derry

If West Ham are terminating Ings contract they will have to pay it off which in itself solves a problem as it takes care of what could be Ings reluctance to take a pay cut. Being a free agent he would then be able to earn even more from another club having trousered the remainder of his contract already.

I got that but it pretty much sums up our performances especially evidenced by the possession chart and goal threat.

Taking that the full circle, play ten defenders and stick the ball into the back of the stand. Both equally stupid and unsuccessful unless the team is full of £100m players as per MC. Doing what we are doing playing keep ball in our own last third eventually hands an easy chance to the opposition and by present standards will relegate us. Cut out the crap and compete. The aim of the game is score goals not keep the ball. Doing what we are doing is neutering our goal scoring ability. If Martin is too frightened to play the game the way it was supposed to be played then just stop trying to con the supporters and leave. We were promoted not because his football did it, it didn't. Until he changed for the last league game at Leeds and cut out the possession from the goalkeeper we did just enough to get promoted. Now his plan, keep the shape and go back to the trash. It won't work.

I don't think these reactions are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. People were hopeful but also worried about several deficient aspects. The poor goalkeeper, the aimless go nowhere intricate passing for possession sake, the lack of penetration from midfield, two strikers isolated on the wings, the full backs despite three centre backs and what looked like three holding midfielders were unable to break free of the back passing and rotation passing. We didn't look the least bit competent against a mediocre team because their four forwards tore us a new one. Collectively we were a clusterfuck, however I don't believe that individually all these players are that bad. A back four of Sugawara THB Bednarek KWP isn't that bad or Taylor for KWP. Downes is a decent midfielder, Armstrong and BBD because of the restrictions placed on them were unable to perform. Edozie, Smallbone and Aribo are liabilities because of their deficiences. Archer in two appearances looks more like a support striker rather than a centre forward. Having said that we need a new goalkeeper either Bjillow or Ramsdale, A proper leader up front that is pysically a threat and knows where the goal is. A change in emphasis, two midfielders that are a threat as attackers, hopefully Fernandez and Ugochukwu can provide that and cut out the mind numbing kamikaze rotation at the back. Win the ball, pass it forward to the midfielders or up the wings and support the ball and get bodies into the box. That's the place to do the passing not our own penalty area. Any danger or threat stick it over the opponents back four and fight for it. The sterile crap we are playing in the Premier will have one definite result, we will lose a lot of matches and in a short time produce a toxic atmosphere with the supporters.

Agreed but it's up to the midfielders and forwards to get into that area. What it should be, not what it is. I'm a firm believer of forwards attacking the blindside on the 45, It's an area we rarely cover but incredibly difficult to anticipate and defend. We aren't very intelligent with our attacking. In addition set pieces are abysmal both the delivery and the positioning. The best headers shouldn't stand in the goal area being grappled they should spread out and start their run from outside the penalty area and arrive with the delivery giving them the best chance of outjumping defenders. BBD 6' 1". Ugochukwu 6' 3" plus THB and Bednarek.

There is no point judging the strikers. Firstly, separating them is stupidity as they can't even support each other and are easily dealt with. Secondly, we need at least two midfielders rapidly getting forward. Thirdly, the formation is ultra defensive and the ponderous possession obsession allows the opposition to snuff out our lightweight attacks. The three centre backs got us promoted but now against better teams we can't score which wasn't a problem in the Championship. I think the tactics have to change. Win the ball and pass it forward immediately and two of the midfield get up quickly and become attackers. 4-3-3 could give us Sugawara, THB Bednarek, KWP/Taylor, Ugochukwu, Downes, Fernandez, Armstrong BBD Archer. We have to win some matches, Smallbone and Aribo are negative especially Smallbone's wall passing, mostly backwards. If we want to have slick passing do it in the opponents final third. Dibling should be used as the first attacking change, certainly not Edozie. Keep Alcaraz but that ship may have sailed. It's a shame about Fraser as he is a good footballer that hits good crosses into dangerous areas.

He is also a compulsive ball watcher.

The big problem for me is the constant recycling especially backwards. All we are doing is allowing teams to get into defensive lines and snuff us out. For a start three centre backs plus three non attacking midfielders is neutering us especially putting BBD and AA on opposite wings. Martin needs to think again. In my opinion four at the back doesn't mean making a place for Stephens. I think if KWP stays. there is an argument to play Sugawara, THB and Bednarek, Taylor. Play a middle four Armstrong, Downes, Fernandez, KWP. BBD and Archer. If we are going to lose regularly 1-0, especially as we can't stop any team from creating a chance and playing negatively unable to score we might as well go shit or bust. Otherwise ditch the possession myth and play on the break. Aribo is so one footed he's a liability. I can't believe he has been a professional for years. What the hell do the coaches do all day. Make him practice with his right foot and tie a crushed coke tin on his left instep.

I will say that Larios is a mile away from being considered for the first team. Nobody there tonight looked remotely near.

1-5 pretty inneffectual overpossession but lose the ball and hit on the break.

