OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint

Must admit, the games I've seen us play this season against lower league opposition (Sheff Wed & Blackpool), we've really struggled, and that's with more or less our first team. I lost faith in Poch after he put our B team out to play Sunderland. I hope Ruben doesn't do the same.

I agree with this. Apart from Perraud and Stu A. who would probably struggle to play Wednesday and then Saturday, the rest should be up for it and get a team together that knows each other's games and strengths (😏). Surely they can practice through balls, running in to space, one-twos and just creating openings/scoring opportunities.

Was there some kind of training ground bust up this week? AMN, Perraud, ABK all came out wearing bandages. I know we're a bunch of crock but they looked dressed for a rugby union match... Genuinely don't believe this crop of players have it in them to keep us up. Lavia is the class act and he can spot a pass but there's no-one up front who seems to find that yard of space. And I get Tall Paul and Stu A. coming off but why is Sulemana also always knackered? Not giving up yet. Mara is looking better each game but have to say Leicester is big. Ironic that I was talking to some Leicester fans leaving the ground earlier in the season and they were saying what a crap manager they had and how lucky we are. Hmmnn...

Win, draw or lose today, the next League game will still be 'massive'. Also, hope Selles focuses on both League and the Cup because if we beat Grimsby, we're only one match away from a Wembley visit.

Have to agree with you. Add the Perraud clearance off the line and to an extent, it was our day. But similarly, if AA had shown a bit more confidence/commitment, we could have had two. Even when they put up 12mins added time, our area all thought we'd hold firm. I genuinely think the players wanted to play for NJ. The problem was they didn't know what he wanted them to do. The were running around like headless chickens from his first game. Everything was so muddled. Now it seems the players know their role. And RS has done that in a week.

With our new additions of Tall Paul and Sulemana and a fit Lavia bossing midfield, we are a solid mid table team. The hope has been restored. Barring possibly Brighton, we can beat any of those teams not zeroed. Tall Paul's hold up and laying off play is promising and we have better attacking options now.

Totally agree. Players manipulate stats with their plinky-plonky sideways 'successful' passes. The quick five yard pass sideways free kicks when we're in the opposition half are particularly irritating. When a fit Stuey plays, we often win and that is a much more meaningful stat.

How does this work? We've taken an allocation of just over 3,000 for Man U and that's all sold out. By the time Leeds tickets went on sale to non season ticket holders, the tickets available were restricted view. Surely we can ask for a larger allocation - like you say, a positive atmosphere helps the team.

Fraser Forster also had a good game today. I've forgotten why we let him go and kept McCarthy but relying on Baz as our first choice keeper has been one of the main mistakes in our team recruitment programme this year.

That was a good game and the only one I've been to at Old Trafford when we've got something. Left feeling good. Today left the ground feeling even better. Hope has been resumed. Just looking to see what other six games we can win....Leicester, Brentford, Palace, Bournemouth, Forest & Fulham...or is that a bit too obvious?

People were singing it on the concourse before the game. Don't know where it came from or who thought of it, but really is very catchy and when a couple of thousand sing it, it's so much better than the anti-pompey songs. Think Selles also appreciated it when he came over to us after the game.

Don't need him now. Wow, what a difference. Last week, we literally had players running into each other. Today, the same players and everyone knew their place; they were well drilled and when Selles made his triple substitution of Mara, AA & Theo, there were a few in the crowd looking bemused, but they all did a job. Great atmosphere, could see how much it meant to the players when they came over to us at the end of the match - and not once did I hear about Pompey getting battered 4-0 at home. Bring on Leeds.

There must be something else. Perhaps he wanted Selles out and his coaching team in. Don't feel we've dodged a bullet, but don't go after Gerrard, Rooney etc. That would be a disaster.

That form practically matches ours. And with our expected 'manager leaving' bounce, I'm looking forward to this game more and more. Should be a good positive atmosphere because Chelsea always give us a fair allocation.

Already got Tall Paul. Maybe there's a song we could sing about them. Bored with the "Pompey get battered", "Shit on the bastards below", "John Westwood", "I asked my mother" ensemble.

As Morse said on another thread, "Any well dressed Spaniard yes." Their teams don't seem to get relegated but English/Welshies that's another matter .... Scott Parker, Dean Smith, NJ.... Marsch, it's spelt Germanic. We have a chance. Like others have said, he'll almost certainly stay with us in the championship; he encourages youth; he comes across as a good man-manager. We could and have done a lot worse, so I wouldn't be disappointed with him as our manager.

So have I. Not convinced he has the gravitas but at least Ted Lasso is a likeable character and didn't his team get promoted in the second series?

Because we need to scroll through lots of threads to find the one that says he's gone.

Thought Lemina had his best ever game for us. Ref was pretty good too. Needed Shane Long to fall down after 70 minutes so they could all take an energy drink. Janny B you're just hopeless. Really do hope that's the last we see of NJ.

Is the owner Serbian?

A lot of people are saying we lose and he's fired. I wish that'll be the case, but I've already lost my few bob on him going a couple of weeks ago and I'm not convinced he'll go if we lose tomorrow. Just want to see the players show they really care.

Last time we were relegated, there were lots of fans saying we're sleepwalking in to relegation. We were. We did. This time it's different. The management has spent a comparative fortune on getting in new players; I'm certain the powers that be know we're in danger of going down and are actively doing their best to halt our decline....but what I really don't understand is why they can't see NJ is the problem. Let's see Saturday. A must win game and this muppet could be starting with 5 at the back and all eyes on pumping the ball to Tall Paul. I do hope I'm wrong...

Of our recent managers, we've endured our fair share of crap. Hughes, Pellegrino... they were terrible, but they weren't so dislikeable as this little runt currently in the hot seat. That Lincoln game, that Notts Forest game. We had weeks to prepare and the players genuinely looked like they wanted to play but hadn't a clue where they should be or what they should do. On the sidelines you have our manager flapping his arms so madly it looks like he's trying to take off, and none of the players are interested in what he's doing. It's like they know he's spouting nonsense. At Palace we were singing "Your football is shit" and it was almost like the players said to themselves, yes it is but we'll ignore him and get a result for you.

Appreciate the feedback from those that went. Ultimately, they're going to ostensibly back the manager and this isn't the place to announce any imminent changes. I just hope they comes to their senses very soon while there's an outside of preventing relegation. Dyche has shown how quick a team can be organised into something resembling a premiership outfit. I can't think of a time when our team looks so disjointed.

I think so too. I keep pushing the BBC refresh button hoping there's news of NJ's departure but it's looking dangerously close to him managing this game too. He keeps on about aggressive. The only thing that's aggressive is this little tit's attitude to us fans and some of the players. Get the team to watch how Everton closed down Arsenal. That's being in the opposition's faces. Wolves are dreadful for falling down over nothing so destabilise them from the start.