Who would you play with Hatch up front at Grimsby?

[Darlo_Pete]

Presuming that all our strikers are fit on Tuesday, I'd start with Campbell alongside Hatch. He showed enough to me when he came on, as he's quite quick and was unlucky not to snatch a late equaliser. He certainly looks fitter after his enforced injury break.

[Darlogramps]

I'd go for Campbell as well, although the Hatch/Senior partnership has probably been our most effective of the campaign so far.

[Quakerz]

Michael Softie Smith.

Not.

[Hilly]

Am I the only one who isn't impressed with Campbell so far? Granted, it'll take a bit of getting used to the step in quality (guffaw), but he hasn't really done it for me. The amount of times he get's caught offside is unbelievable and to say his first touch is always heavy is a bit of an understatement.

I'm willing to give him a chance, but he's not looked the rough gem that we thought he was when he first appeared.

[Darlo_Pete]

He's certainly not the finished article, but I think he's got a lot of potential and I think he's shown enough in the few games he's played for us, to warrant starting next to Hatch.

[Quakerz]

He was quality v Eastbourne.

Luton fans were quite impressed with him on his debut.

He also gets in goal scoring positions.

[hodgie1]

id stick with m smith, his goal ratio in the the 6 -7 games cant be argued with, the keeper puled off a good save yesterday otherwise hed have scored again, i honestly dont know what people want on here m smith has got 5 goals in 6-7 games and people on here are on about dropping him! give yer heads a shake!!

[Hilly]

He gets in goal scoring positions, just a shame he's offside 9 times out of 10. The second leg at Gateshead and yesterday were prime examples. I take your point however that he was very good vs. Eastbourne, which is why I'm not writing him off just yet.

[Quakerz]

id stick with m smith, his goal ratio in the the 6 -7 games cant be argued with, the keeper puled off a good save yesterday otherwise hed have scored again, i honestly dont know what people want on here m smith has got 5 goals in 6-7 games and people on here are on about dropping him! give yer heads a shake!!

All of Michael Smith's goals have came from set pieces, yes he's a threat from them, but in open play he is rarely in goalscoring positions.

I suppose it depends on what you want from your forward - wheel him out for set pieces or be a threat throughout 90 minutes.

For me we are poor going forward with Smith in the team.

[Darlofan97]

id stick with m smith, his goal ratio in the the 6 -7 games cant be argued with, the keeper puled off a good save yesterday otherwise hed have scored again, i honestly dont know what people want on here m smith has got 5 goals in 6-7 games and people on here are on about dropping him! give yer heads a shake!!

All of Michael Smith's goals have came from set pieces, yes he's a threat from them, but in open play he is rarely in goalscoring positions.

I suppose it depends on what you want from your forward - wheel him out for set pieces or be a threat throughout 90 minutes.

For me we are poor going forward with Smith in the team.

I'll second that he's good in the air but lacks strength. If say he learns from Hatchy gets stuck in and becomes more like him then yea sorted. This lads only a teenager and still developing. Chris Senior and John Campbell do look more dangerous from open play than M.Smith.

[Darlogramps]

id stick with m smith, his goal ratio in the the 6 -7 games cant be argued with, the keeper puled off a good save yesterday otherwise hed have scored again, i honestly dont know what people want on here m smith has got 5 goals in 6-7 games and people on here are on about dropping him! give yer heads a shake!!

All of Michael Smith's goals have came from set pieces, yes he's a threat from them, but in open play he is rarely in goalscoring positions.

I suppose it depends on what you want from your forward - wheel him out for set pieces or be a threat throughout 90 minutes.

For me we are poor going forward with Smith in the team.

I don't think Smith should be Hatch's striking partner, they're too similar. If anything, I think Smith should be more of an understudy for Hatch. I know they're not exactly the same - Hatch is like a spring-heeled rhino who will batter the opposition into submission, whilst Smith is much softer.

But if we want an aerial presence upfront and Hatch is unavailable, then Smith isn't a bad option. His goalscoring rate is improving and I certainly rate Smith higher than Main.

[Spyman]

I'm a fan of Chris Senior and he's impressed me when I've seen him. Not seen him since his injury though.

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[Quakerz]

He runs around a lot without ever really threatening. He has his standard one shot straight at the keeper and runs around a bit more.

I can see him being shipped back off to Altrincham in May, if I'm honest.

[beatroute66]

All of Michael Smith's goals have came from set pieces...

Didn't he score a screamer from open play not so long back, though?

I know Michael Smith can frustrate us all, but he's well worth sticking with and developing. He's young, raw, etc, but he reads the game well, is a threat from set pieces and he has got goals in him since coming back from Workington. That loan spell did him good.

Not sure I'd have him starting every week, but a bit like Dan Burn at the back, I can see him developing and getting better as time goes by. We need to be doing this.

As for others...

Campbell - I have been impressed with him. He was singled out on his debut, ripped Eastbourne a new one for 45 minutes and then has shown flashes since his return. I'd like to see him in our 4-4-2 formation again, playing with Hatch in front of the diamond midfield, and not in a 4-3-3 playing to the left of Hatch, chasing long balls from the back.

Senior - looked very effective before his injury, less so since, but understandably and I'd stick by him for next season. Just hope he can get fitter and sharper again - the risk is another serious injury could finish him off or, at best, make him an a relatively average player for the rest of his career. He's a right pest on his day, though.

I lost it with Tommy Wright ages ago and I'd give Curtis Main the message that he's 5th in line and that he's going to have to work like billyo to get back into the reckoning. Could be what he needs.

