VectisSaint

Its a pipe dream. We lost the chance when we failed to beat Exeter and other results went against us. The only possible chance is to overhaul Huddersfield, forget the others they are gone. I guess if we win our 2 games in hand and beat Huddersfield it could be on again, but highly unlikely. Huddersfield have a tough run-in, with 5 of the top 6 plus us to play, so they could be vulnerable. So if you believe in miracles I guess you could carry on dreaming a while longer but in my opinion it won't happen (but of course I'll be over the moon if it does)

He was injured yesterday, so you don't know this is the case. AP played the strongest 11 he had available.

The original poster asked whether AP should now rest Lambert for a complete game. That is the idea that is nonsnse. Subbing him 15 minutes from the end when we are 3-0 up is a different matter, and would be something most managers would consider. Unfortunately it hasn't happened too often to give AP that luxury. With all our attacking force it still surprises me that we have yet to give any team a complete tonking.

It was the top 11 players he had available. I don't know if he would have picked the same team if Connolly and James had been fit, perhaps, perhaps not. Personally I think Connolly is class, and would be the first name on the team sheet if fit, I believe he is a major factor in the downturn in form we suffered until recently, along with the loss of Hammond. James, not so sure, but given Ap picked him for every game until very recently I would suspect that James is still very much part of AP's plans. I'm ignoring Murty as I think it is quite clear that he will not play for us again (at least this season). Apart from this, then yes it is probably the best team. That said it is great that we can name a bckup team that still looks at least decent for this level on paper. I think we now have a very strong squad with good replacements in every position if needed.

If that was a main match then highlights would have been non-existent. Wish I hadn't stayed up now.

+2, think too many people are getting used to watching the Premier League too much. Rest 3rd division players! What a bunch of fecking wooses. He had a rest this week 6 full days without a game.

Probably because the players haven't got to know each other yet, 5 new players can make a big difference, especially to those who were on the fringe before and now realise they aren't or to those in the team before and now aren't. Could also be because Pulis is back and everyone is trying to work out why. Or maybe Patto was a loud mouth

No. AP was always focused on the League. The JPT and FA Cup were distractions and he wanted to instill a winning mentality - he has said this many times. The Cups helped do this, but the problem has been cup-tied players. I don't think results would have been any better if we had gone out of the cups earlier than we did.

Not a good day for Maths to day is it. 37+6=43. 54-43=11 :cool: However the good news is that if we beat Huddersfield we could be 8 points from the play-offs. That said, the play-offs went out of the window when we failed to beat Exeter.

He comes from Nigeria, not Pompey

Come on Tim, lets be 'aving you :-) We didn't get spanked on our own Turf last week. Today we beat the top team in the league on their patch and with no late goals. Humble Pie anyone?

Great stuff, looking forward to TT's posts later, he will be going daft about the late goals again. Ohh...

Are we talking football here or Coldplay?

What about Aldershot?

Maths not your strong subject, currently 17 points, Huddersfield 54, Saints 37 as it stands now

:confused:

More worried about TT than NC personally

He had his eyes closed again did he?

Hope we don't concede a late goal in the next 5 minutes

Where are they playing the League Cup this year then?

Tim, think you have missed the point though, no-one is demoralised by the defeat, AFAIK, except maybe you. In fact just the opposite, most people recognise how well we played, and the score line flattered the Skates. I think the problem you have with this match is that you over-hyped it (because it was Pompey). It was a cup game against opposition 2 divisions above us, and yet we should have won (if we had taken our chances in the first half when we were battering them). If we had lost to, say west Brom, you wouldn't have this attitude about it, yet they are 1 place lower in the pyramid. Unfortunately we didn't win, we lost, and in the cup it matters not a jot whether you lose 1-2 or 1-12, its still a loss. End of story. Now back to the bread and butter, we haven't got much to go for in the league this season but would be good to see us getting to 8th place now because that would represent a good run in, and we still have a day out at Wembley to look forward to. If we start shipping lots of late goals (and late means last 5 or 10 minutes) with the new players and this costs us wins then come back on here and say "told you so", and then you will have a valid point.

Whilst it may be interesting to work out who have been the players in our most successful team, it is based on history and would therefore not include any of our 5 recent signings. Yet presumably AP would consider he brought in these players to improve the team. So it is not a very useful guide to what will be our best team. Not suggesting all five will be our best players but Fonte for instance would be without a doubt.

Reading bewteen the lines, AP is saying Murty is finished (at Saints). Hopefully Connolly will really be back soon, we have missed him big time.

Sorry but our league season effectively ended when we did not win at Exeter and other results went against us. We have no realistic chance of making the play-offs. I was optimistic before Exeter but now it would need a miracle of Biblical proportions (or a few clubs going into Admin). We will do very well to finish 8th now.

I have to question whether playing Pulis. Molyneux and Forecast would strengthen the reserves, seems to me it would make it even weaker. Why are these players still around? If they are surplus to requirements and no-one else wants them why don't we pay up their contracts, at least they could go look for a club that way, or find a job.