S-Clarke

The game changed when we started playing Narrow again.

We game out in the 2nd half like a team possessed, getting wide and just harrying every single rovers player.

The moment we stopped doing that and went long through the middle, i worried - it's bizarre, i don't know what happened, it's like someone flicked a switch and we stopped doing all the good things.

Weird. - but if we play like we did in the first 15mins of the 2nd half, we'll beat 90% in this league. Rovers couldn't handle it.

The question mark is to why we couldn't sustain it.

Cortese is a clever guy - he will not knee-jerk.

If it's still like this in December, then yes - i think he'd be looking at the situation...but not now, he's switched on enough to see the big picture.

I can't understand how a team, man for man, as good as we are, that has had enough time to gel, can get themselves in a situation at home to be involved in an even game. No matter where they were in the table, Bristol Rovers are cr*p compared to us and we should have won, arguably comfortably.

 

Its not good enough and action must be taken because at the moment, all we can look forward to next season is another relegation struggle in League TWO

Rovers aren't crap, and they weren't crap tonight. If they play like that all season they'll go up automatically IMO. They had better players than us in the wide areas for a start.

I'm ****ed off - but i think a little respect for the oppo is due, they made it an excellent game of football.

oh my ****ing god.

that is sick - absolutely sick.

I've had a bit of time to sit and think about it - and i still feel ****ing sick.

Not sure if i can be arsed to sum up the game, but i'll try.

first half was a bit huff and puff, we did try and get the ball down - we didn't hoof it as much has we have done, but Rovers were a constant threat down the flanks and through the middle with their attacking pace and it was worrying us - esp harding who seriously struggled all game.

Our goal was well worked though - nice little through ball by lambert and adam had held his position really well to keep onside - nice finish under the goalie - game on.

...then we let rovers have a feel of the ball again but they never really threatened us massively after we'd scored, but i hate to say it, it was a complete **** up by Kelvin - pretty much identical to the one he made against QPR a few seasons back, no idea wtf he was doing....and then it was 1-1.

2nd half..

I was blown away by how well we came out in the 2nd half, it was the perfect start with the goal. Cracking build up play, ball finds its self to Lloydy on the right, he whips a fantastic ball into the box....Lambo heads it, hits the bar, bounces on the line...but Papa anticipated it and got us back in front.

After that, for the next 10mins it was complete 1 way, we just battered them, harried them, chased them - they didn't know what hit them.

....then we just stopped. Just like that, we stopped doing the chasing, we let them control the game and they felt their way back into it. Harding was completely done by their winger for the goal, their player played the ball across the box and there was only going to be one outcome from there.

Rest of the game was pretty much played by rovers, we huffed and puffed a little bit, but rovers were using the width very very well and their pace was causing us all sorts of problems. Trotman and Jaidi were all over the place 2nd half.

Their winner was a ****ing joke though, ok it was a stunning 30 yarder into the top corner...but the guy was allowed to win the ball in space, play it...and then the other guy was just allowed to shoot, no one near him...95th min, seriously? what's that about? where's the closing down...?

Unbelievable game of football though - swung from side to side all game, a draw would have probably been fair - neither team did enough to win it outright IMO, but this is what happens when you loose control of the game.

Alot of lessons learned tonight..but by watching rovers more than us. Their wide play was brilliant and it's a lesson to how we need to play.

The pressure is on for Saturday now, make no doubt about it. If we fail to win that one, there could be trouble.

Ratings...

Kelvin 5 - Muck up for the goal, shouldn't have come out like that. Was a bit edgy for a bit too.

Harding 5 - Was done all game IMO - couldn't handle their winger. Worst game i've seen him play.

Jaidi - 6 - okish first half, but completely off the pace in the 2nd. Won the ball well in the air, but just couldn't handle their tricky pacy front men.

Trottman 6 - again - same as Jaidi pretty much, struggled with the game 2nd half and were just pulled about at times by rovers.

James - 7 played ok i felt. Got wide well and his crosses into the box were excellent, esp for the 2nd goal.

Mellis - 5 - not good for me. has the pace, did chase the ball down well but didn't offer an inch of support to Harding - he was so exposed, one of the reasons Harding struggled IMO.

Hammond 7 - gave his all, 110% - was key in our dominant period and kept us playing.

Morgan 9 - Best game he's had for us - unbelievably good. Ran the show when we were in charge, running with the ball, passing, could have scored...he was brilliant. But i must say, he lost his way a little on about 70ish mins.

Papa 7 - did well, decent anticipation for the goal - but needs to watch his runs! caught offside too often.

Lallana - 7 - did ok - good goal, chased and harried well and picked up pockets of space in and around Lambert which made us dangerous.

Lambert 7 - could have cored, unlucky not to IMO - but his hold up play was quality and his passing is very good. We should get it on the deck and play it to him like that - he's v good on the floor IMO.

....i'll go and lay down now i think.