[real_darlo_85]

He runs around a lot without ever really threatening. He has his standard one shot straight at the keeper and runs around a bit more.

I can see him being shipped back off to Altrincham in May, if I'm honest.

I thought Cooper missed an opportunity not playing Senior from the start - against his former club and team mates he would have been itching to play and do well against them I would have thought! I'm not too sure about whether he will still be here or not next season but I doubt he'd want to be used as back-up as has been happening since he returned from injury.

M Smith will become a decent player and is still developing his game, but for me he still doesn't have enough physical presence for a tall guy and is less mobile than Hatch. The last couple of games Hatchy has been doing all the closing down and defending from the front...by the 70-80 min he's been out on his feet.

To the answer to the question I'd go with Hatch and Campbell, with Senior in the MBW role. M Smith on the bench, as he should be used as an impact sub or another option if we are chasing the game.

[Hilly]

I'm a fan of Chris Senior and he's impressed me when I've seen him. Not seen him since his injury though.

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Senior has impressed me too, granted he's not been the same since his injury but at least we know what he's capable of unlike Campbell which is why I'd choose him to partner Hatch.

However I've got to admit this chopping and changing up front isn't helping anyone. We need to choose a pair and stick to it for a bit so they can begin to understand each others game more.

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[Breedon]

Am I the only one who isn't impressed with Campbell so far? Granted, it'll take a bit of getting used to the step in quality (guffaw), but he hasn't really done it for me. The amount of times he get's caught offside is unbelievable and to say his first touch is always heavy is a bit of an understatement.

I'm willing to give him a chance, but he's not looked the rough gem that we thought he was when he first appeared.

I'm with you Hilly, I really haven't seen this so called potential a lot of people seem to be going on about. Personally I'd go with Hatch and Senior every time. I'll always cheer him on while he's wearing the black and white and he isn't appauling or anything, but I'd be pretty dissapointed if he was still here next season unless he dramatically improves before the end of this.

[walshys_wingman_11]

Tommy Wright.

[Quakerz]

Oooooh, controversial.

Tommy who?

[walshys_wingman_11]

We seem to get results when he starts and football is a results business isnt it ? If getting results is controversial, so be it.

[Quakerz]

Could you post the results of the matches that Wright has started please?

[DarloOnTheUp]

We seem to get results when he starts and football is a results business isnt it ? If getting results is controversial, so be it.

Hmm, it seems we have a plethora of strikers who aren't good enough (Hatch excluded, obviously).

[walshys_wingman_11]

Kettering A 1-1
Gateshead h 2-0
Barrow a 1-1
Mansfield a 1-1
Mossley a 6-2
Afc Wimb a 2-0
Brist Rov h 2-1
Tamworth h 1-0
York h 0-2
Histon h 3-1
Salisbury h 2-1

11 games started 7 wins (2 away, 5 home) 3 draws ( 3 away)1 defeat

[DarloOnTheUp]

To be fair, Wright is a better option than M. Smith.

[HarryCharltonsCat]

To be fair, Wright is a better option than M. Smith.

No he isn't, unless we are going longball again. Wright cannot hold a ball up, doesn't win many headers, and most of his challenges result in a freekick. His best days are long gone.

[Darlofan97]

Could you post the results of the matches that Wright has started please?

Start:

Kettering 0-0 Darlington
Barrow 1-1 Darlington
Darlington 2-0 Gateshead
Mansfield 1-1 Darlington
Mossley 2-6 Darlington
Afc Wimbledon 0-2 Darlington
Darlington 2-1 Bristol Rovers
Darlington 1-0 Tamworth
Darlington 0-2 York
Darlington 3-1 Histon
Darlington 2-1 Salisbury

Come on as a Sub:

Darlington 1-0 Newport
Darlington 2-2 Altrincham
Rushden 2-1 Darlington
Darlington 0-1 Hayes
Wrexham 2-1 Darlington
Darlington 3-2 Tamworth
Fleetwood 1-0 Darlington
Darlington 3-1 Barrow
Darlington 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
Tamworth 1-1 Darlington
Darlington 1-1 Kiddy
Darlington 4-0 Fleetwood
Darlington 3-2 Gateshead


Started:

W7 D3 L1

Sub:

W5 D4 L4

[walshys_wingman_11]

To be fair, Wright is a better option than M. Smith.

No he isn't, unless we are going longball again. Wright cannot hold a ball up, doesn't win many headers, and most of his challenges result in a freekick. His best days are long gone.

Wright wins more than his fair share of headers and can hold the ball up though ....

[HarryCharltonsCat]

To be fair, Wright is a better option than M. Smith.

No he isn't, unless we are going longball again. Wright cannot hold a ball up, doesn't win many headers, and most of his challenges result in a freekick. His best days are long gone.

Wright wins more than his fair share of headers and can hold the ball up though ....

Not on the evidence I've seen this season. If you seriously think he has been better this season than Smith, I must have been going to different games.

[tdk1]

He runs around a lot without ever really threatening. He has his standard one shot straight at the keeper and runs around a bit more.

I can see him being shipped back off to Altrincham in May, if I'm honest.

I've been feeling similar recently, to be honest.

[walshys_wingman_11]

Well seeing though you say he cant win many headers and cant hold the ball up....I would say you havent been to the same games. The main thing that has let Tommy down this season is his lack of goals but saying that I dont think Tommy has actually started many games in a row so its hard for him to get any form infront of goal but still contributes to the team as his record of results prove.