Pools PooliePoolie Pooling His Thoughts

The Clarets play League 1 side Hartlepool United in a Carling Cup 2nd Round match tonight at Victoria Park(Tuesday 23rd August)

The editors of Vital Burnley and Vital Hartlepool have exchanged views about the clash and below we provide some answers to our questions by Vital Hartlepool Editor. PooliePoolie:

1. What was the general thoughts of Pools fans when the draw was made? Underwhelmed or excited about playing the Clarets?

It’s one of those funny ones, we’re playing a top flight side but definitely one I think we’ll have a chance against. That’s no offence to Burnley but we played West Brom and Stoke last season and managed a win and you’re the same bottom third of the Premier League type of club.

2. Which of your players do we need to be aware of? Who are you main goal threats?

The front two currently favoured at the club are Denis Behan and James Brown. Behan is a recent signing from Cork City and has impressed fans so far, he’s a big centre forward who takes no prisoners and the perfect foil for Brown who scored a real quality goal at the weekend. He’s been out for about 8 months so I’m not sure if we’ll rest him for the match but they’re our two main threats at present.

3. Any injury worries or selection issues ahead of the game?

Defender Ben Clark has been out since before the season started and is on the road to recovery but I think this game will come too soon for him. Midfielder Ritchie Jones is the other player missing for us, he returned from a groin injury on Saturday only to go and break his hand so he’s out for 3 weeks.

4. How well have you done in recent seasons against Premier League/ Championship sides in the Carling Cup? Yes, we do remember you beating us 1-0 at Turf Moor a few seasons ago!!

We’ve not been a bad cup side in the past few seasons actually. Like I said earlier we beat Stoke and West Brom last season. We beat Coventry in the first round of the Carling Cup this season and of course we beat you a while back.

5. Your prediction for the game?

It could go either way, I think your manager will make some changes for the game and we have nothing to lose, I’ll go for us to win 2-1 in extra time.

6. If you got past Burnley who would you want in the 3rd Round? One of the big boys for the money but the likelihood of losing or a low profile easy peasy one at home?

I haven’t really thought about it to be honest, the Carling Cup isn’t high on our list of priorities but I’d take either any League Two sides that are left or a big Premier League side, obviously at home.

7. Jeff Stelling seems to one of the few pundits predicting Burnley will stay up this season. Do you think possibly your most famous fan is right?

I see no reason why you can’t ‘do a Stoke’ and shock everybody. Plus I think there’s a lot of poor teams in that division. I look at Wolves, Birmingham, Stoke, Hull, Portsmouth and think if you can go and beat those sides at home and pick up some draws at their ground then the job is half done. Plus beating Everton and Man United at home can’t do any harm either. 😉

Many thanks to PooliePoolie for answering our questions and apart from tonight we wish Harlepool well for the rest of the season.