Sweens - great goals

By Clarence Rode
March 22 2009

Before we ask the big questions, let's get a few things straight - Hartlepool were unlucky to lose against Millwall at the Vic on Saturday after outplaying the promotiopn-chasing London side for an hour. But fortunately, some of the day's other League One results went their way and the setback isn't quite the disaster it might have been in the first of Chris Turner's eight cup finals.

But there are only seven left now and while Turner (right) is probably right when he says Pools will be safe if they can play like this, that's easier said than done.
Don't forget a week before the Millwall performance - as good as any they have put in all season - they were rubbish at Cheltenham, so nobody can take anything for granted with this team.
Turner was right when he said that Pools didn't deserve to lose, he was right when he said that they paid for defensive mistakes and he was probably reight when he said they can survive if they match that form.
He was also spot on when he admitted that Pools make too many defensive mistakes, mistakes that have cost the team a lot of points and have made the end of the season squeeky bum time for the club and the fans.
So here's the first big question - if the defence makes too many mistakes, why did he sign so many forwards on loan?
Why has he persevered with the partnership of Nelson and Collins when Ben Clark could have been switched back from midfield?
Antony Sweeney scored two great goals and was easily the star man for Pools after switching from right-back to his preferred role in midfield.
Turner said he has always regarded Sweeney as a midfield player and even added that he's good enough to play in the Championship. So why has he, and Danny Wilson before him, wasted Sweeney at right back?
Jamie McCunnie has suffered with injuries, but he's not done badly at right-back, and Gary Liddle is so negative that he'sprobably better there than in midfield.
If Sweeney is good enough to play in midfield in the Championship, playing him at right-back in a defence that leaks goals anyway is a criminal waste of a class player who can virtually guarantee double figures in goals from midfield.
For the record, Pools didn't deserve to lose. But they did lose because they didn't take chances that could have killed Millwall oiff and then completely botched it in defence in the second half.
It's going to be a nervous finish to the season.