a corner (Songo'o).

All goals that aren't likely to be repeated often, save maybe Andy Cook's, but even that isn't a goal that relates directly to his strengths as a centre forward.

Even so, more control and more chances in better areas is really paying dividends.

Normally I'd be worried we can't repeat these goals and assume they'll dry up, like the wonder goals under T&S last season, but there's nothing here that's worrying me. This is just, simply, better than the fare Adams served up.

 

The post match interview.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bvkgwx

 

Oops

 

So did Hartlepool at VP !

 

Cooke is class in this formation

 

Just back home from what was an excellent evening in the North East.

Another performance that improved from the last which is showing the clear signs of progression under Hughes. Style of football is night and day to what that miserable bastard Adams was serving up - the interchange of passes between the midfield tonight was superb.

Cooke was superb. That's a goal and two assists in the last two games now and it's no surprise that both him and Watt are vital players for us now that they're being allowed to actually play football.

Pereira was also very impressive. Not the fastest but he's got silky feet and his work for the first goal was fantastic. Worked his backside off too and made a number of ball recoveries in our half.

Overall, very promising and I'm actually looking forward to the next game rather than dreading it.

 

Serious question, tactically, what has been the input?