The overwhelming feeling on the Pompey forums is that they are going to pot and after last night's loss are turning on the owners. Some fans are turning on the players saying that their decline wasn't the fault of the Cowleys, but the players themselves. A few though, reckon they've still got some gas in the tank and point to a second half performance in which they had loads of possession and were very competitive in midfield winning most second balls and forcing us to hoof it away - which is fair comment. With a couple of changes to come for Saturday's game they may well offer more of a threat and it can't be forgotten that in the early part of the season they rocketed up the table so they're hoping to regain that sort of form sooner rather than later. Either way we can't afford to be cocky or complacent.

So what do we need to do?

First there's the defensive question. Santos defended well apart from when he was rinsed by the winger towards the end but he did make a fair few headed clearances and some of his long range passing was quality. My problem with Santos is that he slows the game down to the point that his distribution is ponderous and predictable and we lost the advantage of quick transition that we've seen with the Toal/Aimson/Johnston back three - which allows us to get forward before the opposition have had time to park two rows of defenders in front of us. I'd revert to Aimson for Saturday.

Williams did OK - as did Beck who nearly scored - but I'd start Williams and Bradley as WBs - we can always change them if required, but I think they offer more threat early doors when we need that all-important first goal.

Midifield has to be stronger than the starting mids last night. This is the area where Pompey will be looking to dominate so we need to be far more competitive.

Up front? Dion and JDB to start again but would love to see Dan on at some stage. Sadly, I've lost all confidence in Baka.

My prediction is 2 nil barring a disaster.

 

Gonna be a wet one 

20 minutes ago, gonzo said:

Reckon we are bigger than Pompey to your average fan?

Not much in it thinking about it bar our stadium.

Our PL period was probably more stand out than theirs 

But they won the FA cup  

My bias has us edging it with the stand out players we had that other fans would remember from the time 

Okocha > Yakubu

5 minutes ago, bolton_blondie said:

Gonna be a wet one 

You say the most alluring things 😍.

2 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

You say the most alluring things 😍.

Always a bit damp at the match with all the belstaff, Stone island, CP company, adidas wearing middle aged fellas. Don't think I go for the football do you? Goodness me. 

11 minutes ago, bolton_blondie said:

Always a bit damp at the match with all the City Coaching, hard toking, veggie munching, dog walking types there.  Don't think I go for the football do you? Goodness me. 

 

We took more to Guimares therefore Bolton are massive everywhere we go

1 hour ago, radcliffe white said:

Not much in it on averages with us and then both home & away 

Knew it

5 minutes ago, Casino said:

Knew it

Knew you would comment 

2-0 to the Whites today. We are due a good home win over this lot!

1 hour ago, Biggish Dave said:

We took more to Guimares therefore Bolton are massive everywhere we go

So did Portsmouth in 2008

2 minutes ago, Northender said:

So did Portsmouth in 2008

Aye, that’s what I meant - there were more Bolton in Guimares than Pompey took

3-0 get into em’ fuck em up. 

We are probably similar supported, although we can pull out bigger crowds due to a much bigger ground.

We are equal on major trophies, however we've spent 73 years in the top flight compared to Pompey's 33 years.

There's an all time table for English football, we sit in a very respectful 13th place, Pompey in 29th.

In short I think we are bigger, but not massively bigger.

Our population is quite a bit bigger...

15 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Our population is quite a bit bigger...

But we have massively more local competition.

Facts are they're a bunch of Southern Jessie's. End of.

1 minute ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

But we have massively more local competition.

Facts are they're a bunch of Southern Jessie's. End of.

Portsmouth is rough as, I wouldn't be saying that in certain parts of that city.

 

 

Not looking forward to hearing that fucking bell for 90 mins.

3-1

Charles, Bradley, Morley

Come On You Whites!!!

Must be annoying for Portsmouth fans 

3 minutes ago, DazBob said:

Not looking forward to hearing that fucking bell for 90 mins.

You sit near Cheese?

Portsmouth area contains several large towns including Havant which is an interesting place to have a few bevies shall we say.All Pompey fans there to be sure , their ‘pulling ‘ area is quite large in Hampshire although Southampton has a bigger population .

 

Good.

Pitch is shocking. 

Some of our successful teams played on poor pitches in the 90s be reet