By Albatross
August 5 2005

If everyone is ready, then we'll begin.... Hartlepool United face Bradford City on the opening day of the 2005/6 season. Both sides fancy their chances - but who will be sitting pretty at the end of the game? So here we are - the season finally starts here. All the speculation, all the talk, all the pre-season optimism of every team gets put to the test as the first set of matches take place. For Pools fans (and for our opponents) there's a touch of Deja-vu about tomorrow. For the second season running, we start our League campaign with a home game against Bradford City.

There's not much to be said in terms of form at the moment - pre-season games often tell you little about your side, after all Jermaine Easter looked like a world-beater at Morecambe a few seasons back. Both sides though go into this campaign thinking that they have stronger sqauds now than before.

Pools have of course added Bullock, Williams, Proctor and Llewellyn to the squad; Bradford have brought in the likes of Bobby Petta and Damion Stewart. In fact though, Petta may be the only new face in the side, although Danny Cadamateri has returned to the club and may well partner Windass up front. Windass remains the main goal threat for the Bantams, having had a vintage season last year.

Pools meanwhile almost seem to have an embarrasment of riches in terms of attacking talent. Bright new spark James Brown may be out for a long spell, and Joel Porter won't be fit; but even without them we have one of the undoubted stars of the division in Adam Boyd, plus Michael Proctor, Jon Daly, Chris Llewellyn and the likes of Andy Appleby and Jack Wilkinson trying to force their way into contention - both the latter scored twice against Durham in midweek. Llewellyn may well play in midfield, and with Sweeney and Bullock both players that like to get forward we should be a threat to any side. Add in Butler - a player more than capable of playing a division above - and the prospect is mouth-watering.

The big unknown really is what system Martin Scott will decide to play. 4-4-2, looking to nullify the threat of Petta and Bridge-Wilkinson? 3-5-2, possibly allowing Sweeney and Bullock to be joined by a holding player in midfield? That if anything is the slight concern I have - will we have the balance in midfield to make sure the defence has enough cover.

I suspect that we will play 4-4-2, but there are a couple of questions that need to be answered. First of all, who will play in defence? Will Williams play at right back, leaving Nelson to be partnered by Clark - or even Jones? Will Robertson be fit, and if he isn't will Humphreys play there? In midfield the permutations are endless: Humphreys, Llewellyn, Butler, Eifion Williams for the flanks? Bullock, Sweeney, Strachan, maybe Humphreys for the middle? And who will partner Boyd up front? In many ways it's a nice problem to have: we don't just have options in many positions, we have good options and hard choices to make.

Hopefully Pools will have a good following as well. The Playoff Final may have ended in defeat, but the atmosphere and performance will hopefully inspire some of the 10-12,000 people that don't normally come but made it to Cardiff to become more regular supporters. Bradford are bringing plenty, so with a bit of luck 7000+ is possible.

What about the result then? Bantams fans are confident of getting a result - but then again, at this stage of the season almost everyone believes they can beat anyone in the league. Pools are at home, where we have been pretty strong for a long time; and with the players sounding in determined mood I'm going for the same result as last season - 2-1 to Hartlepool, Boyd and Proctor to score the goals.