Errr....assuming Kelvin doesn't get injured in the next couple of games. If he does, it's a bloody bad move for Saints.

It's only for a week though, should be ok...

I'm really looking forward to this game, evening KO, good side, good crowd (sounds like it will be) - will make for a good atmosphere.

Heard on solent and others have said the same, Thomas is back in training and could be available for selection tomorrow which is great news IMO - we missed his physical dominance on Saturday.

Lambo will want to get one over on his old team, it always happens...ex players always score against their former clubs, i just hope we don't offer an exception to the rule, as we do to so many other rules!

Two decent teams at this level though, you have to say. It'll be our toughest home game since Millwall IMO - and i think we've come on great strides since then. We're more than a match for them.

Get Spearing in on a short term loan from Liverpool.

Isn't he more of a CM though? i saw him playing against Leeds and he was in midfield i think? although i may be thinking of another player...!

A pretty good summation of our problem. He can't/won't play wide, was tried as a striker yesterday, that didn't work or he wouldn't have been moved wide again.

 

We don't need oddball, cameo, cosmetic we need pace wide and he doesn't provide it. Whether with two natural pacy wide players he could play up front I don't know, but I do know I'm not the only one who can't see where he can be played and benefit the team.

 

It seems that by persuading him to stay, promising play instead of sitting on the bench or playing in the reserves for a better club, Pardew has given himself a big problem. If he doesn't fix it, he may well rue the day.

I have a feeling that Pard's is trying to build a team around Lallana. Or he's told him as much, in an effort to convince him to stay. ''You can be our main man here...and win a league title''

i think that's the wrong thing to do at this time...we need to build a winning team first, then ease him back into it. He's talented, i think everyone can see that...but at the moment, i fear AP's judgment in our situation is a bit misguided.

From a Sol Campbell interview....

 

"Let's be honest - I knew the standard of football was going to be dramatically different from the Premier League.

 

"And as for the trip to Morecambe¿ the facilities at Morecambe, they weren't actually that bad. I've seen worse.

 

"Remember, I used to be at Portsmouth - have you seen Fratton Park? Have you been to the training ground?

 

Made me chortle.

I read that earlier, brilliant. Sol's gone up in my estimations now

I'm sure there are plenty of teams in the Football League who have avoided relegation and then got promoted the next year.

That's true - Watford are good example, but that only came about because they brought in Boothroyd, rather than sticking with the same structure.

I'm behind pards, the players and the backroom staff 110% but i just cannot see how just staying up this year can be seen as progress/preparation for promotion next year.

 

For the record, I am not calling for change, but I don't believe we can win the league/promotion next season unless we are challenging for it this season, because we simply will not be winning enough games often enough.

That comment is a good comment...

I don't agree with the view ''scraping relegation'' will be a good achievement, that would equal a ****ing **** poor season and not the preparation we need to go into next year.

Think of it this way - if these players struggle all year, and just achieve safety in the last couple of games, would you be confident that the structure/team would then go and storm the league the following year? (Because that is what we HAVE to do....we HAVE to storm it next year, we will not have an excuse - and by storming i mean constant involvement in the auto promotion fight)

I know i wouldn't, and I'd have to ask a few questions.

I consider this a good result.

 

Why ? Because we fought ourselves back into the game by playing the full 90 minutes for the first time since WGS was in charge.

 

Yes, its worrying that we dropped 2 points we should have picked up, and yes its worrying that the team are STILL not firing on all cylinders, but at least the mental toughness and physical fitness are improving.

 

Roll on the next 2 games...

Agree 100% apls. Good post.

serious question...this form table goes back how many games..?

6 games.

Relegation form whichever way you dress it up we are not gaining enough points per game.

I'm not being negative,just being realistic.

It's not relegation form, it's currently mid-table form.

We're 10th in the form table and unbeaten in 6.

We will not get relegated, but will most likely finish comfortably mid-table.

I'd have loved to do better and believe we can do better, but we've got to have a bit of patience because if we stick with this lot, we should storm the league next year (if we don't - something is wrong)

It worries me that we seem to lack a cutting edge from open play, Adam isn't helping either.

He's an odd-ball of a player, he's not a winger, not a midfielder and not a striker - what on gods earth is he? where can he play?

I said at the start of the season that i think he should be on the bench for the first few weeks, until we start getting a winning habit going. He's a luxury and when you're stuttering in L1, luxury players are the last thing you need.

I still believe we lack a real out and out right winger - Papa may be the answer, but no one knows. That's why Gradel would have been excellent for us...someone proven at this level, with pace and natural wide-play. It's amazing what a difference it would make to our attacking play if we had 2 wide players on the pitch.

I have seen the noticable improvement in our attacks since Mills has been back in the team - he has to start every week for me....but in a way, because of this - we're now very lopsided as we have no natural options on the right. (Loosing Murt's hasn't helped either......)

