P*mpey at Home Build Up (Sun 11th October, 12pm KO)

[Saint_lambden]

May as well get this started as we’ve got a 3 week build-up to it. 

How’s everyone feeling about it then? 

Let’s compare to a year or so ago when we played them at home: 

1) Team playing better than then - albeit still with obvious deficiencies. We know our best team and the home form is good 

2) There shouldn’t be the same level of nerves as there were for the players that we saw in this fixture last season now that they’ve experienced the atmosphere and got the ‘haven’t played them in the league for 13 years’ out the way 

3) Their time wasting/slowing the game down from the off tactics shouldn’t have the same impact due to the change in rules since then

4) I’d argue they’re in about the same position quality wise, with a number of injuries again. Their 2 wins have come against newly promoted sides but they’ve looked very ordinary against everyone else. Murphy will be out and they’re pretty patched up at the back. Kavuma-McQueen has added a bit of spark for them but they’re just functional everywhere else. We know they’re going to come and try and frustrate us, especially as that’s the type of set-up we struggle against. 

5) We don’t know the outcome of Eckert’s FA hearing. If (when) he has a touchline/outright ban, we’re looking at a combination of Lallana/Garner leading the team. Might add to the siege mentality or be a big hindrance. 

Hopefully we’ll have Scienza available and no injuries picked up over the international break, with Jander back in the matchday squad at least. Same starting XI then all being well. 
 

In to the skate bastards. Nervy 2-1 win. 

[Lighthouse]

Sigh... we're going to contrive to not win this fixture again aren't we.

The Clinton Baptiste in me is predicting Saints go 1-0 up in an edgy encounter, then we go full Tuchel vs. Argentina. Pompey are stretched chasing a goal and both their CBs are on a yellow and visibly tired. So instead of sending on Mubama and Dobbin to run at them, we bring on Stephens and Bragg for Larin and Scienza and switch to a back five, eventually clinging on for a 1-1 draw after they score from their ninth consecutive corner.

[SouthWalesSaints]

I don’t see a world where we don’t win this game.  If Tonda is banned the players will “do it for him” if he’s not the club will be “glad to have that behind us”. 
 

We’ve got to much for them and we’ll run all over them, not so confident about the away fixture but we beat them. 100%. 
 

Atmosphere is arguably the best it’s been in years at St Mary’s as well. That’ll help, along with the fact they are 500 down on last season.

Edited Sunday at 20:04 by SouthWalesSaints

[AlexLaw76]

Tell you what, as a game, it literally cannot be any worse than last seasons effort.

3-1 win (obligatory goal let in)

Leo, JwP and the Schlot 

[IFHP]

I think a lot will depend on who our manager is, and how the players react to them. How many mangers have we appointed mid season and got a win in there 1st game?

I hope that idiot parsons and Spores have a plan “B” so to speak when Tonda gets his punishment.

im also wondering when we appeal how long it takes to be heard - will it be months or days? 
 

They are a bit of a boogy side in the league , not sure when we last beat them in the league , was in back in 2004 at home? 

[EssEffCee]

We absolutely have to win this after the shambles of last season, nothing less will be good enough. 5th league game in a row where we'll be comfortable favourites and failing to win yet again will be embarrassing.

Slight concern is that they seem the sort of side we struggle against, really need Scienza and Jander fit.

[EssEffCee]

2 minutes ago, IFHP said:

I think a lot will depend on who our manager is, and how the players react to them. How many mangers have we appointed mid season and got a win in there 1st game?

I hope that idiot parsons and Spores have a plan “B” so to speak when Tonda gets his punishment.

im also wondering when we appeal how long it takes to be heard - will it be months or days? 
 

They are a bit of a boogy side in the league , not sure when we last beat them in the league , was in back in 2004 at home? 

Yeah played 4 drawn 4 in the league since the 2005 relegation.

