Pompey Thread

[Chrisr]

Originally Posted by AccyMad

Erm, Chris - you said in your original post 'we played well and lost', think that could be what Chimer is referring to?
I too, not being able to get to Portsmouth, followed the live text & radio updates today but wouldn't ever make comments on how the lads have played unless I'd been there to see for myself as otherwise all I'd be going off would be other people's opinions.

Thanks for that Di, The sentence should have made it clearer that I meant we had played well in other games and lost. But we had a few attacking spells in the pompy game where we could have snatched an equaliser. We have seen our team play as good as any team in league two and as badly as a Sunday league club. My question is the consistency acceptable? I suspect not. What bit I saw on channel 5 was exactly what I have witnessed this season. Lack of killer instinct in front of goal. Pompy may be a big club in terms of support but at our best we are as good or better than them. We are at a point of do or die.

[Revived Red]

Originally Posted by Chrisr

But we had a few attacking spells in the pompy game where we could have snatched an equaliser.

Are you quite sure about that? Apart from a goalmouth scramble, we never looked like scoring. The stats say we had 1 shot on target - that may have been part of the scramble.

I travelled back as far as Southampton with some Pompey fans. They were mystified at the failure to substitute McConville and Billy Kee who seemed to spend more time on his backside than on his feet.

[DAV007]

Billy kee has had the sort of season that would get him released at any other club.

[football19]

I am struggling to work out the second division this year !!

Acci are playing some decent football and generally haven't got their rewards their approach play deserves.

Morecambe,lose their centre forwards,so they have no focal point,lose their best player to Preston and eleven games ago decided to go long,three at the back contest the second ball !!

On paper its suicide,but in reality.they have won 5,drawn 4 and lost 2,which is automatic promotion form !!!.

Goes against the grain for me,but maybe a plan B is an alternative?

[Twenty Eight]

Originally Posted by Phil Whalley

Thought Jordan looked sharp when he came on, I'm not sure we've got the best out of him yet.

He's a young lad who needs a confidence boost. A certain wide player seems to be first on the sheet sometimes deserved sometimes not.
He sees O'Sullivan go and then what happens ? He gets dropped and sees two lads turn up on loan who on the face of it are in front of him in the queue.
Tuesday Coley has a selection dilemma. Pearson and Brown back plus Saturdays squad.
Who will make it ?
Who will only make the bench ?
Who will sit in the stand ?
Big call. That's what hes paid for. Interesting.

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by football19

I am struggling to work out the second division this year !!

Acci are playing some decent football and generally haven't got their rewards their approach play deserves.

Morecambe,lose their centre forwards,so they have no focal point,lose their best player to Preston and eleven games ago decided to go long,three at the back contest the second ball !!

On paper its suicide,but in reality.they have won 5,drawn 4 and lost 2,which is automatic promotion form !!!.

Goes against the grain for me,but maybe a plan B is an alternative?

FA !...perhaps you'll agree with me when I say that the difference between the Shrimps and the Reds yesterday appeared to be the threat emanating from their left side midfield. As I saw it Kevin Ellison's desire to see the ball in the net was frightening, whilst little or nothing came from our left wing at all if reports are to be believed.
Ellison is not universally accepted at the Crown, but his example of sheer industry and effort displayed yesterday was one which our left side players (no names, no pack-drill !)could well use as an example of what is required in the cut and thrust of games at the foot of the entire Football League .

Am I also wrong in thinking that the Stanley seem to be a collection of reasonably good footballers who are, unfortunately, not a Football team ?.

[Chimer]

Originally Posted by yonmon

FA !...perhaps you'll agree with me when I say that the difference between the Shrimps and the Reds yesterday appeared to be the threat emanating from their left side midfield. As I saw it Kevin Ellison's desire to see the ball in the net was frightening, whilst little or nothing came from our left wing at all if reports are to be believed.
Ellison is not universally accepted at the Crown, but his example of sheer industry and effort displayed yesterday was one which our left side players (no names, no pack-drill !)could well use as an example of what is required in the cut and thrust of games at the foot of the entire Football League .

Am I also wrong in thinking that the Stanley seem to be a collection of reasonably good footballers who are, unfortunately, not a Football team ?.

Not a lot maybe, but more than came from the right until Clarke came on at 60 mins, or through the middle at all.

[Exile on Spencer St]

I think F19's question about Plan B is very apt. Continually doing the same thing and expecting a different result is one definition of insanity.
28 is a consistent supporter of Clarke and I agree with both what he says (and what he doesn't!). Clarke seems to me to be as effective as was O'Sullivan.
Yonmon's summary is spot on, as is the comment about the absence of a 'driving force' at the heart of Stanley. Having Matty Pearson back can only be a plus, but the back line is not Stanley's major problem at the moment.