We're trying to cure the right sided problem with players like Mellis (he's a CM in all honesty) or Adam and we all know he's not a wide man. Bloody hell, even James has played there and he's not going to offer any wing play is he?

I just hope we go out and bring in a pacy right-winger on an emergency loan, i really think it'll change the attacking play in our team. It's something all the top teams at this level have...

what a **** result

On paper yes, but taking into account a 95th last min equalizer, it's bearable.

Another draw then but unbeaten in 5 I think it is now. It would be helpful if we could actually win the next 2 games but I'm not convinced we're anywhere near good enough yet.

Unbeaten in 6 actually.

Well that's better than it could have been.

Good to see a ''never say die'' attitude. We wouldn't have done this last year, we would have given up on 80mins. Fact.

Still frustrating that we cannot put anything together in open play though, that's something that's really starting to concern me.

Still, unbeaten...but not enough wins. Perfect chance in the next 2 home games...!

Pardew's comments are really quite worrying. It suggests to me that he is losing the dressing room especially if he is too partisan and has favourites who can do no wrong whilst others who can do no right.

 

The classic case is Simon Gillett, reliable stalwart last year and a shoe-in for the new Scholes. Now suddenly he can't even get on the bench. Gradually all our young ex-Academy players have been sidelined in favour of the blokes that Pardew has brought in; Jaidi apart can anybody say hand on heart that we are any better for it. The football has deteriorated that's for sure and results are certainly no better than last season's.

 

No wonder the guys are getting hacked off, sort of been-there, done-that frustration as the new methods seem to them just to be different rather than more effective.

 

Also, Pardew's frankness may signal that he really is under pressure from up above to deliver so best to start blaming the players before the **** hits the fan and he has no where to hide...

 

Just a thought.

Sorry? Can't agree with any of that.

Esp. that the signings have made us no better

Hammond - will be our outfield captain eventually, and has been excellent for us. His showings so far demonstrate IMO what we missed in the middle last season.

Harding - speaks for himself, lining himself up for player of the year if he keeps his performances up. Wasn't as good last week - but still has been a huge success so far.

Lambert - Leagues top scorer, will score goals if you get the service to him. Every team in this league would cry out for him. Fact.

Trotman - has improved our set play dominance instantly, wins everything and puts distance on it. Hope we sign him.

Not sure really how you can say that, esp ''Jaidi apart'' when he's only played 90mins. Not saying his crap...but how can you write the others off, yet say he's ok - but he's played less minutes?

Gillet isn't playing because IMO hammond is similar and better. He's a good little player, but at the moment based on options i wouldn't play him.

SAF MUST have some money somewhere..or why is he bothering..?

Everyone keeps saying that, but i really don't think has has..well not enough to make a difference. He's always been a ''front'' - he had backers but they walked away.

I'm not sure how he managed to complete the takeover if im honest, although he hasn't completed any fit and proper stuff has he?

We'll see - it's fishy anyway.

hahaha...some of the blue few plan on a bit of "shoe throwing" as a protest..

 

LOL

See, they haven't got the class of us.

We hired a bloody plane in the Lowe days and flew it over the stadium with a huge banner flying with it....

Oh dear......

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=679533&sec=england&cc=5739

Hugely possible.

None of the debt was wiped out, it was just transferred to SAF.

Apparently, according to a few Skates, Storrie stopped the club from going into admin by clubs doing him personal favors (chelsea agreed to postpone their sell-on-fee that was due for Glen Johnson, until Portsmouth sort themselves out)

If storrie leaves, then it's very possible that these chairman will come back and knock on SAF's door very very loudly...

This thread has gone a bit off tangent....

i thought it was quite interesting what pard's was saying, and im not sure why apline has to be ripped apart for every thing he says?

Fair enough sometimes he's your glass empty type fella but what's caused the backlash this time?

FWIW i understand that training was playtime last year, learn how to play pass and move football, that was it. Very little application or concentration on specific opponents.

The players last year were built up into wonder kids, and i fully believe that Pard's was referring to the likes of Morgan and Lallana as the players with complacency - for me, they were the big culprits in games last year after we'd won 1 or 2....also McGoldrick was another.

They all felt they were too big for their boots, so I'm glad we actually have someone around here now that's spotted that and is sorting this out.

Will be tough against Rovers, looking forward to the home games though. Always feel you have to make the most of back to back home games...perfect opportunity to spring yourself up.

Carlisle won't be easy though, this will be one of those typical L1 games...similar to Swindon/stockport...i just hope we're more prepared this time. (we've got better players now anyway)

Would be nice to keep the unbeaten run going too, we'd be onto 8 unbeaten if we get through the next 3 - that's not too shabby.

The meeting is back on and they won't by buying David Villa until after January.....

 

http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/index.php?cms_ref=home&goto=news&qs_article_id=2911

oooh dear.

Grade A mental case springs to mind. Why even mention David Villas name in an official club statement? Unprofessional and embarrassing.