CT - problems

By Charlie Summerbell
July 25 2009

Four pre-season friendlies, four defeats for Hartlepool United and all the close-season activity of Chris Turner is beginning to look disappointing after the club's transfter splurge filled many fans with optimism for the 200-9-10 season in League One. Losing to two good Dutch teams in Holland and at home to Sheffield Wednesday is one thing, losing 2-0 to non-League York is another.

In fact, losing 2-0 at York on friday night, after Turner calld on his team to start getting tough, is little short of an embarrasment.
Just because York play at the stupidly-named *Kit Kat Crescent, doesn't means Pools have be stupid as well.
Pools were the better side in the first half, but their bark had not bite as they failed to show any sort of goal threat up front.
In the second half, they were very poor.
Sam Collins joined an injury list that already includes Richie Humphreys (achilles) and Ben Clark (who has had an op for a hernia) when he went off with a thigh injury in the first half.
The form of Jon Andre Fredriksen in midfield was one of the few plus points for Pools, who just can't afford to go on losing matches like they are.
The season hasn't started yet and there are two weeks to get things right, but the signs are not good, not helped by the fact that Richie Humphreys is wondering about his future after failing to make the startiung line-up so far.
Almost an ever-present last season, Jones is a 100 per center and no matter how many midfield players there are in the squad, he deserves to have at least started once or twice.
Turner says he and the player will be speaking soon, and if I were Jones I'd be starting the conversation by asking: "Why can't I get into a team that is playing badly?"
Then he might add: "and while I;m here, are we getting a left-back or what?"

* No matter how desperate your club was for sponsorship, no matter how big a name in your town Kit Kat is, you would turn down a deal like this .. wouldn't you?