Back to Basics??

[Simon Pieman]

Interesting point. I think Malpas may have concentrated so much on playing attractive football that we've forgotten how to do the basics (well at home anyway). Problem is now the team looks so lost they can't even implement the attractive football philosophy.

[Dozno9]

I liked Kennedy in pre-season and I think is one of the few youths who deserve a chance.

[pauld]

I liked Kennedy in pre-season and I think is one of the few youths who deserve a chance.

Put me down for that too. Not seen him in a League game, but from what I have seen, he's got ability and commitment. I'd put Chris Allen in that bracket too. Not seen enough of the rest of the youth to join in with the "one of the few who deserve a chance" mind, sounds a touch harsh tbh.

[Spencer_White]

In my opinion, our current full backs are about as poor as you get at league one standard.

If the youths cant start to challenge these then they havnt got a hope in other areas where we are much stronger.

Luke Garrard would be a regular starter in this team.

[tans]

So would James Williams.

[my-velocity]

Brezovan, J.Smith, Ifil, Kanyuka, Amankwah, McGovern, Easton, Nalis, McNamee, Cox, Paynter

Subs - P.Smith, Aljofree, Marshall, Timlin, Corr (If fit)

And you still have the likes of Peacock, Morrison, Joyce waiting in the wings..

[Samdy Gray]

I honestly don't think our fullbacks have been that bad. Amankwaah was MOTM against Stockport and Smith was MOTM against Millwall.

[Bogus Dave]

Smith was Motm?!?! Dear oh dear

[Dazzza]

There's a Paul Fletcher piece on the BBC called The Hunt for Mpenza that I really recommend having a butchers at.

It looks at Plymouths season and how Sturrock dropped a lot of his flair players and those with a questionable attitude and fielded as he calls it “a very honest team” against Watford where they got their first win of the season.

I did laugh but tip the scotch nod a wink when he said  "I picked a team that if I was in a trench in the First World War and I blew my whistle, then they would all run out of the trench with me."   And I think Malpas needs to the same on Friday and pick a side that is going to battle for every ball and grind out a dirty result and then look to re-introduce some of the flair and creative players that have been lacking in form.

Peacock should be the first name on the sheet for Hartlepool along with Jack Smith and that Nalis character.

[Power to people]

I would drop Mcnamee as he has been playing poor lately and perhaps a spell on the bench may give him focus, but I'd also drop JP so that would not give us any outlet out wide.

So instead I'd drop JP and put in 3 CM's and push Mcnamee up behind the front 2 with a licence to roam and cause problems and see how he get's on in that role.

I'd like to see Peacock in midfield but I think as Malpas has said he see's him as a striker he won't use him there.

[Don Rogers Shop]

I would drop Mcnamee as he has been playing poor lately and perhaps a spell on the bench may give him focus, but I'd also drop JP so that would not give us any outlet out wide.

So instead I'd drop JP and put in 3 CM's and push Mcnamee up behind the front 2 with a licence to roam and cause problems and see how he get's on in that role.

I'd like to see Peacock in midfield but I think as Malpas has said he see's him as a striker he won't use him there.

Thats the formation malpas tried last season and by all accounts the platers did not know how it worked

[DV]

In my opinion, our current full backs are about as poor as you get at league one standard.

If the youths cant start to challenge these then they havnt got a hope in other areas where we are much stronger.

Luke Garrard would be a regular starter in this team.

Im going to disagree again.

There is no way in hell that Luke Garrard is any better than Jack Smith or Kevin Amankwaah.

Luke Garrard was complete and utter crap if he was any good he'd be playing league football.

Kyle Lapham on the other hand, I thought looked a good prospect!

[sharper]

Agreed Garrard would not get near this side.  My opinion was Lapham wasn't up to this standard either.  Both knocking about in the lower tiers of the English football pyramid.

I actually thought Jacko was our best player vs Millwall and Amankwaah is starting to show some promise.  I dont think these two are in any way the problem.

[Reeves for King]

Alright well I haven't been muchbut if everyone was fit this would be my team: Smith; Amaankwaah (I haven't seen him play yet but he was good if I remember), Ifil, Vincent, J Smith; McNamee, Nalis, Eastie, Marshall; Cox, Peacock

[lambourn red]

I would go for a Midfield diamond sort of thing to keep things nice and compact we need to stop shipping goals and Mcnamee is a luxury player when you need to grind out results.

             Brez
Amankwah Ifil Morrison Smith
           Nalis
    Timlin       Easton
         Peacock
    Cox      Paynter

With Mcnamee,Marshall,Joyce,JPM,P .Smith