Pompey (A)

[Stig]

Sheff Wed were top 2 most of the season and then fell away in March and April. But anyway we've got to try and pull away from the chasing pack, as I don't think we've got the mentality for decisive games late in the season or in the play offs

[DirtySanchez]

2 hours ago, Bertie said:

Wonder if Bradley is nearing match fitness and we could get him back on loan from Liverpool in January?  They say never go back but would make an exception here to get us a top quality RWB for the second half of the season.

Did you also make an exception for Trafford?

[Mounts Kipper]

3 hours ago, Ani said:

I think the difference you are missing v Oxford is we never went a goal behind. That goal changes everything. Our midfield could not get on the ball. For first 15 minutes we played round/through them really well, loads of space attacking down our right. Also the fact their lad up front had a right game against Santos meant they could get support up there knowing there was a chance it could break to them. 
 

They say goals change games especially from a set piece just before half time. 

Spot on. We will muller them at our place. 

[DazBob]

Was strange last night. It was as if that sitter absolutely knocked the stuffing out of us and spurred them on.

Maghoma looked like a world beater up until then, and then afterwards went AWOL.

Some HUGE overreactions on here (and elsewhere) though.  We've been in a fantastic run of form and there's no reason to think why last night wasn't just a blip.

We're still in the automatic promotion places with two very winnable home games coming up.

[frank_spencer]

If losing to Portsmouth means we're the 2nd best team in the division and it finishes that way I'll be happy come the end of the season.

[DirtySanchez]

22 minutes ago, frank_spencer said:

If losing to Portsmouth means we're the 2nd best team in the division and it finishes that way I'll be happy come the end of the season.

In the same way winning 7-0 and top

But that second half performance away at Derby, Barnsley etc won't do us any favours 

[radcliffe white]

No issues with trains down south soon as back in Manchester and it’s cancellations galore 

[Johnnyrotten]

19 hours ago, Casino said:

You proper have an issue with how goals are scored

even got hung up on charles not scoring at home, i think

Attacking headers, ill go any that have gone on, so ill have iredale, exeter

Out of interest, why do you want to diregard the likes of toals header v wycombe

I don't, fantastic header.  Just feel creating goals from open play is a different skill set, not better or worse, just different.  And Iredale's finishes from set pieces have been superb this season, realistically Toal and Iredale aren't going to get many from open play because they aren't often up front.  So it relies on the strikers, mainly, to do that, and I thought JDBs movement and execution was better than I've seen previously.  No big deal, just an observation.

No hang up on Charles not scoring many at home, just a wierd stat up till very recently.  Pointing out trends or whatever isn't a hang up, I just over analyse (guilty) and find such things interesting, sad I know.  I used to have a thing about us hardly ever scoring in the North Stand, despite loads of goals in South Stand, it doesn't mean anything, just anomalies.

[Johnnyrotten]

8 hours ago, radcliffe white said:

I’d be tempted to play jones instead of cogley and slot Forrester in against Bristol 

That's been my preference for a few weeks.  We've had far worse than Cogley over the years but Forrester looks more comfortable than Jones at CB and Jones looks better than Cogley at wing back, IMO.  It would also immediately increase our physicality in 2 positions and that would have come in handy last night.

[Wanderlust]

Now I have finally calmed down a bit I reckon last night will stand us in good stead in the long run.

Pompey are an accomplished side, they have good depth in all positions as their back up striker showed against Rico last night and an astute manager who knew exactly how to hurt us. They are Championship quality at the moment IMO - and we're not far behind, but so are others - teams that will employ the same tactics against us.

We always knew we'll have to make significant upgrades to the squad if we get promoted and last night our weaknesses were exposed and highlighted - so ironically, that helps. The main concern for me with the current players - and this has happened before as others have mentioned - is that when we are not getting things our own way, our performance level actually drops rather than improves which compounds the problem. I'm talking about basic stuff like retaining possession and passing accurately. We know the lads can do it properly and can play better so it has to be a mentality issue. Huge task on for the team shrink and IE to address that aspect of the game because we know that we can play some good stuff and the lads just need to handle the pressure better i.e. up our game when we're struggling.