Hartlepool United 0 Gillingham 0: What did we learn from Keith Curle’s first game in charge

Keith Curle had just three days in post before welcoming a struggling Gills side to the Suit Direct Stadium in what, already at this stage of the season, felt like a significant game.

But try as they might, Pools could not find a breakthrough against a plucky Gillingham side as they were forced to settle for a point.

Wes McDonald went closest to breaking the deadlock in first half stoppage time when he breezed by two defenders before curling towards the top corner, only for his attempt to be cleared from the line by Ryan Law with goalkeeper Glenn Morris beaten.

Mikael Ndjoli’s header forced a good save from Morris in the second half while Mohamad Sylla went close in the dying embers of the game.

But ultimately, it was another blank for Pools who slipped to the bottom of the League Two table as a result of their goalless draw.

But what did we learn from Curle’s first game in charge? Here are some of the key takeaways from the latest Suit Direct Stadium stalemate.

Set-up and selection

The system and set-up has been a talking point throughout the opening weeks of the season as former manager Paul Hartley chopped and changed his approach with five different formations across his nine league games.

And Curle’s introduction saw another system added to Pools’ playbook as he lined up with somewhat of a flexible 4-4-1-1.

In Jamie Sterry’s absence there was a slightly surprising decision to start midfielder Mouhamed Niang at right-back with Reghan Tumilty ahead of him in the right midfield role, but it was a move which actually worked fairly well for Curle.

David Ferguson was reinstalled to the line-up, and named captain to boot, while Sylla and Mark Shelton paired in the centre of midfield.

McDonald operated off the left of midfield with Ndjoli playing just off striker Josh Umerah.

It was a set-up which worked reasonably, and one where Pools seemed quite cohesive and organised, at least defensively, with Gillingham restricted to just four attempts at goal, none of which were on target.

Ndjoli and Umerah

Pools have needed to find a way for both Ndjoli and Umerah to start games together with this just being the second time this season - the only other time they have been on the field together was when Ndjoli came off the bench in the defeat at Sutton.

While injuries have played their part in that, for Curle, you suspect, it will be a key element moving forward to pair the two in the Pools attack.

What was noticeable was how close Ndjoli was trying to operate to Umerah in certain phases of the game. Umerah has often been left isolated in the Pools attack this season so Ndjoli’s presence may be able to aid things in that respect.

And there were signs of a link-up between the two, particularly in the first half, when Ndjoli showed great footwork to beat his defender before crossing to the near post for his strike partner who narrowly fired over the bar.

Curle will be hoping it can be the start of a brighter relationship between the two.

Substitutions lead to late improvements

There were, however, one or two eyes raised at Curle’s substitutions around the hour mark when both Umerah and Ndjoli departed as the Pools boss altered his shape for the final quarter of the game.

But to his credit, they were substitutions which worked as they allowed Pools to finish the game in the ascendancy.

Too often this season, we have seen teams capitalise on a fatigued Hartlepool side, twice leading to late equalisers from Colchester United and Crewe Alexandra, whereas here it was Pools who looked threatening as the game drew to a close - something which Curle, himself, was keen to highlight.

Although Umerah might have stayed on had he not been shown a yellow card in the first half.

“He’d been booked,” Curle told The Mail when asked to explain his substitution.

“The last thing you need is one more grapple, one more decision and Josh could be off the pitch and then we miss him.”

Must win or must not lose

Whichever side of the fence you were on, there can be no denying the significance of this game.

While it was absolutely paramount not to lose, and thus stymie any new manager boost, there remains a sense of another missed opportunity and two further points dropped.

This is a Gillingham side who have now scored just twice in 10 league games and mustered up just 20 shots on target in those 10 games, as per data experts FBref. If ever there was a game to capitalise on, this was it.

"Not from my point of view. There were no messages said to the players or anything like that,” Curle told The Mail when asked if this was a must-win game.

"There's a necessity for us to start winning games as a football club, that’s obvious, because of the league table before today’s game.”

Same issues but the only way has to be up

Ultimately, Curle experienced first hand the issues Pools are facing when it comes to winning games and that is they are not clinical enough in the final third.

Pools created 15 opportunities on goal, their joint-most this season, but were unable to find the back of the net. Umerah, McDonald, Ndjoli and Sylla all had chances where on another day we may have been talking about a first league win, but that is the way it’s been going for Hartlepool so far.

As such, they now find themselves bottom of the table and the only side in the division without a win.

The positive from that is, the only way for Pools, and new manager Curle, has to be up.