I'm nervous for this one! But then I'm always more jittery for the FA Cup games. I do hope we go with a strong XI. Would be good to see Horgan play some part having not played any part for Ireland during the international break. Would quite like to see Mehmeti get another run out after an encouraging performance on Saturday. Bayo for Vokes perhaps, Gape maybe if fit, other than that, same team as Saturday would be good.
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub said:
Let's hope it's not Tranmere all over again. One of the worst outcomes of a game I can recall.
That Tranmere game was interesting, as there was a league game around the same time with Tranmere which caused debate on which game would be better to win (if it was a binary choice, which of course it is not). As it was, we lost the cup tie and won the league game.
Losing the Cup game cost us an easy game with Chichester, and (had we followed the same path as Tranmere) games with Watford and Manchester United. Not inconsiderable.
Losing the league game (had all other results stayed the same) would have cost us a playoff spot, a memorable semi against Fleetwood, a final win against Oxford at Wembley, promotion, a season in the second tier (which should have been more) and a subsequent strong L1 squad which appears to be challenging for promotion again.
Not to reopen the debate again (as it is not binary, we want to do well in BOTH), but it shows that there can be a real cost to losing any particular game in the league just as there can be in the cup, and the loss of a lot of magic as a result.
@Shev Tho as you say, not a binary choice but losing a league game before Christmas means there's plenty of time to make up for it whereas there's no second chance in a cup, regardless of the month.
This was a tough tie, being drawn away, but we got a decent result in light of Pools' home form. Now we need to go out and win it and, if we put out a decent team tonight, we will. It would be disastrous to have no tie on 4th December and no chance of being in the third round draw.
@Doob said: @Shev Tho as you say, not a binary choice but losing a league game before Christmas means there's plenty of time to make up for it whereas there's no second chance in a cup, regardless of the month.
I agree in principle, but the Tranmere debate highlighted that you don't always make it up. 3 points can be gold dust in a promotion challenge.
My point is that just as the cup can be denigrated by people saying they would rather win in the league, so can the league be denigrated by people saying a cup win is more important. Losing either Tranmere game had significant cost attached - they had a really good run in the cup at our expense, but losing the league game would have had huge consequences too.
For me, I just want to win every game, even the Chuckletrade Leasing Mickey Mouse Cup. It keeps it simpler!
And we must also remember that in both League and Cup there are two teams and probably the other side also wants to win...often for the same reasons we do.
@Wendoverman said:
After Saturday a heartening win would be good for team morale.
Yeah, resting players has its place but we need a better performance and a result to put us in the right frame of mind for the weekends game and to turn us around before this turns into a worrying run and people end up getting rotated anyway just to change things.
Comments
I’d be surprised with a crowd of more than 2500 for this.
2222 is my guess
That’s a really strange looking monkey on their badge.
It's a hart on the sea, known as hart le pool once upon a time.
Guessing a crowd of 3000
I've got a horrible, terrible, very bad, no good feeling about this one.
I'm nervous for this one! But then I'm always more jittery for the FA Cup games. I do hope we go with a strong XI. Would be good to see Horgan play some part having not played any part for Ireland during the international break. Would quite like to see Mehmeti get another run out after an encouraging performance on Saturday. Bayo for Vokes perhaps, Gape maybe if fit, other than that, same team as Saturday would be good.
It was Hartlepools so shouldn’t there be more than one sea?
Is it on iFollow or any other service?
Let's hope it's not Tranmere all over again. One of the worst outcomes of a game I can recall.
Audio commentary only for £2.50 unless you have a season's subscription.
Presumably also on 3CR on 98FM.
That Tranmere game was interesting, as there was a league game around the same time with Tranmere which caused debate on which game would be better to win (if it was a binary choice, which of course it is not). As it was, we lost the cup tie and won the league game.
Losing the Cup game cost us an easy game with Chichester, and (had we followed the same path as Tranmere) games with Watford and Manchester United. Not inconsiderable.
Losing the league game (had all other results stayed the same) would have cost us a playoff spot, a memorable semi against Fleetwood, a final win against Oxford at Wembley, promotion, a season in the second tier (which should have been more) and a subsequent strong L1 squad which appears to be challenging for promotion again.
Not to reopen the debate again (as it is not binary, we want to do well in BOTH), but it shows that there can be a real cost to losing any particular game in the league just as there can be in the cup, and the loss of a lot of magic as a result.
Thanks @AlanCecil
Going to be a cold one, that's for certain!
@Shev Tho as you say, not a binary choice but losing a league game before Christmas means there's plenty of time to make up for it whereas there's no second chance in a cup, regardless of the month.
This was a tough tie, being drawn away, but we got a decent result in light of Pools' home form. Now we need to go out and win it and, if we put out a decent team tonight, we will. It would be disastrous to have no tie on 4th December and no chance of being in the third round draw.
I agree in principle, but the Tranmere debate highlighted that you don't always make it up. 3 points can be gold dust in a promotion challenge.
My point is that just as the cup can be denigrated by people saying they would rather win in the league, so can the league be denigrated by people saying a cup win is more important. Losing either Tranmere game had significant cost attached - they had a really good run in the cup at our expense, but losing the league game would have had huge consequences too.
For me, I just want to win every game, even the Chuckletrade Leasing Mickey Mouse Cup. It keeps it simpler!
And we must also remember that in both League and Cup there are two teams and probably the other side also wants to win...often for the same reasons we do.
Wow, didn't expect us to go that strong
I guess its 4-4-2?
Stockdale GK
Grimmer RB
Stewart RCB
Jacobson LCB
Obita LB
Hanlan RM
Thompson RCM
Scowen LCM
Horgan LM
Vokes RS
Akinfenwa LS
Let's make bloody hell
Looks like the 4-2-1-3 from Fleetwood? With Jacobson one of the centre backs in a four.
Aiming for no extra time or pens? Great stuff!
Cue 'Why did we risk our players with an important league match coming up'?
Mrs W just asked if there would be fireworks. I replied looking at the stands the Couhigs could hand out individual sparklers and toffee apples!
Pleased we’ve gone with a strong side. Get a good win and build confidence for Bolton game.
After Saturday a heartening win would be good for team morale.
Is taff injured?
That’s more like it and good to see Grimmer back in the side.
Yeah, resting players has its place but we need a better performance and a result to put us in the right frame of mind for the weekends game and to turn us around before this turns into a worrying run and people end up getting rotated anyway just to change things.
I think more of a 3-4-1-2
Gk
Grimmer Stewart JJ
Horgan Obita (wing backs)
Thompson Scowen
Hanlan
Bayo Vokes