2016/17 Prediction League; Game 28 v Portmouth FC (away)

Div3North · 09-02-2017, 23:28

Portsmouth FC

V

Accrington Stanley

2016/17 Prediction League; Game 28 v Pompey (away)

Since the turn of the year, Pompey have played Luton and Exeter (5th and 4th) at home, and Donnie and Wycombe (1st and 6th) away; they took three points from Luton (1-0), no points and no goals from Exeter and Wycombe (0-1 twice), and got a stuffing (3-1) at Donnie .........for fun, as well, they beat Leyton Orient (23rd) 2-1, also at home ................... the Wycombe loss – but the comment has wider relevance – prompted former Stanley Manager Paul Cook to say;

"I feel if we play like that during the run-in, we'll have a lot more good days than bad. The bigger picture for me is, if we play like that, we'll go up”

.........which in turn prompted a number of people to think that he's a numpty, and several more to be grateful that he doesn’t manage the Stanley any longer ................

There’s a bit of a gap developing at the top of the table; Donnie have 62 from 29, with only five defeats (including to us); Plymouth have 57 from 28; Carlisle have 52 from 29 – only three defeats, but way too many draws (13); John O’Sullivan started for them at Leyton Orient last week but was subbed after 69 mins ............after them starts the jostling for position; Exeter 48/29 with a +19GD; Luton 46 from 29 (+14); Wycombe 46 from 28 (+5); and Tubular Bells 45 from 28 (+12) ................in their last 10, Pompey have four wins, four losses and two draws, GF9 GA10; they’ve failed to score in five of those 10 .................. overall they show a record that reads P28 W13 D6 L9 GF40 GA28 ...............alongside Luton and Blackpool they’ve conceded the fewest goals of anyone; Exeter (15), Plymouth (18) and Donnie (19) have won more times than them, and Carlisle and Wycombe the same number ..........curiously, Stevenage, who lie 13th, are only one win behind them .............. we’re six behind!

I remind those who might have forgotten that we beat Chimer FC 1-0 chez nous back in September, the goal coming from Paddy Lacey on his debut; since they slipped into the Styx (League Two) - and remember that in 2009/10 they were playing in the PL - we’ve won twice, drawn three, and lost twice (plus losing another, but in the Cup); our two wins were two of the last three, the third of which, sadly, cost us dear in last year’s promotion race. They went out of the FA Cup 2-1 at home to Wycombe, went out of the EFLTroffy (effectively) by losing on penalties to Reading u21s, and slid silently out of the EFL Cup back last August, losing 3-2 at Coventry – a fate they haven’t shared with many other sides (!)

They released Rhino, who joined Tararanmere (but hasn’t played yet, their game on Tuesday being called off); they’ve loan-signed striker Eoin Doyle (who was sent off recently for fighting with a team mate (Jermaine Beckford), and who previously played for Captain Cook at Sligo and Chesterfield) from PNE, and Wolves defender Aaron Simpson, both until the end of the season; they sent striker Michael Smith (Charlton, Swindon and, briefly, the Stanley) on loan to Justin Edinburgh’s Cobblers (Justin described Smith as being “a good size”, which is slightly worrying); they also loaned Slovakian winger Milan Lalkovic (who they signed from Walsall in the Summer) to Ross County; and they signed used car salesman-turned-striker Nicke Kabamba (23) from Hampton and Richmond Borough for £undisclosed ................

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3.00pm on Saturday 11th February .............Pompey’s ex managers include, among others, Alan Ball, Ian St John, and their former LH Jimmy Dickinson, who played 828 games for them, scoring 10 goals ..............which gives him a goals-per-game ratio of 1:83 – roughly the same as most of our squad! There are – and we knew there were – worse sides than us in this season’s League Two; perhaps now would be a good time to prove it? Yes?

And the word on the street is that the debt of a certain Championship side not a million miles from us has now reached £106,000,000 (or was that rupees?) ............ sooner them than me! And we all know what happened to Captain Cook .............

Good luck to everyone! ................ Keep the Faith! .......And thanks for playing!