Joe Ramage: Clock is ticking for Hartlepool United to complete much-needed transfer business

Yes, in seven days time the transfer window will, as they say, slam shut and Paul Hartley will have to make ends with what he has at his disposal as the season really gets under way.

In that time, Pools have to navigate their way around a tough looking trip to early League Two leaders Leyton Orient, before their first fixture in the EFL Trophy against Harrogate Town, a competition which was more than kind to them last season - right up until those penalty kicks against Rotherham United, anyway.

But also in that time, Hartley and his staff must endeavour to complete their streamlining of the squad as club’s jockey for position to try and bring players in as, before you know it, time will be up and the window will be closed.

Hartley has not shirked the responsibility laid at his door since his appointment with having to rebuild the Pools squad this season, with well over double figures in terms of players already brought through the doors at the Suit Direct Stadium - with that figure expected to grow over the next week.

But one thing you would say is that Pools are not alone in a summer of transition.

A quick glance at the business done by several other clubs in League Two this summer would suggest that many have needed similar wholesale work to their squads, including both Bradford City and Walsall, who Pools have already come up against.

And in coming up against those two sides, in particular, is where we can get an inkling as to how Pools are shaping up, with the answer likely to be some way away from where Hartley wants things to be.

Both Walsall and Bradford appeared to have created a quicker synergy with one another than Pools as both eased to victories over Hartley’s side.

Each of those games also highlighted why this will be an important week for Hartley in order to improve certain areas, with Pools having a total of 10 attempts at goal across both games, with only four of those being on target.

Conversely, Pools gave up 21 efforts at goal against Walsall and 13 against Bradford, with 17 of those 34 being on target and Pools conceding seven goals, scoring just one.

It’s an issue which has plagued Pools for much of 2022 having scored 22 times in 29 league games.

Of the last 10 in the league, Pools have scored just four, conceding 18 - the worst in each category.

Hartley has endeavoured to solve this with several creative minded midfield targets in what has proved to be an onerous process, as many have since gone elsewhere, which leaves Pools with a dilemma to solve over the next week.

Teams of transition have been successful in the past, and will be again, Stevenage, for example, have made 12 signings this summer and are currently unbeaten this season, which gives hope Pools can get things right.

But should they not be able to address their issues over the final week of the window, then you do wonder how challenging the autumn and winter months may be.