Today at Fratton Park

[Lancer]

Same Old ....... Same Old.

and I thought we would get better !!!

[philphillips]

Same Old ....... Same Old.

and I thought we would get better !!!

Patience my dear Lancer......from little acorns and all that! Mind you I have to admit that I heard that "same old.....same old" from loads of our fans on the walk back to the pub after the game! Though there were some positives though......Baker looks the part and isn't afraid to shoot......good goal after some Roberts "magic". Milan Lakovic looks a real "live wire" and beat more of the opposition with the ball at his feet than Bennett did all of last season! The defensive partnership of burgess and whatmough was hardly tested.....although jack looked a little rusty! Good goal by Carlisle....Forde didn't really stand a chance and although it wasn't pretty you have to credit Carlisle as they defended like their lives depended on it in the second half! Slightly worrying that (like last season) we couldn't break a team down to win the game (and against ten men).........but it was "Harry Redder's and it's a team with a number of newbies......so let's take the point and hope as Lancer stated "we get better"!

[lovedeanblue]

If we come up against a better keeper this season in the league I'll be amazed. He does for sure know how to waste time and for that he was rightly booked in the end. Good to see you posting Phil.

[Lancer]

I thought Jack played better with long hair !

[Corkhead]

Baker's was the best Pompey debut I have seen for some time. Up here is a lot of Cov and everyone I know to a man sings his praises and rightly so. He looks like some player. He just edged out Roberts as MoM for me. Hard to judge the defence as so little work needed to be done but Jack looked very rusty and Talbot seemed nervous. Lalkovic was fitful but fiery and did seem well up for it to the extent of needing an arm put round him when coming off at half time and presumably being told to calm down. My big bone of contention is the formation yet again. One up front and two holding midfielders against ten men until 20 mins from the end? Smudger Smiff just doesn't cut it for me. He seems to lack awareness and anticipation in the box and is always half a yard or half a second behind play. Still on another day it could easily have been 4-1.

One final observation on the match and time-wasting by the goalkeeper. I think the law that changed to allow keepers to take a goal kick from the other side to which it went out was unecessary and, in fact, plays into their hands when time-wasting. I noticed the keeper strolled across to the opposite side to which the ball went out on pretty much every occasion. If you add that up during a game when they are under pressure and conceding a lot of goal kicks that has got to be at least a couple more minutes wasted. Not much I know but it all adds up.

Oh, and the pitch - looked a picture - well done groundstaff. Brilliant job.

[cunninglinguist]

Good points well made Corky.

Is this team going to improve? That's the question I keep asking.

[Corkhead]

I would have to guess that playing Main or Hunt (haven't seen either play live that I recall), or both together, would be a good start at improving the team. Personally I would go for two out-and-out strikers up front at home. That means dropping Smith and a holding midfielder (Rose) who looked good but was actually surplus to requirements on Saturday. Just some thoughts - other than the finishing it was a pretty impressive performance if not result.

[lovedeanblue]

2 up front at home would be mandatory if we had anyone with a bit of CDF in charge. The stubborn Cook sadly can't see it, hence we continue to drop so many home points.

[cunninglinguist]

In fairness, 23 shots on goal should be enough to excite most fans and the odds of only getting one goal from that must be pretty small.