stcappy

Having watched Cardiff today, it makes you appreciate just how good we were until the end of November - hear and shoulders better than everyone. We hit a blip for almost 6 weeks and takes the Saturday we don't play, until we have been knocked off top spot. If we can get back to just 75% of where we were from sept - nov we will go up comfortably and I would be extremely surprised if it wasn't as champions. I really do think many have underestimated how good we have been. I saw Swansea a few times last year and they weren't as good as we have been so far. We are a very good team - we need to believe that. Last week there were signs we did again thankfully.

At the Cardiff game! Pompey worse than forest in the first half last week. How they are drawing here I have no idea! Had to remain silent in the Cardiff end though!

I believe Boyd was on £22k per week at forest and was a key reason why Billy Davies got sacked for complaining the board didn't back him. Depends whether we think he is worth that - I guess if he got us up he would be.

Collected mine from the ticket office today. Lots of unhappy people complaining as you might expect. I understand the ticket office response was "we sold them as you have all been saying and moaning we should" I.e first come first served. Not sure that's quite what we have all been saying but seems to be a response to the complaints about the ballot proceses.

At the moment this is just a blip, that every team will have. We have lost two of the last three, or alterntaively two of the last 12 league games I think it works out a (i believe we were 9 unbeaten before bristol city but havent checked that). You can spin stats to mean anything you want. Cardiff have had to go 9 unbeaten to get the gap to where it is. West ham were on a similar run - neither have overhauled us yet. Interesting to me to listen to Pardew on goals on Sunday yesterday morning. He stated that he thought the top two now would be the top two come the end of the season based on what he had seen and what managers have said. The only really negative point he made about either team was that the upon park crowd will influence west hams games on a bad way in the secon half of the season. It's funny how we over analyse two defeats but not two wins in three on here at other times!

I have to say I thought Bristol approached the game with us in a brilliant way, and in a way that was different to how others have done. What I noticed most was that actually they let us have it at the back quite often, but they marked the spaces and areas we wanted to play in, almost more than they marked individual players. This meant when were trying to inject some pace going forward the link play of guly, rickie, and Adam didnt come off as the flicks and lay offs went to their men. We created less on saturday than we have done for a very longtime - probably rochdale and tranmere away are the two similar performances under adkins. We resorted to route one and rickie won very little as described. I think the style we are adopting is the right one, but when we get in trouble it's poor decision making by kD more than anything.

I happened to meet a friend of Neil eardley the balckpool full back last march, and who played against us in the cup tie. Neil had reported back straight after we beat them via text that he thought we were well above league 1 and more like a championship team pushing for promotion. Then revised that a couple of days later after hearing Adkins say how many changes we made to our starting line up that day too. He thought our first team, albeit without having played against it, but working on the basis it was better than what he played against, would be as competitive as Blackpool if not more so in the premier league. He was extemely impressed already with us last January.

I normally drive mate. I have another mate who comes more often than not too so We normally alternate. There are several others I know that go but they often have family/friends etc to visit on the weeks snack in Southampton, so we all tend to make our own way. Mid week games, there is usually a car full from Cardiff go down though.

I live locally so looking forward to this one - 10 minutes front door to ground! So more of a home game even though I have a season ticket and do most away trips! To be honest there is very little in then vicinity of the ground that would be sensible. If you want a pub then your best going into the centre as it's not far on train or taxi to the ground, or just go straight in - it will be a much better experience inside than ninian park was. I think there might be a sports club about 5 minutes walk from the ground, opposite fitzalan school that will allow home and away fans drink together, but that's it. I will be having a pint or two with a saints supporting mate in my local before doing the brief train ride, but that's in penarth so a but of a faff for anyone travelling to the game as it's past the ground and on the wrong side of Cardiff.