[Turkish]

If we turn up we win comfortably. They are shite. We’ve got some time to react the Tonda news whatever that is. Anything can happen in a one off game but we should win and if we can get an early goal it should be a fairly straightforward afternoons work 

[Dr Who?]

We have enough to beat them for sure, but it is a a derby. We will score, we will let a goal in and in this one I can see a 1-1. Would be nice to keep our first clean sheet of the season though in 4/5 to nil win! One can dream dream dream

[Green]

We’re going to have three weeks of Portsmyths in the build-up. Wonder if they’ll come up with any new ones? 

[die Mannyschaft]

Saints 1-1 Pompey. 

 

Edited Sunday at 22:27 by die Mannyschaft

[die Mannyschaft]

Oh and I can see Skates making a video like Wrexham just to try to unsettle Saints.  Plus others teams jump kn band wagon. 

[whelk]

6 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Saints 1-1 Pompey.  Thats on the basis of the team we have now and not got any defenders,  midfielder or a natural goal scorer to go along sudd Larin or replce.

We can't defend corners and Skates ae same as Wrexham bang it along, run lines, bundle it natural corner.

We play a possession game that's high risk playing passing triangles af last minute to draw opposition in. I don’t think that will work in this game. Scienza will be taken out as that's Skates style.

I really hope we have accumulated lots of points before this derby so that a draw is a good result. 

I dong think Tonda will be back in time if at all,  Boro have made it clear what they want and EFL and FA too scared to make own conclusions. 

 

In English please

[whelk]

5-1, they ain’t going to know what hit them

[Patrick Bateman]

19 minutes ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Oh and I can see Skates making a video like Wrexham just to try to unsettle Saints.  Plus others teams jump kn band wagon. 

They couldn't afford to do that. Tin pot.

[SNSUN]

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to. Cry if I want to. Cryyyyyy if I want to...

Though I hope I don't have to. 6-0 Saints. Dobbin hattrick to be an instant hero. 

[Lighthouse]

5 hours ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Saints 1-1 Pompey.  Thats on the basis of the team we have now and not got any defenders,  midfielder or a natural goal scorer to go along sudd Larin or replce.

We can't defend corners and Skates ae same as Wrexham bang it along, run lines, bundle it natural corner.

We play a possession game that's high risk playing passing triangles af last minute to draw opposition in. I don’t think that will work in this game. Scienza will be taken out as that's Skates style.

I really hope we have accumulated lots of points before this derby so that a draw is a good result. 

I dong think Tonda will be back in time if at all,  Boro have made it clear what they want and EFL and FA too scared to make own conclusions. 

If this is what your dong thinks, I'd suggest using your brain to form opinions instead, from now on.

[Challenger]

First clean sheet of the season, 0-0.

[Saint Garrett]

Simply have to, and should comfortably win.

They are dogshit, and we are one of the best teams in the league. 

Internationals returning late/fatigued is a concern, might we see Mubama start?!

But we have to be absolutely on it, the fans deserve a decent win against those c*nts.

[Pamplemousse]

At home, and without their frothing inbred fans attacking our players on the touchline, we should win comfortably.

And I'm pretty sure we will. 3-0, easy peasy.

[Pamplemousse]

10 hours ago, Green said:

We’re going to have three weeks of Portsmyths in the build-up. Wonder if they’ll come up with any new ones? 

Any references to our spying should be met with their wrongdoing.

Let's start with them taking money off charities - and not a one-off either https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/portsmouth-steep-new-low-pocketing-3359282 https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9703112.portsmouth-fc-owes-more-than-8000-to-charities/ 

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Any references to our spying should be met with their wrongdoing.

Let's start with them taking money off charities - and not a one-off either https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/portsmouth-steep-new-low-pocketing-3359282 https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9703112.portsmouth-fc-owes-more-than-8000-to-charities/ 

Alas, that was a different football club... The new club that plays at Fratton Park (incorporated 2012) have never engaged in any off field misdemeanors, to my knowledge...

