suewhistle

Well, I'm not going to read the whole thread... Anyway, I thought Connolly and Barnard had decent movement if never quite in dangerous enough areas, and the whole side seemed shot shy. Jaidi I think won't last the season: he'll be replaced as what I saw on Saturday confirmed my worries from the Thun friendly. If we'd got a touch to one of those crosses in the first half we'd have gone on to score more goals, I reckon. We may not have raw pace but Puncheon isn't slow and on another day would have better luck, although it would be nice to have an Antonio or Papa to bring on. We'll definitely see OxC at some stage but against a brute Plymouth defence on the first day was maybe not the right time. I was surprised to see Lallana - he's probably not 100% fit but we did miss him. I may take on a little bit of personal responsibility for this loss (alongside Sky!) as I have only seen 1 win in the last 4 years I've been abroad taking in early season and Christmas games: the last was Boxing Day against Exeter...

But the whole point of a CVA is to get creditors the best deal possible (really!), so in that sense it is relevant.

PS: Anybody any idea what the crowd might be??

Anyway, I'm quite excited - will I end up for my pre-match anaesthetic at The Platform, or The Junction or The Waterfront... Maybe I'll see my second win since moving to Italy 4 years ago? That was Exeter last Boxing Day - even better for the 30,800 crowd (which amazes the Italians for 3rd div football).

I reckon on a strangulated draw. And Alpine on here saying "It's not good enough, and why haven't we seen more signings"

Strange - one of our reserves who actually looks like an adult!

Well done Pukka Pies' credit controller, but all other companies dealing with Portsmouth will now be asking for cash on the nail. Where will they end up training - anybody know? Having played at quite a few of the council sports grounds around Portsmouth they've got some lovely pitches to look forward too (cough, cough).

Just told my 81 year old mum: "That's sets a bit of bad precedent, doesn't it"? Still, I reckon they're still in it deep...

Well, back to Tuesday and my trip to London. As I mentioned earlier I was up in the smoke to visit my nephew and gf and instead of visiting the British Museum (I knew it would still be there the day after..) I went to the courts.. Well, bit of a shame as I didn't get in: I'm sure the next Pompey case they'll have in one of the big show courts, but for the first time in many seasons a Pompey performance was sold out. Still, I hung around for a chat with the Pompey fans in the lounge for the entertainment. There was a mixture of Mero types and News contributor types outside, a former Pompey employee who'd been shafted the previous time went into admin. I kept quiet for a bit about being a Saints fan but ultimately it came out.:-) The first couple I spoke to we had a bit of banter, but they were the types to say Johnstone's Paints have 40,000 employees which is why there were so many at Wembley. One said that there were a lot of Southampton supporters in the gallery; they looked like Chanrai's family/associates "and we don't have any of those in Portsmouth..." Somebody came out of the court to pass on that HMRC's barrister was not performing particularly well, but I didn't manage to take notes. Then just before midday who should grease into the lounge but AA himself who then proceeded to chat with the Pompey fans whilst I kept quiet and tried not to snig ger. I could have interrupted a number of times but didn't think it worthwhile, but a sensible Portsmouth lass whispered to me "what do you think of him?". I scribbled on my pad 'DODGY', and she agreed "he's very over-confident, isn't he". She could recognise a bull-****ter when she saw one. According to AA Gaydamak wants to get as much money out as possible, and commented that his initial revenue stream into the country had been dubious (I didn't scribble the exact words). He commented that the wage bill was £56m, now down to £14m and it needed to go down further. Steve Cotterill was calling the shots on players [really?] and they'd had an offer of £1.5 from the Baggies for Mark W. Other scribbles from my notes 'Pompey Fan' "Do you think it's a good investment" [me snorting...]. AA: "football isn't a good investment" [First time I agreed with him!]. He apparently supports Arsenal. He did say they should have built a new stadium which would have improved crowds, they had 1200 unsold tickets for the cup semi. Most of my other notes I can't read except these. re HMRC: "It's beeen a shambles from their POV. They keep moving the goalposts..." "We're pretty confident".. When they adjourned I wandered off for a liquid lunch. I chatted with the BBC cameraman (Villa) on the way out and told him that although AA had arrived he hadn't entered court - a bit surprised by that. I popped in briefly after lunch and only listened briefly at the door before I was told to go away (still a full house). Couldn't hear very well but heard a barrister talking about the assessment for tax on image rights is protected as a liability but that this would be appealed? The FCR was argued at some length and he stated that they were not asking for a ruling but to point out that it created a prejudicial environment. The judge asked why it hadn't been raised before. Oh yes, AA mentioned that the HMRC had wanted to give a long preamble at the start of proceedings to outline events since 2005 but the judge hadn't allowed it, not sure of the significance of that. Not too much meat in my post, I'm afraid, but thought you'd like a little atmosphere..

Could you get me a pheasant whilst you're down there: sounds like you're at home in the woods!

