By Old Timer
August 4 2007

Hartlepool boss Danny Wilson says he knows what his team will be at Luton on the first day of the new League One season, and we won’t know until then whether the side’s last pre-season friendly has done anything to change his mind as the team went down to a 2-1 defeat at Rotherham United's Millmoor.

Just in case anybody was starting to feel cocky after some encouraging pre-season performances, they were brought down to earth in the last game before the real thing starts as a side relegated from League One last season with Pools moving in the opposite direction chalked up victory.

Two down by half-time, Pools narrowed the gap with another Gary Liddle goal – he scored to earn a draw against AZ Alkmaar in midweek – but they couldn’t do enough to earn a draw.

POOLS: Lee-Barrett, Gibb (sub Liddle 46), Nelson, Clark, Humphreys (sub Robson 46), Sweeney (sub Monkhouse 59), Boland, McCunnie, Foley, (sub Moore 53), Barker, Porter (sub Mackay 46).  Subs not used: Budtz, Elliott.

It's my guess only three players are certain to start at Luton: Liddle, Barker and Nelson. After that, it's guesswork, specially with Andy Monkhouse suspended for the opening games. 

So with the new season now just round the corner the result at Rotherham will leave some question marks over the team’s make-up at Luton on the first day, and makes me wonder where the goals are going to come from in League One.

Strikers James Brown, Richie Barker and Ian Moore have all scored during the pre-season campaign, but Joel Porter hasn’t and boss Danny Wilson will be hoping his team doesn’t have to rely too heavily on goals from midfield by the likes of Liddle to earn League One points.

It’s unlikely the team that started at Rotherham was the one Wilson expects to start at Kenilworth Road, but in the last week before the big kick-off, fans will be asking a series of questions:

 

• Who starts in goal, Aaron Lee Barrett or Jan Budtz?
• Will Wilson play with three or four at the back?
• Will on-loan Godwin Antwi, who didn't even figure at Millmoor, split last season’s successful central defensive partnership of Michael Nelson and Ben Clark?
• Will Clark play in defence or midfield, or will he be on the bench?
• How many in midfield – three, four or five?
• What about Robbie Elliott -- he didn't get on at Rotherham?
• Is James Brown a striker or a midfielder?
• Who are regarded as the top strikers – Barker, Brown, Moore, Porter? Does Mackay have a chance?
• Where does fans’ favourite Richie Humphreys, who gave a penalty away at Rotherham, fit into all this?

 

That’s just a sample of the sort of questions being asked – by 2.15 on Saturday August 11, when Wilson hands in his team for the Luton game, most of them will be answered.