What is a realistic aim for this season?

By Albatross
December 15 2003

Saturday's defeat against QPR was hardly unexpected - but it does see us drop to 10th in the table. Should we be expecting more from this team? Pools Online ponders the questions.

Saturday's defeat was not on the same level as our poor performances at Blackpool and Plymouth, but it does tell us a few home truths about the side and what a realistic aim is this season.

Firstly, we are not in any position to compete in Division 1 next season, even if we should make it. QPR have not only a good side, but a good squad - how many teams in Division 2 can afford to have a £250,000 signing on the bench alongside someone like Paul Furlong - and while they should be certs for promotion, they would be far from the top team in the league above. Playing teams of similar quality most weeks would be beyond the current team - unless we were prepared to see a number of heavy defeats and almost certain relegation by January. QPR tore us apart, even though it was far from our worst performance of the season: our forwards failed miserably to overcome their well-drilled offside trap, while the quality of some of the passing moves on Pools World's highlights was a cut above anything else we've faced this season. "Can we play you every week" the Rs fans were singing at one point; while we might be able to match or overcome Div1 sides every now and again in the Cups with this team, we simply lack the quality and/or experience to make a good fist of it on a regular basis.

Secondly, while I wouldn't exactly say we were in a false position, Playoffs is at best a slight possibility this season. Our next two games see us take on two teams in the top five in Colchester and Barnsley; both are at home, and points need to be taken from both games if we are to maintain a top half position at the mid point of the season.

Would mid-table be acceptable this season? I personally think it would. After being the bookie's favourites and tipster's choice to go straight back down, changing our manager over the summer, and re-shaping the squad on an almost weekly basis, a top half finish would count as a remarkable achievement. Cooper is trying to deal with some of the inadequacies of the squad he inherited, and is making a decent job of clearing away some of the fringe players. We've already seen Hendo depart, and there's every chance that Arnison and Richardson will be allowed to leave should Carlisle and Lincoln be able to come up with suitable wage offers; Jermaine Easter has already apparently had one trial period with Hereford, and knows the club won't stand in his way if he can find another club. Adam Boyd is in a more ambiguous situation - Boston seem keen to keep him permanently, but it's not clear if Pools will allow the talented but frustrating forward to leave.

Meanwhile, Cooper is bringing in players on short term and loan deals. Joel Porter is showing some signs of promise, and Chris Shuker may be available permanently if he impresses; Danny Byrne hasn't really made an impact yet, but arguably his arrival means Cooper has done more to address the problem on the right side of midfield than Newell and Turner did last season. With Tinkler available again on Saturday, it may well be that Shuker will be given his chance wide on the right as well.

Another thing that Cooper is doing that shows that he is aiming for success in the long term is giving youth a chance. Alan Hansen's maxim "You'll never win anything with kids" may have some truth to it - but players like Provett, Wilkinson, Robson, Brackstone, and Craddock are all going to benefit enormously from the first team experience that they are gaining this season. The latter four are all still on Scholarships - should they convince Cooper that they are worthy of pro deals, we will have players who are already aware of what it means to play pro football, with experience that will stand them and Pools in good stead in the next couple of seasons.

Coops will no doubt already be thinking about which players are going to find themselves without new deals over the summer, and working out who he wants to bring in. His comments and actions show that he knows where we need to strengthen - he mentioned the Right Back area in his post-match comments for example - but he has to go with what he's already got to an extent. I expect him to have a clearout in the summer, and then we can look to push on for the playoffs next year. While things are still a long way from perfect - our away tactics need some serious attention - I reckon that Coops still has us moving in the right direction.

So what do you think? Would you be happy with a mid-table finish at this point in the season? Why not have a vote in our new poll....