Quick post from Clapham. Went today, couldn't get in but will tell you all about it tomorrow. Saw AA and made notes as he spouted his mouth off to the Pimpley fans present....

I'll shout out "knock, knock" in court. Should flush out the Saint's fans. Still no news of decent local pubs...

I was just about to send him a txt to see if he was there. He's putting me up after the Plymouth game... I'm not driving anywhere.... Send my regards and ask red or white (or rose')? Yes he does, a bit of a blind spot. But very sound views about The Echo!

Well, we expect a bit of selection and editing so we'll let you off this time if you think they were crap:-) Incidentally, no news of any Italian player...? I had heard...

Absolutely. Plus no tiring travel or costs and good public relations with local sides. Interesting that FF says there was a good crowd, Saints fans needing a fix and Eastleigh seeing one of their ex-players making good perhaps? Maybe a bit expensive but income like that must be vital to a club like Eastleigh.

Hmmm, I'm up to the smoke tomorrow and then staying the night with my nephew up there. I was going to go to the British Museum but other fascinating events beckon. If I recall correctly the Chancery courts are in The Strand n'est ce pas? Maybe a quick look in to see the mood of the judge in view of AA's absence and then afternoon at the BM. Any pub recommendations near either the courts or the BM so I can giggle into my Youngs Special or London Pride?

I think I've been in them but can't remember the details.;-) Walk a little further and go to The Platform Tavern, I can recommend that.

A pretty good summary of my own view on the matter.. and as I've pointed out elsewhere the language in which the opinions are couched into which no doubt or shades of grey are ever allowed. Roll on Saturday!;-)

Leaving aside Pulis who he has only played the once AFAIK and is leaving anyway (don't think the shop window helped, by the sound of it!), surely he needs to look at the youngsters in a slightly more competitive situation. He knows how Puncheon, Lambert, Lallana etc. can perform from last season. I'm sure he's looking but as others have pointed out it's not as easy as the glib talk here would make out. The player has to be right for us, want to come here, at a price we are prepared to pay and at a mutually acceptable price for the clubs if a fee is involved. To take two examples we know: Antonio is subject to contract to Reading who, I reckon, are trying to take the p*** over price. They didn't want him last season but know that we do and I think there may be some brinkmanship going on. Somebody used the word "derisory" in relation to offers we might have made: I don't they were saying that's what had happened but it does raise the question, should we be like Pimpley and pay whatever someone asks for? I think we'd probably all agree on the answer! The second example is Papa Waigo, and reading the Italian sites I get the impression he used us as a springboard last season and has no wish to return, or at least wants to play at a higher level if not for Fiorentina itself. No doubt we could have signed someone and no doubt we are looking in spite of the hysterical opinions here that we aren't doing anything but would the sort of player we could have easily signed have made the OP happy? Answers on a post-card... Those available might have been too expensive for what they were, might not have been good enough, may not have wanted to come to play second-fiddle to Lallana or Morgan etc. (Not every player is like Pulis). I suspect we're holding out for some championship or more likely Premiership loans, and they won't be confirmed until the other clubs have confirmed their squads. But we are a good destination for such players with our training and medical facilities, decent pitch, ground, team and crowds. We'll no doubt have had contact already to make our interest known after our scouts had identified likely targets. There's no doubt we need our squad strengthening, but when I say wearily "give me strength" it's not talking about the squad!

I didn't go to the game but a question for those that did. Leaving aside Pulis, did the youngsters who came on have enough about them that they could do a job as an individual in a more experienced team? It's a bit unfair to judge them as individuals when the pattern of play is affected so much by having 6 substitutions of inexperienced players.

So would anybody registered on any of the Pompey sites like to put that scenario to them (in whatever disguise you think fit!)? I'd love to hear the reactions...

So that's what you guys get up to when you're on your own! Thought this would be a thread about Assam v Darjeeling...

I think he's 31 and he's out of contract and already making noises about leaving Empoli (who don't seem to want to offer him a decent new contract). He says he's prepared to move abroad. Incidentally Empoli are Italian 2nd division but a decent side. I'm sure he'd appreciate playing in front of decent crowds, though! Likes fishing and seems like a nice family guy. Bit of a playmaking mid-fielder btw, and he's not 6'1"

I'm quite surprised you take this view. Your above "not.. more circumspect" and "money up front" are a bit contradictory: isn't asking for more money up front being more circumspect. Plus you missed a point I made earlier: with what money are these unscrupulous clubs going to gamble? At the moment they are relying on paying by instalments using the promise of future revenue streams. If you think banks aren't more aware of football's wider problems now, particularly with the Poortsmouth example freshly in mind I really do question your views. We have our own 1 year old example of the withdrawal of an overdraft, haven't we? So if they have to pay up front more often, which I think you have accepted will happen, how are these unscupulous clubs going to fund the gamble?

There's the difference between ability to meet them and being prepared to. PS: Mods, is there any way of preventing primary school kids registering and posting on this forum?