Edited yesterday at 08:27 by trousers

[EssEffCee]

17 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

Any references to our spying should be met with their wrongdoing.

Let's start with them taking money off charities - and not a one-off either https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/portsmouth-steep-new-low-pocketing-3359282 https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9703112.portsmouth-fc-owes-more-than-8000-to-charities/ 

"You stole from charity" 🎶

[EssEffCee]

This game truly feels season defining. Hate the fact we've got to wait 3 weeks for it.

[Football Special]

Skates have four calls ups now 

https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2026/september/18/two-more-international-call-ups-for-pompey/

We have seven 

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/saints-september-and-october-2026-international-guide

 

I'll be following the Canada matches closely, any injury to Larin will be a huge blow before the game, vital. Also Azaz with Ireland. 

Any idea if Saints non-internationals are being given a few days away start of this week with such a long break? 

 

Edited yesterday at 11:08 by Football Special

[LGTL]

About time we beat these pricks in the league. If we play anywhere near what we’re capable of, it should be comfortable. They’re expecting a drilling, hopefully we administer it. 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

16 hours ago, SouthWalesSaints said:

I don’t see a world where we don’t win this game.  If Tonda is banned the players will “do it for him” if he’s not the club will be “glad to have that behind us”. 
 

We’ve got to much for them and we’ll run all over them, not so confident about the away fixture but we beat them. 100%. 
 

Atmosphere is arguably the best it’s been in years at St Mary’s as well. That’ll help, along with the fact they are 500 down on last season.

I said the same for Lincoln away.....

I said the same (as some others did too) for Wrexham away......

 

[St Chalet]

It will nice to see an away team in in blue implode for a change.

[sockeye]

Mubama to start, imo.

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, sockeye said:

Mubama to start, imo.

Alongside Larin? 

[Gloucester Saint]

3 hours ago, LGTL said:

They’re expecting a drilling, hopefully we administer it. 

It’ll make a change from them drilling varieties of stingrays I suppose. 

[SNSUN]

A meaty game for Adam Lallana to get his first taste of managerial experience...

😉

[Harry_SFC]

Surely we are finally going to beat them in the league. Been way too many draws with this lot. 

[Saint_clark]

9 hours ago, trousers said:

Alas, that was a different football club... The new club that plays at Fratton Park (incorporated 2012) have never engaged in any off field misdemeanors, to my knowledge...

If that's what they want to go with that's fine, they've also never won a league title or FA cup. 

[bpsaint]

Hard to find excitement for this at the moment if I’m being honest, which I never thought I’d ever say because I hate those cunts, but with the pending punishment for Tonda incoming and the realistic possibility we go into this game with Ben Garner on the touchline, or Lallana, or a brand new manager entirely I can’t find the enthusiasm right now.
 

The whole delay in punishment is a complete clusterfuck.

[Viking Saint]

22 hours ago, EssEffCee said:

We absolutely have to win this after the shambles of last season, nothing less will be good enough. 5th league game in a row where we'll be comfortable favourites and failing to win yet again will be embarrassing.

Slight concern is that they seem the sort of side we struggle against, really need Scienza and Jander fit.

We need Scienza fit and a referee who's going to give him some protection, giving that most team's idea of dealing with him is just to kick lumps out of him

[LGTL]

59 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Hard to find excitement for this at the moment if I’m being honest, which I never thought I’d ever say because I hate those cunts, but with the pending punishment for Tonda incoming and the realistic possibility we go into this game with Ben Garner on the touchline, or Lallana, or a brand new manager entirely I can’t find the enthusiasm right now.
 

The whole delay in punishment is a complete clusterfuck.

Know what you mean, to be honest. Aside all of the above, they’ve also completely and utterly ruined the fixture. 12pm, Sunday, stupid fucking bubble. Pompey home and away should be the best two fixtures of the season, but they’re easily the worst two fixtures thanks to Hants OB and the two clubs. 

