The Kraken

Disagree. I thought Tella looked bright, I wouldn’t want to lose him. He crashed the bar with a great shot and generally looked decent, very direct. I’d rather have Tella than £20M (which I don’t think we’d quite get anyway), he’s a known quantity in this league and I think if we can keep him he’ll be very important for us.

That’s something they just do in their pictures isn’t it? I think the actual shirts have a crest. I dunno, I don’t buy shirts, but sure I’ve seen it mentioned before.

The kid has had a bad year of injury since he arrived.

Ordinarily one might suggest that this is an exaggeration but, sadly, I tend to agree with you. The two gaffes against Goztepe and today are a continuation of what we saw all last season. Some people think he’ll come good as he’s good with his feet and has on occasions made some good saves. But, as said further above, really good keepers are not just judged by their ability to pull off a worldly save, they’re judged more for their consistency and in eliminating errors. Bazunu just looks like a bag of nerves and as if he’s always got a major ricket in him. I can’t see us bringing in anyone else for him but I also think that’s a mistake, he’s just not good enough.

Yeah you’re right about Salisu, he did feature, my mistake. I can’t see any way in which ABK stays to be honest, there wer various rumours about Perraud going but I haven’t seen anything come up on the rumour mill.

These two statements in particular are complete horseshit. The “piss off to Pompey” one comes up time and again and doesn’t get any less embarrassing. If you can’t handle reading a few critical words about some of our players then it’s a bit worrying and maybe forums aren’t for you. Forums exist entirely to highlight and discuss good points and bad points, people’s opinions are always going to differ. But throwing a strop and telling someone to support Portsmouth because someone else highlights a perceived negative that you disagree with is more than a little pathetic.

So, as of the Reading game, the following players haven’t featured in pre season games: Onuachu; Perraud; Small; S Armstrong; Sulemana; Salisu; Larios; ABK; Simeu. Of those, Armstrong has been injured and Small, Larios and Simeu may be looking at loans out. Quite telling that the others have not even made the squads. Definitely don’t see Onuachu, Perraud, Sulemana, Salisu and ABK being here next season (unless we can’t find anyone to stump up for them), and can add Lavia to that list too. Likely to be other departures too (at least one of Tino and KWP, who knows what’s going on with JWP, and keeping Alcaraz would be a coup), it’s going to be an interesting August to see who comes and goes.

We’re going to need to score a lot of goals this season. Crap keeper and we look very vulnerable at the back on the counter attack and when we fart about with it and give turnovers. Some good performances today but let’s face it, Reading were weak. Good to get goals on the board though and shows where we need more work.

Djourkaeff jnr on for Reading, interesting.

Super move between A-A and AA there, keeper got a bit lucky. A-A is a little livewire.

Caleta Car has twice now whacked it straight out of play when trying to make a pass.

Poor from Edozie there, too late to get a shot off.

Looking forward to seeing what Manning is about.

He did that a lot against Goztepe, basically the Zinchenko role, step into midfield when in posession and up the pitch.

Excellent save, terrible defending (Tino I think?)

Lovely goal that.

Looks like young lad and Tella have switched sides. Edit, no they haven’t, was just temporary,

Yeah agree with this, if anything we’re missing a proper 6 (or number 4 in old money) on this showing, don’t think that’s really Smallbone’s game. Will be good to see how Charles gets on, although Martin may not make subs for a while yet, as against Goztepe.

Think Reading must have a defender called Guinness Walker.

He needs to sort his hair out, I keep thinking he’s Djenepo.

Wonder why Reading don’t have numbers in their shirts. Cost saving maybe?? Seems weird to not at least have a traditional 1-11 if squad numbers aren’t allocated yet.

Terrible goal to give away.

According to Adam Blackmore, Bednarek was our most consistent player after the January window. I mean I suppose it’s true, he was consistently mediocre.

Interesting lineup really. If Tino is definitely off you’d maybe think Martin would be trying out what he thinks will be his first team, and therefore start off with Bree or KWP there. As it stands, we’ve started with quite a few players who I thought would likely be out of the club by the start of the season. Also thought Manning might get a good run out being as he hasn’t featured yet.

Reading look very brittle.