Early season optimism.
- Thread starter Alfalf2
- Start date
Old Poolie
Vital Squad Member
I'll try to give a balanced, objective view of today's game - though it isn't easy after yet another avoidable home defeat!
Pools were playing decent football for much of the game and scored two good goals, however they also managed to fail to take advantage of numerous decent goalscoring opportunities.
Bromley played to their strengths, they were big and direct and gave Pools little time on the ball. All three of Bromley's goals were avoidable, apart from these they created little in our box.
For me the worry is that we don't score when in ascendancy and are prone to be caught out in defence due to pushing too far up the field when we lack pace and nous at the back.
Finally, the goalkeeper has too many moments of indecision, doesn't come for high balls; and but for his distribution wouldn't be worthy of a start for any National League team!
It's going to be another long, frustrating, and disappointing season.
Pools were playing decent football for much of the game and scored two good goals, however they also managed to fail to take advantage of numerous decent goalscoring opportunities.
Bromley played to their strengths, they were big and direct and gave Pools little time on the ball. All three of Bromley's goals were avoidable, apart from these they created little in our box.
For me the worry is that we don't score when in ascendancy and are prone to be caught out in defence due to pushing too far up the field when we lack pace and nous at the back.
Finally, the goalkeeper has too many moments of indecision, doesn't come for high balls; and but for his distribution wouldn't be worthy of a start for any National League team!
It's going to be another long, frustrating, and disappointing season.
billytwodogs
Vital Squad Member
First game of the season for me yesterday, due to work then holiday, basically why I’ve been absent from the forum for a while.
Unfortunately this league and the one above are about hard work. We don’t work hard enough either collectively or individually, with and without the ball.
It’s 90 minutes with a break in the middle, and as the great Jimmy Murphy told Bobby Charlton “you’ve got to work your balls off”, emphasised later by Sir Alex Ferguson when he said “ hard work will always overcome natural talent when natural talent doesn’t work hard enough”. No I’m not a closet Man United fan but I like to read how the greats, particularly in football, achieve their greatness.
We, as HUFC players, have got to ask ourselves ‘ do we work hard enough?
As I said earlier first game of the season for me yesterday and i cannot express the similarities between this team and last seasons team, not squad, team. The way we set up, the fear in the players, the fragile nature of the eleven, the failing to close down, restrict the opposition, move forward together, defend from the front. There is so much wrong and so many similarities to previous seasons in this league, we will be lucky to surpass those previous seasons “achievements”.
I’ve waffled on enough for this thread but I’ll look at other threads and contribute where I can but returning to Jimmy Murphy, and similarities to pools players, he said “bad players hide in matches often standing next to the man who is marking them having no influence on the game” (these players are content to be called footballers) “serious professionals find themselves space and work their balls off”. How many do the former and how many the latter?
Unfortunately this league and the one above are about hard work. We don’t work hard enough either collectively or individually, with and without the ball.
It’s 90 minutes with a break in the middle, and as the great Jimmy Murphy told Bobby Charlton “you’ve got to work your balls off”, emphasised later by Sir Alex Ferguson when he said “ hard work will always overcome natural talent when natural talent doesn’t work hard enough”. No I’m not a closet Man United fan but I like to read how the greats, particularly in football, achieve their greatness.
We, as HUFC players, have got to ask ourselves ‘ do we work hard enough?
As I said earlier first game of the season for me yesterday and i cannot express the similarities between this team and last seasons team, not squad, team. The way we set up, the fear in the players, the fragile nature of the eleven, the failing to close down, restrict the opposition, move forward together, defend from the front. There is so much wrong and so many similarities to previous seasons in this league, we will be lucky to surpass those previous seasons “achievements”.
I’ve waffled on enough for this thread but I’ll look at other threads and contribute where I can but returning to Jimmy Murphy, and similarities to pools players, he said “bad players hide in matches often standing next to the man who is marking them having no influence on the game” (these players are content to be called footballers) “serious professionals find themselves space and work their balls off”. How many do the former and how many the latter?
Old Poolie
Vital Squad Member
I've seen all 3 home games this season and Billy2's impression of the lack of workrate and dynamism is, regrettably, spot on.
This approach to games is nothing new though, it is how Pools have set up for the last 5 seasons, at least.
My impression of the National League and League 2 is that successful teams play at high tempo, get the ball forward quickly, defend in numbers and don't try to play out from the back! Pools do the opposite of all of these.
As with previous seasons Pools don't appear to have developed a style/ formation and are still trying things out. Hence, visiting teams who play to their tried and tested approach are leaving the Vic with results.
This approach to games is nothing new though, it is how Pools have set up for the last 5 seasons, at least.
My impression of the National League and League 2 is that successful teams play at high tempo, get the ball forward quickly, defend in numbers and don't try to play out from the back! Pools do the opposite of all of these.
As with previous seasons Pools don't appear to have developed a style/ formation and are still trying things out. Hence, visiting teams who play to their tried and tested approach are leaving the Vic with results.
billytwodogs
Vital Squad Member
Exactly OP have a game plan and make it work instead of a chopping and changing knee jerk reaction culture.
Old Poolie
Vital Squad Member
Injuries aside, I don't think in these first 5 games Pools have started with the same formation in successive matches.
Which speaks volumes for me.
Which speaks volumes for me.
