brightspark

We need someone like Antonio because he got us out of some tricky situations, or at least had the ability to provide something different. If a team parks the bus against us - which this season will be pretty much every week - it is clear that hoof it Rickie and flick on isn't going to cut it. Therefore we need a Plan B. Lallana and Puncheon both tend to drift inside which isn't a bad thing. But too much of the same means we are too predictable for the workmanlike defences that we will come up against. We need someone in who can get to the goal line and provide a good cross. Someone who can create panic. What Antonio did last season was something extra that gave us another dimension in our game. He could have his back to goal with two defenders up his anus and he'd still be able to beat them both with an astonishing bit of skill. Its something that isn't truly in Puncheon and Lallana's repetoire. Oxlade-Chamberlain could well be an exciting prospect, but to rely on a 16 going on 17 year old on being that "magic spark" to break down a defensive team, and getting us those vital extra few points in order to achieve promotion, is probably too much to ask of the boy!

We need a new winger. A quick one who can beat players and be different. Someone who can spark some magic when every team comes to defend for their token 0-0 against us! Dissappointed but its not unusual as we always have appauling starts. We will get better soon, just like Charlton - who start well and finish bad, will fade away. It's tradition.

oooooooohhh do tell more if you (or anyone else) can.....

Born in '92, so most of my "favourite memories" come before I even started high school. When we stayed up in 2008 vs Sheff Utd, I was returning from a swimming competition at Millfield in Somerset - and remember the exact section of this road to this day when BBC Radio 5 Live announced the final whistle had blown at St Mary's. For someone reading this who knows the South Devon area, its the road heading south off the A38 at Wrangton. Seeing us lift the JPT with Markus behind and his digital camera was fantastic. I was right where I was now. In my bedroom at about 1am....... this same place was where I found out he died last week - someone told me on Facebook (horrible way to find out the news at about 6am!)

Fricking annoyed that Football Brisbane and it's many member clubs organise matches to clash with the Sydney game!!! I've got to referee this Saturday night!!! I'd also like to add that its great seeing so many Saints shirts about when visiting all the local football clubs. I've seen the stripes at Redlands, Capalaba, Loganholme, Taringa and probably many more grounds..... compared to the amount of skates I spot it's a huge difference. Have fun - RIP Markus

I don't want to know what those low life b*stards wrote. They don't deserve a football club and are, as you rightly put, the scum of the earth.

Never thought i'd wake up to this. Stunned. 13 months is all he was here but his memory shall live on forever. RIP

I'd be switching off the lights if it was a 550 million tax bill. But in all honesty they have nothing to worry about now Pompey have set the precedent. They may as well keep spending if they want promotion that badly this year.

Terrible news, a community is in mourning. RIP

Reasons why we lost: 1 - No Lambert 2 - Injured Players 3 - Opening day = players play like spastics 4 - Plymouth had new manager 5 - Plymouth a bit of a bogey team 6 - Awful opening day record 7 - Televised by Sky 8 - Fate for the undeserving Pompey fans No other reason. Team will not be under any curse next week, and because we have a good record against MK Dons, we will win. Simple as that.

you are the luckiest and most underserving supporter alive.

FFS what the absolute f**king hell are we playing at. So typical. The curses have won it for Plymouth today and nothing else. We don't win on the opening day. We don't win when new managers coach the opposition. We very rarely win on Sky. We very rarely beat Plymouth. We had no Lambert. Ultimately, the players had this all in their heads and it conspired into an inevitable defeat. We will still win this league - Plymouth were not very good today. But still feeling SICK after that one. So typical. Pompey to beat Coventry to make it the most typically unbelievable 4 days in the modern history of the South Coast footballing scene.

Just as likely as Pompey winning the court case..!!....!.......... Oh wait.

Absolutely no chance! Yes it was careless, but it certainly wasn't reckless (= yellow card), neither did it use excessive force (= red card). That's my "qualified and current active referee comment" of the day out of the way

Nice start, COYR get up 'em!!!

As everyone has already pointed out, the following will conspire against us vs Plymouth: 1) We have only won once in the last 15 (approx) years of opening day matches 2) Since relegation in 2005 our Sky TV win % is below 25% 3) Peter Reid will be managing a competitive match for Plymouth for the 1st time 4) Lallana is injured 5) We have only beaten Plymouth once in eight since relegation in 2005 A draw is on the cards and we'll start the title challenge next week

To the doubters, There is something seriously messed up if all of these facts are ignored and Pompey win this case, because "it would be sad if they went out of business" or "twas a mistake" or "we're not the ones you should be after" or "we've the bestest fans in the world and it aint their fault". Yes, there is a track history of football clubs being treated preferentially over small business - an example of this is the constant adjournments of winding-up orders suffered by the likes of Cardiff, Southend and the skates last season. But you have to believe that if what is coming out in the open in court is true then Pompey have little chance of being able to win the judge over on every single misconduct. On a crunchier note, just opted for toast to breakfast in honour of the blue fews predicament!

I'd guess more than 50% of that crap is us at the moment! I'm currently pretending to be a short fat Argentinian but only 1 success

They have the ability to pick and choose. If they like it and it portrays Pompey in the right, it'll be posted. If it dares suggest that HMRC are in the right and the skates have been doing things in the wrong spirit..... it won't get a look in

They've now mentioned the image rights issue... here we go!!

HMRC could not have been this stupid... SURELY???? They will easily win the other two arguments - so why go all out to win the one that nobody really seems to think they have a case in? Moral issues are b*llocks in a court of LAW. Is it possible HMRC believe that the money IS a lost cause and that IS what they care about? Surely not...

Not sure they appreciated a post from Maradona asking them when Steve was leaving either...

Why on earth are they posting stuff like: "Do you have to be online to post" - ???????? Meanwhile, this Ernest is an interesting character. Is he a Saint in disguise?

We'll be waiting a while if the new evidence is staring you right in the face

Skates believe that the new evidence is a sign of HMRC looking for a last minute solution to what otherwise may be a certain defeat... keep believing that guys...