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Second best across the park for 60 minutes, City suffer a defeat as the squad's lack of forward fire-power bites a little harder. |
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This wasn't very good. The swirling wind didn't help matters, and Hartlepool were committed and hard-working opposition that never let City settle and shut down our main threats (i.e. they marked Elliott out of the game). Nevertheless, this was a poor first half performance in which little possession was created for the front two and the crumbs that were offered were squandered lazily by strikers Allsopp and Wilbraham. That's the worst I've ever seen Allsopp play and that's saying something. Wilbraham was back to his ineffective worst. Jon Walters, the only striker on our books willing to put the work in for 90 minutes, wasn't even on the bench. Injured? Sold? Or dropped? If it's the latter, then Taylor has made a foolish decision that backfired horribly. Stuart Green's splendid display in Tuesday night's game was rewarded with a start while Delaney and his restored knee came back for the semi-fit Cort. Duke replaced the suspended Myhill in goal: Duke Hartlepool's superior commitment was evident from the first kick (probably - I missed the opening moments) and within eight minutes Porter had been offered generous space deep in the City box and drove home a cross from 12 yards out. The Tigers were bested all over the park, Allsopp was anonymous and weak in the challenge while Wilbraham rumbled around but seemed incapable of passing to a team-mate or heading a ball with any kind of intended direction. Quite how Peter Taylor thought these two would come good as a partnership after last week's half-cocked showing against Stockport is beyond me. Whatever promise these two showed in training in the week was not brought onto the park and it was no surprise when Allsopp was withdrawn at half-time and Wilbraham was subbed just past the hour. City not only failed to exert pressure on their opponents as the first half continued, they invited pressure on themselves. Junior Lewis again defended well but his passing was very wayward - although in Junior's defence I maintain that I believe half the problem is Keane, who consistently fails to find space for an "out" ball when our defenders have possession, resulting in Lewis being forced either to hoof it or try a tricky pass that is more liable to end in catastrophe. Anyway, on this occasion Lewis gifted the ball to a Pools midfielder and Boyd was released through the middle unmarked. Duke came off his line and smothered the ball bravely at Boyd's feet, but really it should've been two and the head-in-hands demeanour of the skilful Pools forward suggested his agreement on the matter. The normal signal for City playing badly - a rash Ashbee lunge and a yellow card - duly came on 19 minutes before things became even worse. Humphries had a shot saved low by Duke - who generally minded his net competently save for one incident to be reported later, but can't kick a ball straight for toffee - after a corner was half cleared. Pools repeatedly passed the ball with skill and fluidity, working space for a spare man to cross or shoot, and it was a matter of some surprise that their lead wasn't extended. City had two chances - Allsopp shot at the keeper after a free-kick bounced around in the box, while Wilbraham smeared a shot over the bar just before half-time from 20 yards out - in general it was a case of City being lucky to have scored nil in the first period. Drastic action needed, drastic action taken. Thelwell, who hadn't appeared to have done much wrong, gave way to the more attack-minded France at right back (Ryan duly spent most of the second half not getting forward much at all, which no doubt confused young Alton a tad). Price came on for Allsopp and City went with a 4-4-1-1 designed to quell Pools' midfield dominance and allow City to spring into attacks from deep, Green playing the withdrawn front-man role. The substitutions were clearly meant to change the course of the match but alas it took Pools a while to realise this, and they only twigged after taking a 2-0 lead. Duke's goal had already been threatened by a shot well parried and a follow-up that hit the crossbar, so when Pools curled a free-kick towards Duke's bottom right corner it should perhaps have been no surprise to our defence that the save, although well executed, may again be parried. It was parried. Our defence didn't think or react. Boyd was left in acres of space to tap home unhindered. With the game now well beyond the Tigers, Pools took a foot off the pedal and their sweet passing game collapsed into an long period of defending. City in turn finally started to string a few passes together with Green finding lots of space in his free role but we were, as a result, one striker short up front so our actual goal chance tally remained modest. Facey replaced Wilbraham and Delroy did rather better than young Aaron, without actually being much good. The game was crying out for the work rate and strength of Jon Walters. The dropped Jon Walters. On the hour a corner from the right was taken short and Price swivelled to steer a high overhead shot narrowly over the bar. Then a Keane dribble worked space for Green through the centre but the first touch was too heavy and Provett smothered at Green's feet. Then the only point of real contention in the ninety minutes play, as a Keane cross was played in and quite clearly handled by a Pools defender near the edge of the box. It wasn't just a slight deflection, a ball that was previously heading for the touchline was now heading for the centre spot. It wasn't a borderline arm-chest decision, the defender's arm was raised above his body. Quite how the referee missed it, and concluded that the ball had had its trajectory changed so radically by fair means, beggared any sort of belief. It was our chance to get back into the game and it went begging, scandalously. We continued to press forward, Lewis headed a corner wide and Price scuffed a left foot shot after a nice return header across the face of the box by Elliott. Green went on a mazy run that ended with him rounding the exposed goalkeeper down by the right corner flag, but the covering defence was secure and the when the half-clearance fell to Ashbee the captain's shot was high and wide. Price again wasted a chance in the closing minutes after a throw from the left side was worked well to the far post, but the last threat came from the home side, who emerged from their shell on 88 to win a free-kick that was cleared to Humphries, but the well-struck shot was a yard high. All in all, this was not a good performance. Hartlepool are a decent side who on the evidence of 210 minutes' football this week will be play-off material for sure, maybe even a step better. As for City, well their problems lie entirely in the front two and all I can do is repeat what was said after last Saturday. Allsopp's head has dropped and he doesn't appear capable of playing his way through the slump - drop him to the bench and use him as the impact substitute. Wilbraham is incapable in pretty much all aspects of the game, he needs to go back to the drawing board and rebuild his skills and confidence in the reserves (he must have skills, he scored goals for Stockport and they are hardly Arsenal when it comes to handing strikers chances on a plate). Facey looks sort of OK without ever looking like scoring. Keep him on the margins. Walters is the best front player we've got by some distance, in terms of willingness to work and capability of holding up the ball and connecting with colleagues. He just can't score at the moment, but that's OK because on Tuesday night he showed that he has a part to play in creating chances for others. Donaldson isn't good enough and I think has now finally gone on loan to Harrogate. It pains me to say it, but we need a new striker and we need him for next Saturday. Other than that, it's not too bad. The defence is solid and I still think Lewis at centre back is one of the finds of the season. In midfield we are OK but Taylor needs to give Keane a good talking to so that he shows more often for easy passes out of defence. I thinks Price has done enough for a recall now, but he'll have to wait his turn behind Green who has now delivered 2 man of the match performances in four days on the Cleveland coast. We're still fifth in our consolidation season. No need to panic, but selective additions to the squad are always welcome if one wishes a side to move forward. Get it sorted, Mr Taylor, we know you can do it. |
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HULL CITY (4-4-2): Duke; Thelwell, Delaney, Lewis, Dawson; Green, Ashbee, Keane, Elliott; Wilbraham, Allsopp. Subs: France (for Thelwell, 45), Price (for Allsopp, 45), Facey (for Wilbraham, 67), Edge, Cort. Goals: None Booked: Ashbee, Price Sent Off: None
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Provett, Barron, Tinkler, Nelson, Robson, Williams, Strachan, Pouton, Humphries, Boyd, Porter. Subs: Westwood (for Barron, 67), Istead (for Porter, 78), Woods (for Strachan, 88), Konstantopoulos, Craddock. Goals: Porter 8, Boyd 50 Booked: Williams Sent Off: None
REFEREE: A Leake ATTENDANCE: 5,768 |
Last revised: November 21, 2004