I think your memory fails you, if true their delusion is laughable. That result had no effect on our season at all. We in fact had consecutive season promotions. May 2011 we were promoted to the Championship and in May 2012 we were promoted again to the Premier League we didn't play Portsmouth again until the 2019 League Cup game at Fratton Park, I think 4-0 to us. We subsequently played Manchester City in our first Premier League match in August 2012. They might have saved themselves but they were soon relegated twice and it's taken them something like another ten years to get to the Championship. If I was them I would be keeping quiet. I'm glad we've avoided them this year and hoping that's the way it'll stay.

No, every other player who has joined goes through a familiarisation period with our game. Archer looked like a fish out of water, the game just passed him by. As for SAA and Dibling, they really didn't influence the game and although he had plenty of the ball neither did Edozie. The changes did nothing to improve things. Personally I thought he'd put plan B on the bench with Onuachu for Archer who needs a couple of weeks. Dibling and SAA on the bench.

The fact remains that we changed everything on May 4th when we were in the final league game with McCarthy in goal after several defeats. Three centre backs and very little risky passing at the back. Following on we entered the play offs and didn't concede in three matches winning promotion. If we had continued our form prior to the Leeds game we probably wouldn't even have made the final. Our last four games were totally different defensively to the rest of the season.

Steele from Brighton's name has cropped up again.

We know his limitations, so does Martin but stubbornly ignores them. McCarthy knows too and is on edge because of it. It won't work and makes no sense. Why spend millions trying to build a Premier team then expose the incompetence of McCarthy's ball control. Newcastle had Pope yesterday who is also uncomfortable playing out, difference he doesn't, just kicks it long mostly out wide. as a consequence it eliminates the danger and puts the ball into the attacking third goalside of his team. If McCarthy has to play copying Pope would eliminate the problem. We'd then need the Midfield and forwards to win it or press and win it. I know which option I prefer.

Edozie unless he was lucky was never going to open up Newcastle. He was totally predictable and double banked every time. He would have been far more effective with his quick feet spearing into the penalty area and inviting a challenge. Out on the line he was really no problem. Personally I didn't think that was the change to make, in fact four of the substitutions were inneffective, only Alcaraz did anything. After Getafe Martin was talking about Onuachu as a plan B, then didn't put him on the bench. Yesterday it was crying out for a bit of physicality in the goal area. Dibling, SAA, Edozie and especially the all at sea Archer weren't going to change anything. The bench was a poor selection except for the defenders and apart from Alcaraz weakened rather than strengthened. It looked like a bench picked to keep SAA, Dibling and Archer in the group. Martin shot himself in the foot there, plus overthinking the half time changes that didn't help.

Archer isn't ready to play and shouldn't have been brought on. He clearly was a spectator and hardly got involved. 4 of the 5 substitutions made us worse and Onuachu should have been on the bench. Newcastle would have enjoyed a 6'-8" player in their goal area.

We put in loads of crosses plus corners and free kicks, Onuachu would have caused Newcastle more problems than we did,

It really wasn't fair to put him in today. He needs time to aclimatise to how we play. Onuachu would have been more panic inducing once Newcastle were down to ten. Edozie, SAA and Dibling made no sense in the circumstances. 5 substitutions and 4 were wasted. The bench should have had Onuachu instead of Archer.

That game changed twice. We outplayed them until the sending off and if the ball watching expert Stephens had checked the defensive line his goal would have counted. With ten men Newcastle had to defend a point but McCarthy's stupid pass set up a goal from that moment it was just a team hanging on and packing their box and double teaming. I don't get the changes. Archer is nowhere near ready to play in our system he was a waste of a substitution and worse did nothing to help us. Edozie gave his usual flatters to deceive performance. KWP was having a good game on the left as was Sugawara on the right it didn't need changing. I felt if there was a change to be made, maybe Alcaraz for Aribo. We didn't need the two young lads, what we did need was 6'-8" Onuachu up in their box. Unless Bednarek was injured Stephens should have gone off. We looked a decent team but needed an attacking midfielder, having said that we made Newcastle look very poor before the sending off it really was three points chucked away by predictable stupidity.

Pope is just as hopeless passing out so he never does it. McCarthy hasn't even got the intelligence to realise that he can't do it either. Martin needs to forget McCarthy passing out if there are opponents close and do what Pope does, hit it long and win it back and play

The worst thing about Portsmouth FC is that knowing what they did nobody there has shown the slightest shame or regret for their behaviour. They are still full of the same egotistical bullshit. It's not as if we have competitive matches. We've only been beaten five times in 28 games covering 97 years. Some rivalry.

Flamengo will be looking at another Juventus scam. A £25m suck in bit a loan with an option to buy to get the player for a year. We should be £25m up front and he's yours. We shouldn't have any more of the loan option scam.

There is an interesting article on Southampton FC News on Newsnow. Explains that we are fine to spend especially if the owners put money in. As it stands we have plenty of leeway.

What does that sort of bigotary prove. Nothing to do with football more to do with an opportunity to kick off by people who should know better. The awful club comment relates to their rediculous overspending that ruined many traders when they went into administration. The only feeling I have about them is that they should have been liquidated for their behaviour and effect. Allowing a resuscitation in the EFL was a disgrace. Long may us not playing them continue. I really don't care whether they think they are special rivals they really don't matter any more than we didn't matter to them when they were in the First Division and we were in the Third, having never been higher than the Second Division.