Chez

the games are coming thick and fast so that might effect sales, as might our slight drop in form, but even though season ticket holders have to buy a ticket for this game I'd hope for 25k.

I have to say I thought we were good for the win and there were one or to real positives to take away from the game notably Antonio's and Fonte's performance. Antonio has been derided on here in recent weeks and last night he showed again (after the Millwall cameo) what an asset he can be given the space to operate. Yes his first touch is eratic and yes the final ball might not alway bwe top notch, but isn't it wonderful to see a pacey powerful runner go at the oposition and have the confidence to try to beat the man? Fonte's showing was similar to Saturday. He looks a terrific signing. Overconfidence and overplaying can be his only downfall, but boy is it refreshing to see someone get the bal down and play. Can he please teach Wotton to do it at least once a game. Davis 7 great to have him back. We just look safer. One decent save. Thomas 8 he just looks better at right back to me Fonte 9 top display again. Hope this is is level for the rest of the season Perry 7 little too much hoof for my liking, but did enough. Jardi back please. Mills 7 felt like a debut really as he has only really played at left midfield this season. He looked much more comfortable. Great cover for Harding. Antonio 8 ran and ran and casused and prevented problems. Wotton 3 hoof, hoof, panic, hoof. James 7 best showing for a while. He's improving as a player all the time. Schneiderlin 7 worked hard and seemed to enjoy playign a little further forward Lallan 5 ran up too many bling alleys Lambert 6 great work for the goal but too much hoof bal left him a little starved of supply

Why the hostility? He ran his heart out on Saturday. Its not as though he's a lazy bastard that needs a kick up the arse. Jeez. Flare players without that sort of workrate are hard to come by.

so the reported £28m PFC owe Gaydamak doesn't exist? I belive that is a DEBT to be paid back over time. In my book that constitutes a loan. Is it not you that is confused?

are the other clubs defaulting on their payments to other clubs? No. That's why its only Pompey's sky money that is being redistributed appropriately rather than being forwarded to the club and then goign who knows where.

AS you know there's always room in my car if you fancy taking in a proper game of footie down here in League 1.

you're suggesting Seaborne is cultured? I hope you are right.

I wonder if the three away game figure is used because around 800 people have been to 3 aways (and had their ST ticket number used to buy all three tickets)? Its always tricky when allocations are so small, but when you've been up to Leeds, Hartlepools or Carlise you'd hope to get one.

he's one of those that always seemed to cause us problems.

Papa doesn't seem lightening to me.

perhaps you need to sit back and enjoy the ride for a week or two rather than coming back on here every five minutes crying about not signing Ward and signing Seaborne instead. What's done is done. Pardew had his reasons and maybe they will be revealed at a fans forum some time. If Seaborne fails to make the grade then its a black mark against Pardew, but even if he does (fail) Ward still needs to shine (if he passes a medical elsewhere). If Jardi recovers quickly then it won't matter as Fonte and him will play.

Albert Adomah from Barnet is out of contract in the summer and therefore available.

the failed appeal means they have to show up in court on Feb 5th with evidence that they can pay back the debt (or should they have done so in advance, evidence of that). Edit: does the debt have to be paid by the 10th or do they just have to show that funds are now available and payments are in place?

expectations rise and fall thoughtout the season. Before a ball was kicked I think I'd hoped for a play off place with a bit of luck, after 5 or 6 games it was to avoid relegation, nothing more. Having bought Lambert and Connelly and seen us win 1-3 in a few away games, the play offs were quite simply a must. After recent performances its back to hoping for a change of form and an outside chance of the play offs, nothing more. As for it being a disaster, well, for starters it would be dissapointing, especially considering the money we have spent and the tremendous form we showed a month or two ago. What would concern me was the strng possibility of losing Lallana and Schneiderlin, which would hurt us in both the short and long term. I'd also be a little concerned that we would have overspent in this window on Seaborne when we could have picked up a better player that was out of contract in the summer. Maybe that is not a huge issue.

we aer a long way short of the best form we showed earlier in the season. I hope we can turn that round starting in this game, but I fear it is going to be tough. 2-0 Franchise.

can't see AP would put out, what he would consider a weakened team, just to put him in the shop window. Not a chance.

Wotton played that holding role and allowed Hammond and Schneiderlin to run free. As much as I can't stand Wotton is worked. The only thing about the 4-5-1 was that chances did start to dry up, but then again with the 4-4-2 chances were at an absolute premium on Saturday so perhaps tiem to revert back to it.

there was a lot of talk earlier in the season about Pim signing a new Ipswich contract. Not sure if that ever took place. 76er already suggested him though. I'll add Delfouneso (is that the right spelling?)

it wouldn't surprise me. Morisson beat him all day long so if Seaborne only got half a head on it that would be about right. Very dissapointed with seaborne, but then again Morisson is very underated IMO.

I see where you are going with that. Because Dave is an expro he sees the game better than fans. I have to say thats a good point, but I've listened to Merrington and he preconceived ideas about players that he just never can let go. I've listened to his post match round ups after some home games and sometimes I wonder what game he has been watching. I have to say I Holmes' legs didn't look gone, even right up tot he pont he went off. Lallana's certainly did just before AP took him off. I agree though that Papa should have come on earlier. James saw a fair bit of the ball in the period just before he came off so I can see why you would think that it was a surprise (no doubt his name was mentioned a fair bit on the radio), but it wasn't. to be fair to him we were on the back foot (not to mention never having the ball) and so he had his hands full defending. When he did go forward his pace served him well and we created a good half chance from his overlap. I have to agree though that I wasn't bowled over by him. We'll see. it was pretty even in the first half. I wouldn't say they dominated midfield at all in that first half. The ball was in the air 90% of the time. You've seen the goal right? Straight from the kick off they deliver a long ball which is half won by us, Waigo then dangles a leg into a tackle and Trotter is then one on one with Semi, comes inside and shoots into the far corner. Not sure captains advice or putting balls into touch etc come into it at all. Win the first header and the goal is avoided - but you have to win it. Unfortunately we struggled to win headers at the back all day long.

he didn't really get into their final third all that often. Lots of nice interplay with Lallana though especially in the first half. Not all that many crosses and Lallana tended to be out wide with Holmes so not much to aim for. Even less in the second half, although two incidents do stand out. One lovely cross that Schneiderlin didn't quite get to (but would have if he was Gerrard, Speedie, Jordan...you get the idea) the other a lovely cross into the right area but Lallana had dropped too deep in the build up and Lambert didn't do enough to get in the box either - the game was stretched at this point.

That was the one thing that dissapointed me about Schneiderlin on Saturday. For me he didn't stick his head in where it hurts on that occasion. I think he could have won that header and if he had he would have scored no question.

Stephen Dawson from Bury would be ideal.

he's been their skipper and won player of the season last year as well as making the PFA team of the year. He scored yesterday running beyond the strikers and getting into the box. I didn't realise he was near the end of his contract otherwise I'd of said we'd have a very hard time getting him, but seeing as he wants to play at a higher level maybe we have a chance. The big problem is the number of sides up there that could offer him a deal without him having to move.

People find it hard to change their opinions when they have argued strongly about them. When a player changes either positively or negatively this puts a spanner in the works.