Unbelievable ... and unacceptable.

[nonsuchmike]

A top divisional team with aspirations of promotion does not lose nil three at home to a team on the edge of relegation. Flat? I reckon the whole team must have been suffering from delusional depression.

There is a remedy, but I doubt that Cookie will adopt it.

Replace the whole first starting team and replace it with other squad members for the next two or three matches, and tell everybody they are playing for their contract/future @ FP. At the end of February I reckoned we had to win the next five matches to stand a chance of automatic promotion. It was do-able. The only doubt was Accrington away. How come we slaughter York 6 - 0 and a similar club we lose to with an abject display in front of a large supportive crowd?

Is Tuesday night the new Saturday afternoon?

Agree with me or not, the chance of an automatic promotion place is fast receding; in fact, we will have to rely on other teams' failures as well as 100% effort from our lads. At present, despite recent blips, th

[chiblu]

Alan Ball (r.i.p) used to say "You've got to fight for the right to play". Yesterday we had no fight, We really need a "nasty ****" in that team. If that lot had walked off to face Ball they would be crapping their collective pants!
Roll your sleeves up you lot - or **** off!

[AlgernonPFC]

I agree with both of you but, without wishing to be a pseudo psychologist (always a sure sign that I am about to try and be exactly that!) I think it is a bit more complex than them just not having any fight in them.

These are guys who have been mostly used to playing in front of 1, 2 or maybe occasionally 6 thousand crowds throughout their careers and suddenly they are playing in front of 15,000 plus exceptionally noisy fans. And, yes, it is the same for both sides playing at Fratton but add to that for the Pompey players the fact that Mr. Cook makes them live in the area, unless they are incredibly insensitive, which I don't believe they are, they will pick up from the papers, television and fans the expectations for the club. Come Saturday at Fratton I think they may feel the pressure from the crowd and it intimidates them whereas the opposition get inspired in playing in front of such a large crowd and a crowd who are not expecting anything from them other than defeat whereas th

[Corkhead]

If you are right Algie, and I think there is something in what you say, maybe we need an old pro or two who have been round the block at the top level? Trouble is unless they have a "special project" like Nolan at Orient they probably would not be interested in continuing their careers in Div 4. It was interesting to note Orient's three with Premiership experience held it all together for them in the recent game at FP. One in defence, one in midfield and one up front. Canny move imo and it looks like it is starting to pay dividends. Mind you what they will be like on a wet Tuesday at Hartlepool might be a different matter.

[philphillips]

[quote="chiblu" in that team. If that lot had walked off to face Ball they would be crapping their collective pants!
Roll your sleeves up you lot - or **** off![/quote

Spot on.....I can just picture Bally on the sidelines throwing his flat cap to the ground in anger .......then the players dodging the flying tea cups in the dressing room after the game! Loved Alan Ball (RIP) a real battler who "got Pompey" and what the Club meant to the fans and the city! Oh how we could do with a Bally figure now!

[TurktownAnt]

[quote="Corkhead" like Nolan at Orient they probably would not be interested in continuing their careers in Div 4. It was interesting to note Orient's three with Premiership experience held it all together for them in the recent game at FP. One in defence, one in midfield and one up front. Canny move imo and it looks like it is starting to pay dividends. Mind you what they will be like on a wet Tuesday at Hartlepool might be a different matter. [/quote]

I get the point about having old shoulders but I'm not sure that's the difference between us getting auto or play offs. We've beaten the best teams in the league with what we've got so I don't think that's the diff. We aren't consistent. Simple as that. Northampton are so far ahead of the pack - whats their se