SNSUN

I'm OK with City, to be fair their squad is so strong that even their reserve/youth team could win this competition, so if we want to have any chance of winning it, playing them is no big thing. Norwich have proved they're beatable this season, so let's go up there with a full team and see if Pep is brave enough to field his B team...

Good job he didn't hit it any harder, or he'd have been flogging a dead horse. Just like the Portsmouth attack last night...

Pleased with that, for me it was the 4-1 loss in the FA Cup in 2010 that I wanted retribution for when the situation of both clubs was similar to how it was tonight, just with the roles reversed, and the 4-0 win today goes one better than they achieved then. We didn't even achieve 5th gear, and the quality still showed through. They were fricking knackered by the end and it looked like we could score from every attack. My ratings: McCarthy - 7 - Made a decent save, fisted away a couple of corners, and with Bednarek's assistance stopped a goal line tap in. Was nearly beaten by the shot that hit the post, but all in all, a safe pair of hands. It's tough to decide who I'd choose over him and Gunn presently, possibly McCarthy who does the simple things well. Cedric - 8 - Very good, defensively dealt with things and found time to get forward. Sometimes lacks anticipation but sometimes makes runs and nobody picks up on it. Well taken goal! Bednarek - 7 - Did well considering the conditions and made a decent clearing off the line by poking it back to McCarthy which could easily have been an own goal. Yoshida - 8 - Really got stuck in and drifted across to the left when needed. How he isn't getting picked in the league I'll never know. Lucky not to get booked and got some cheeky challenges in after being savagely assaulted by the Skate player. Bertrand - 6 - Nothing special, it's nice to have a left back playing at left back again, got forward when he could. Does he need match fitness? Unlucky to have been booked. Hojbjerg - 6 - Same for all the midfielders, I thought their passing was off at times, and put us under pressure. Hojbjerg grew into the game in the second half but wasn't great in the first half. Romeu - 7 - Was always an outlet from defence. Some iffy passing but he was better than Hojbjerg. JWP - 6 - Largely anonymous in the first half but I think he improved with some incisive passing in the second. Obafemi - 7 - Tried hard in the first half but was often battered by Skate players. I liked the way he got back and defended too, at one point calmly toeing the ball away from a Skate player. A great through ball for the Ings goal shows that the young lad does have quality but he's not really a wide forward. Ings - 9 - what else can be said, showed Premier League quality when it mattered. Was everywhere, accurate passing (at one point he made a lovely cross field ball to Cedric), accurate shooting and full of running. If this is what a fully fit Ings is like, he needs to play over Adams. Imagine him up front with Boufal, Redmond and Djenepo behind... Adams - 5 - I don't want him to be the whipping boy, and he was far from awful, but nothing was coming off for him tonight. It's almost as if he tries too hard. Good for Ralph for keeping him on until the end to see if he could score, but with Ings showing form, he might have a wait for his first goal. subs: Redmond - 7 - does what Redmond does, showed direct running and scored. Made a few iffy decisions right at the end though, but I'm glad he's back after injury, especially if Djenepo is out for a while. Long - 6 - one long range shot aside, I didn't see him do much, but was obviously brought on to scare their tired legs. Ralph - 8 - obviously understood the importance of the game, although on paper I was surprised his team had 3 strikers and no attacking midfielders at the start, not that it ultimately mattered. Also thought he could have used the third sub, but aside from that, got the result we all wanted. I'm sure the Skates will be all like "look at you tossers celebrating by beating a League One team" but they did exactly the same to us in 2010, and we can enjoy every minute of this. It may be a loooooong time before we play them again! Knock Knock! Who's there? Nilfer. Nilfer who? Nilfer Pompey, four for Saints! (I shall henceforth leave joke creation to everyone else.)

My evening is done! I’m off to work...

See above! Though 3-0 is the equivalent to the 4-1 that I’ve been longing for us to overturn since 2010, so I’m happy if it stays as it does. (And we got to cheer a Rickie goal back then...)

I concur. I have Saints win and 4 goals scored in the match... ...I also had Saints win and Adams to score but I’ve made my peace with not getting that after seeing Adams performance.

Great in Cedric!!! Ings is on fire!

Think they’re tiring here, need to go for the throat... Adams ducking do something!

An icing on the cake 3rd goal needed please...

Bertrand booked for what?

Adams has been poor this game, Obafemi started poorly but I think he’s grown into the game, he’s the hefty unit needed to cause them trouble. That said I’d haul them both off for Redmond and Long. Need to take this game to them and not let them sneak back in.

Fan bantz

Let’s get an Adams goal and we can all go home happy.

what a ball by Obafemi Ings!!! get the **** in!

Without being willing to praise the skates too much, their set pieces have been ok tonight.

Ings showing his class, excellent cross field ball just then. Obafemi works hard but shown little, and bar one decent pass I’ve seen nothing much from Adams yet. I said before the formation lacked an attacking midfielder, but at least we have them on the bench. Even one nil up we do look nervous still. A second should end that.

Should hve been a second. We are waking up...

Have it!

433? Looks good in defence and midfield, although three strikers and no attacking midfielders could be an issue, but there are goals there and Adams has played deep before. Welcome back Ryan. I don’t think it’ll be a thrashing, but something like a comfy 2-0 with an early Saints goal acting like a mood killer for them would be nice. Denies them a chance to cheer much. Mind you they’ll still brag that we struggled against them or whatever nonsense that deluded lot can conjure up. COYS!

They’ll have to pawn that flag for money when Eisner does one in 6 months time and they creep towards admin...

I expect some players to be rested for this one, I can’t see Ralph going full strength. Yes it’s Skatesmouth but it’s still the League Cup and the League is more important. Ralph will still field a strongish squad as he’ll know what’s at stake, but it won’t be full strength. I expect squad players to come in. (Which should still be enough to beat Them who, after a quick look at the League One table, aren’t doing as well as is thought they were!) Besides which they’ll be out to kick the crap out of our players so we want to protect the more important ones like Bednarek, Romeu, Boufal etc. Redmond I’d play as he needs fitness. McCarthy Stephens Vestergaard Yoshida Valery JWP Hojbjerg Bertrand (or even Vokins if whatever is going on with Bertrand is ongoing) Armstrong Redmond Long (Yep, should badger their defence nicely. Hat trick of penalties for JWP.) subs: Gunn, Danso, Cedric, Slattery, Djenepo or Boufal, Ings, Adams It won’t be this exactly, but something related in strength IMO.

McCarthy Valery Bednarek Yoshida Bertrand Hojbjerg Romeu Redmond Boufal Djenepo Adams subs: Gunn, Vestergaard, Cedric, Danso, JWP, Long, Ings.

Surprised about Redders. Thought he was ages away! COYS

Best drunk purchase? A room in Bracknell Travelodge for me and a newly acquired lady friend in my very early 20s. For knobbing purposes. Worst drunk purchase? A room in Bracknell Travelodge for me and a newly acquired lady friend in my very early 20s, once I’d seen her laying next to me the following morning in the sober light of day.

It's not injuries that will necessarily be his undoing, it will be suspensions. Then we will see if we struggle for not having a ready made defensive midfield replacement in the squad. (Although the signing of Danso and the sheer number of centre backs we have probably hints towards the solution.)