The honest answer has to be a simple and straight forward NO.
They haven't played well for weeks, but they have played badly in almost every game (or part of it) in the second half of the season.
Against Scunthorpe at the Vic on easter Monday, Pools lost 3-2 after twice fighting back to level the score.
Why did they lose 3-2? Because Scunthoirpe were the better team.
Michael Nelson's offside-looking header gave Pools their first equalizer, while sub Daniel Nardiello (right) got the second.
But the truth has to be faced - Scunthorpe were not at their best, but they were still better in every respct than Pools.
The defence bottled up the Pools attack, the midfield easily had the better of the game, and their attack looked dangerous every time they got near the Pools penalty box.
So how does Chris Turner justify his outrageous post-match comment: "They are a top eight side, we are a bottom eight side, but there wasn't much to choose between us."
He must have having a laugh. Go through both teams man by man, and it's doubtful if any Pools player would get the nod ahead of a Scunny man.
Pools weren't outplayed, but they were second best in every respect, and that has happened in many games this season.
The result is that Pools are in the doldrums, short on confidence and reeling from one crisis to another.
Turner might well be saying what he has said because he wants to keep the players' spirits up for the last three games, which is fair enough.
But if he really believes what he said, then we are all in trouble. Because if he thinks there isn't a lot of difference between pools and a top eight side, that mans he believes not a lot needs to be done during the summer - whatever league we are in - to turn Pools into a winning team.
The fact is, however, that we need a new defence, a new midfield and a new attack.
      WE NEED VIRTUALLY A WHOLE NEW TEAM.
Only a small handful of the curent squad are worth keeping for next season, and one of them is off home to Australia anyway.
Pools tried hard, ran about a lot and scored two. But they again gave away too many soft goals and at no time did they look in control of the game.
The same was true in their previous home game against Hereford, but on that occasion Hereford managed the virtually impossible by being even worse.
The Pools defence makes too many daft mistakes, the midfield lacks drive, power, ideas and goals and the attack, with or without Joel Porter, is lightweight.
They are where they are in the League One table because that is where they deserve to be. It's not bad luck or bad refereeing that has left them needing to scrap through their last three games, it's bad play and, at times, bad decisions on the pitch and off it.
One manager has already carried the can for that and some players will probably also carry the can when the retained list is put together.
But is that really where the blame lies?

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