If Brown is to come straight back in I'd drop the captain and keep Husin, and ask the former to break up the opposition and the latter to feed the wings.
Put Clarke on the left wing, and Boco on the right (or vice versa), and tell them to keep wide, and to look to run behind the defenders, and get crosses into Kee and Edwards and anyone else who has the legs to get into the box.

[Twenty Eight]

McConville will start. Conneely won't be dropped.
Who gets demoted for Pearson ?

[Twenty Eight]

If I was a betting man I would expect only two changes. Pearson for Rodgers and Boco for Edwards. They both drop to bench with Shaw Sykes and Davies left in the stand and Brown on the bench.
Not my choice I hasten to add but trying to second guess the Manager.

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by Exile on Spencer St

I think F19's question about Plan B is very apt. Continually doing the same thing and expecting a different result is one definition of insanity.
28 is a consistent supporter of Clarke and I agree with both what he says (and what he doesn't!). Clarke seems to me to be as effective as was O'Sullivan.
Yonmon's summary is spot on, as is the comment about the absence of a 'driving force' at the heart of Stanley. Having Matty Pearson back can only be a plus, but the back line is not Stanley's major problem at the moment.

If Brown is to come straight back in I'd drop the captain and keep Husin, and ask the former to break up the opposition and the latter to feed the wings.
Put Clarke on the left wing, and Boco on the right (or vice versa), and tell them to keep wide, and to look to run behind the defenders, and get crosses into Kee and Edwards and anyone else who has the legs to get into the box.

So Exile , ' der Wunderkinder ' would keep his left-side spot in your team for Mansfield then,
or might it not be wise to drop him and replace him with Husin who is reported to have more talent and drive than ' the chosen one ' ?.
( cue ' how dare you ' retorts from SM's admirers ! ). But I'm just asking !!

KTF !.

[Chimer]

I don't particularly admire Sean, I just tend to defend him, as I would any Stanley player, against the irredeemably one-eyed detractors who seem to enjoy his every mistake.

Noor didn't stand out for me yesterday, apart from one lovely bit of work just before half-time. But then no did anyone else, really, and as I haven't seen enough of him to recognise him without seeing his number whenever he's on the ball, I may have missed some examples of his "talent and drive". Obviously, I hope he can make a difference but I think midfield is where we really need to improve, so if he is super-good I wouldn't think the wing is the best place for him.

[yonmon]

Originally Posted by Chimer

I don't particularly admire Sean, I just tend to defend him, as I would any Stanley player, against the irredeemably one-eyed detractors who seem to enjoy his every mistake.

Noor didn't stand out for me yesterday, apart from one lovely bit of work just before half-time. But then no did anyone else, really, and as I haven't seen enough of him to recognise him without seeing his number whenever he's on the ball, I may have missed some examples of his "talent and drive". Obviously, I hope he can make a difference but I think midfield is where we really need to improve, so if he is super-good I wouldn't think the wing is the best place for him.

Now you know after all these years Chimer that I am rarely one-eyed...irredeemable ?, well perhaps I still search for some redemption before it's too late !.
I don't look to criticise any Stanley player...although, if my memory serves me right I did aim one or two barbs at Bertrand Bossu on one occasion, but didn't everyone?. Nor do I seldom point out where JC could improve his and his preferred Team's performance. But on this occasion I took my forum cred to it's limit by suggesting that at this time there might just be a better alternative than SM in the team fighting for League survival ?..
I thought better than suggesting that Shay McCartan is presently unfit for purpose in my post. Not wanting to really put my neck on the chopping block !.

[Revived Red]

Originally Posted by Chimer

one-eyed detractors who seem to enjoy his every mistake.

It's not a question of his mistakes - it's his lack of involvement in the game. Yesterday, I think the Don was attacking more often than Sean McConville. Yes, I know SM has his moments - but these are few and far between. One of the Pompey fans I travelled with was a supporter of Gosport Borough (Vanarama League South) - he reckoned that SM would struggle to make the bench there.

My solution to the selection dilemma? Rest Billy Kee - and put Matty Pearson at centre forward. For goodness sake, let's give these lumbering League 2 centre backs something to think about.

[pidge]

Lose an blame S.M is the norm on here so there's no surprise there , the football league paper had him as 1 of are better performers yesterday. But my question is this we had 5 loan players in the starting 11 yesterday that's nearly half the team , now for me 1 or 2 who will help you I don't mind but to have half your team made up of players who regardless of weather Accrington stay up or go down will return to there parent clubs an not be affected at al by the plight of our club really gets my back up. Also all the loans we have are 18 or 19 which made for a really inexperienced starting 11.