[RedArmy]

7 hours ago, LGTL said:

About time we beat these pricks in the league. If we play anywhere near what we’re capable of, it should be comfortable. They’re expecting a drilling, hopefully we administer it. 

It wasn’t that long ago that we went to Fratton expecting a drilling off them, things felt like they were at rock bottom at the time. I had certainly had enough of Tonda. 
It turned out to be a proper team performance that kick started our season, despite not being the result we wanted. 
 

Now we’re praying that Tonda is still our manager and expecting a big result. 
 

Funny old game isn’t it. 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, LGTL said:

Know what you mean, to be honest. Aside all of the above, they’ve also completely and utterly ruined the fixture. 12pm, Sunday, stupid fucking bubble. Pompey home and away should be the best two fixtures of the season, but they’re easily the worst two fixtures thanks to Hants OB and the two clubs. 

Things have to change, need enough of us to get a purchase history at Pompey, get a load of tickets in the Fratton end and spice things up a bit 

[sockeye]

6 hours ago, sockeye said:

Mubama to start, imo.

Just seen he's also on international duty... Larin it is...

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

20 hours ago, EssEffCee said:

"You stole from charity" 🎶

“Spy, spy, wherever you may be,

but he only hid behind a tree,

and it could be worse,

you cheating skates are thieves,

who like to rob from the charities”

[benjii]

On 21/09/2026 at 01:38, die Mannyschaft said:

Oh and I can see Skates making a video like Wrexham just to try to unsettle Saints.  Plus others teams jump kn band wagon. 

I don't think they can afford to make a video.

[Jack]

On 21/09/2026 at 09:02, Saint Garrett said:

They are dogshit, and we are one of the best teams in the league. 

 

Are we though? We’ve picked up the same number of points as Stoke. QPR and Bristol City, got 2 points from 4 games away including being beaten by 2 dire teams. Even a couple of the home games that look like comfortable wins on paper, we were under the cosh for long spells and were lucky not to have conceded more. 
 

We’re far better than Pompey, yes. But there are loads of sides who look far better than us IMO.

[RedArmy]

1 hour ago, Jack said:

Are we though? We’ve picked up the same number of points as Stoke. QPR and Bristol City

We’ve picked up the same number of points as West Brom and wolves. 3 points less than the league leaders who we beat comfortably. 

[Saint Fan CaM]

I’ve got contrasting feelings about his one - yes we’re a better team on paper, but I don’t think we’ve displayed enough so far to suggest we’re anything more than a good mid-table team. The derby always has and always will throw up non-standard results…it’s their cup final…arguably ours too for many supporters. We’ve got the impending Tonda punishment to overcome and I think there’s a good chance the FA will throw the book at him just because they can - 3 months ban. This will do nothing to spur on our team to perform any better or somehow raise their game.

Inexplicably Cap’n Jack will start because he hates the skates, so that’s us down to 10 men. Manning will continue to position himself in no-man’s land and so allow almost every cross into the box, thus playing into Pompey gameplan. Edozie will come on at 70 minutes and demonstrate his ball skills but never get his head up to deliver a decent ball into the box or take a decent shot in target. Then there’s the risks of international duty and our players getting injured - especially Larin.

Score? Almost impossible to say with all the variables, but I reckon 1-1 or even a disaster 1-2. If everything goes our way then 4-1 is not out of the question. 

Edited 2 hours ago by Saint Fan CaM

[macca155]

On 20/09/2026 at 21:21, Lighthouse said:

Sigh... we're going to contrive to not win this fixture again aren't we.

The Clinton Baptiste in me is predicting Saints go 1-0 up in an edgy encounter, then we go full Tuchel vs. Argentina. Pompey are stretched chasing a goal and both their CBs are on a yellow and visibly tired. So instead of sending on Mubama and Dobbin to run at them, we bring on Stephens and Bragg for Larin and Scienza and switch to a back five, eventually clinging on for a 1-1 draw after they score from their ninth consecutive corner.

That sounds horribly familiar