Angry Wilson plans a Hartlepool makeover

9:30am Monday 21st April 2008

Brighton and Hove Albion 2 Hartlepool United 1

TWO games remaining for Hartlepool United and, for Danny Wilson at least, maybe it's not a bad thing.

The manager hopes to be in a position over the summer to try and reshape his squad, introduce some new faces, move others on and also write a new script to relay in the aftermath of a game.

Because Wilson is utterly sick and tired of repeating the same mantra time and time again after his seeing his side lose away from home this season.

Pools play some attractive controlled football, keep possession well and can score their share of goals. But ultimately it counts for zilch when the individual mistakes and mishaps come to the fore and they chuck away point after point after point.

There's been an horrific 15 losses on the road this season. Pools longest unbeaten stretch away from home is one game. They have reaped a piddling six away points from the last available 45.

On Saturday, Wilson watched in horror as his side conceded the sort of goals which they just can't seem to stop giving away this season.

The 25 clean sheets - a club record - of last season seems a long time ago.

There's nothing left to play for, pride aside they say, this campaign.

But it's wrong to claim the players have one eye on their holidays, because this display was a decent one, unlike the previous Saturday, but let down by some elementary errors.

After being on top, Pools fell behind.

Then they were on top for a long time, Joel Porter levelled and, even then a point wouldn't have done their display justice.

Instead . . .

"If a game typified our season, that was it,'' insisted Wilson. "We completely dominated, had plenty of chances and conceded two slack goals and lost the game.

"It's down to concentration, bad defending, not stopping crosses into the box - simple things, that's all it is.

"We could have been three-up in the first-half without any doubt, and deserved to be.

"It's typical of how we have defended on so many occasions. We conceded, got back on top and saw chances go begging again.

"Frustrating is a word we often use, but maddening is one we are getting all the time. Like many things - how do you rectify it? We get players in who can do it and who can defend.

"Our keeper hasn't had a shot to save and then we concede two, which says everything about us because at vital times we don't do the bitty things.

"We have conceded from simple balls, poor making and not stopping balls into the box.'' Tellingly, Wilson added: "I've learned a lot about the defenders all season and not just them - players who have come back and looked very good in the division last season maybe aren't as good as they think when they step up a level.

"It's as simple as that, sometimes you need to say harsh words in the dressing room and say one or two home truths.

"Last time around in this division, the club was relegated and they struggled. Some of the players have struggled again so what do you do? Hope you can strengthen the team in the right areas and get new players in.

"We work hard on the training ground and hope to improve the players. We hope to get new players in to add some real strength and competition to the squad, because at the moment we haven't got it have we?

"You can see what we need.

How could we come away from this game with nothing? It's beyond me.

"We were so poor last week against Millwall, yet played so well this week and still came away with nothing - it's maddening, it really is.

"From where we stand at this moment in time, all you can do is keep working with the players you have got. But it has to change and we need players who can perform in this division on a regular basis - at this moment in time we can't.'' Wilson was not at Victoria Park when Pools were relegated two seasons ago. But some of the players involved in dropping into the bottom division remain - there's seven in the first-team squad, and they are outnumbered by signings made by Wilson.

The manager, however, believes it's time for a change.

A not-too-distant run of four wins from six games has kept Pools in this division. If it wasn't for that they would be entering the final games plenty to play for.

"You have to draw parallels to two seasons ago,'' he added.

"They struggled last time and that's not being unkind to them, I'm being honest. If they are struggling to play at this level, you have to bring players in who can play at this level.

"It doesn't take Einstein to work it out. But at the same time you need to be able to bring players in to replace them.

"We work our bollocks off every day in training - every day - and they are fantastic. Come out on the pitch and it doesn't happen? Concentration goes and that's a weakness in some areas.

"We need different players, a fresh nucleus of three or four who will give us experience and that knowledge and know-how to get us in the position we want to be.'' That position would be a lot healthier now if the simple errors hadn't crept into performances this season.

Wilson may have pointed out that some players were around during the 2006 relegation - eually a handful remain from the back to back play-off seasons the campaigns before.

Brighton have done the double over Pools this season, both in similar circumstances with the winning goal stolen in the closing minutes.

This time, the chance came from a Pools throw in, as the visitors pressed for a winner.

Andy Monkhouse was the recipient of the throw, but returned it straight out of play. From the restart, Brighton took play to the far end, pumped a high ball into the box and endedup nabbing a goal.

It's a fine line between a point and nothing, as Pools have already discovered this season.