Agree with much of what has been said. Very proud in defeat- if we keep playing like we did in the second half, which was more like our other games this season, then we will be there it thereabouts at the end. I though fonte's positioning first half caused is no end of problems- he wasn't at the races until the second half. Seabourne to me looked more solid. That said I would still say that it is a partner for fonte we need in the next 3 days. Several leicester fans said they were lucky after wards - how we didn't score the third I will never know. We are a goof side at this level, we just need to believe it. A couple of signings and I think we are capable of really surprising many people this year.

At the time yesterday it looked from the away end like a harsh decision- he got the ball and had no where to go as the oppo player charged at him. First viewing on tv shows him clearly leave his foot there. Definate red. Very silly boy given how hard it will be to get a place in our midfield this year when all are fit.

Fair comment mate and that's what I meant I guess by saying it can't be easy for him.

Saw him outside at the end. He was a bit reluctant to discuss his future but eventually said he hoped to still be here next season. Not totally convincing in his denial was the view but he is still young, and can't be easy for him. On the plus side, when asked how long until we are back in the premier league, cortese responded in 12 months time! Let's hope he has the resource to make that a possibility!!!

I think the gap is smaller in the first season than it is in the second season. Momentum takes you a long way in year 1, but it's how you manage the second season up there if your not one of the lucky few that manage successive promotions to the premier league. Our advantage in both seasons is our anticipated potential resource to compete within the top 6 teams in spend and wage terms, and our existing strong spine to the team at that level - Davis, Fonte, schneiderlin, lallana, and lambert.

Boro have to cut there wage bill from £24m to under 12 this summer, hence their lower odds. Although, That would still be the same as cardiff's this year, even with Bellamy. This will be a very competitive league- Norwich are a bit of a fluke/freak event. The last team to go back to back up to the premiership was man city. So on one level it can be done as it has been before more than once, but it's not s regular occurrence. Play offs would be a very good result next year. I am sure at some point in august and throughout the season though i too will be convinced an automatic spot is our rightful place! We will need to spend very wisely IMHO to take us up to the next level.

Have managed 45. Travelling from Cardiff, the rearranged mid week aways have knocked my attendance down although I had tickets for all the original dates. Missed a couple at home due to weddings. Dad has managed 50 i think. There are a few hardcore i know who are friends that haven't missed any, and haven't since I started going to away games 18/19 years ago. Dad was like that until the last couple of years when work has made the increased number of games harder.

As has been said, he has a solid game. Tidied up well in more of a defensive role than you might expect from him. Was surprised to see him chosen over stephens but thought he warranted his place on his performance. He played the sort of role whereby when you seem to be fairly quiet, you are actually being very effective in picking up the scraps, closing down men and space, and giving it simple. Couple of nice touched too - one i remember in particular was in the second half was a flicked pass to Lallana down the line when it looked impossible. Was just about close enough to our end to see it!

He has definately been playing for them since Jan. I saw him at swansea having diverted there when on route to the original Rochdale game. Nathan dyer made him look a complete mug - and definately our third choice left back on what I saw. That said the three times I have seen dyer this year he has looked a class above Scott Sinclair each time who is allegedly one of the outstanding players in the NPC this year. I really think Dickson and harding are better options.

I had made it to Tewkesbury so headed off home and decided to meet a mate and go see swansea v Doncaster with him. Dyer ran rings round fish mills and after half hour mills was moved to right back! Euell played for donnie - how is he playing at a higher level than us? He was dreadful and not fit to lace Rickie or barnards boots! Swansea played some sublime football and we would be pushed to match them in full flow I think - donnie are well beatable for for us even now. Dyer has really developed since he left us though - outshone Scott Sinclair today.

I find it quite amusing that some are using the response of a fans forum to judge a new signing. Sure, it's a gauge of how well liked he is at his current club, but we all have short memories!!! As a forum we have been a great judge of a departing player haven't we?!?!?! Fuller and delap for starters were seen by many as hopeless with no future when they left here - I am sure some said they would drive them to Stoke - oh but wait, they are still holding down places in a reasonable premier league side!!! Not to mention our more recent experience with puncheon - who some boo'd, millwall loved and who is now playing in a mid table premier league team! Yep forums are great judges! Give him a chance FFS!