Match thread Portsmouth v WBA 31 Jan 2026

[Omegstrat6]

0-2 down FFS.😞
Only able to listen to this but our defence seems like a sieve again and no confidence with far too many sloppy passes. Portsmouth sound like they are playing a very direct game and our response is verging on the collapse against Norwich with none of the fight shown against Derby. This is just encouraging Portsmouth to bully us into submission.

I know that we have injuries but so far Imray doesn't sound better than Campbell, Taylor sounds much poorer than Styles and Mepham poorer than Bielik. All sounds very disjointed. At this rate we will be 0-3 down by half time. Big changes needed at half time if we are to have even a chance of snatching a point. Too many not showing the spirit needed so can see Styles coming on for Taylor amongst others, including perhaps Bostock.

Although it's the lack of fight that is most concerning, I don't think Ramsay's preferred formation is working at all either and surely playing Mikey as a winger rather than a number 10 would help give us more chances.

[stargazer_1962]

The manager will no doubt look at the data at half time as the answer to the problem must be in there somewhere.

[baggieal]

Embarrassing and the club should refund all our supporters who attended the match!

No fight - no effort - no direction and simply cowardly

[Leicesterbaggie]

Let?s be honest, under Mason we were always in matches and in fairness, often did not have the rub of the green. I often did not agree with his selections or substitutions but under Ramsay, words fail me. I have never been one for a knee jerk reactions but surely we cannot continue with this clown.

[baggieal]

Let?s be honest, under Mason we were always in matches and in fairness, often did not have the rub of the green. I often did not agree with his selections or substitutions but under Ramsay, words fail me. I have never been one for a knee jerk reactions but surely we cannot continue with this clown.

Setting up on the back foot and dropping Styles who is not great but at least brings energy. Heggebo whilst he didn?t get any service looked like an aging cow put out to graze ie no fight or looking for the ball. Taylor, Mepham and Phillips look like Sunday league players.

Nestor needs to go!

[Bombers right foot]

Worst Albion side I?ve ever seen, the players have no pride, no passion, no fight, no commitment, no will to win, no will to battle, everyone of them should be ashamed of themselves, whether we go down or not personally I don?t want to see any of this pathetic shower pull on an Albion shirt next season, I rather play the kids who show some effort and passion, and as for Nestor and Ramsey they can just f@@k right off into the sunset

[On Balance]

Let?s be honest, under Mason we were always in matches and in fairness, often did not have the rub of the green. I often did not agree with his selections or substitutions but under Ramsay, words fail me. I have never been one for a knee jerk reactions but surely we cannot continue with this clown.

Been to the game with a home fan/colleague, who is kindly dropping me home having collected me earlier today. He is quite chuffed. He was amazed at how awful we are.

I honestly think the club errored by listening to the discontented fans and disposing of Mason. I know there was a massive call for him to be fired but it was clearly the wrong time of the season to do that. Would those who wanted Mason gone would they reflect with total honesty on whether it was an huge error.

I have to add my friend/colleague is happy that Portsmouth won. but he just keeps repeating how shocked he is at how bad we are.

Losing faith but will keep supporting. Once a Baggie always a Baggie.

[baggieal]

For those in the minority who say the talented kids like Bostock, Williams, Whitwell and Bray are too young and not ready.

Do you think they would be any worse than this cowardly bunch? At least the youngsters would not get booed off with chants of your not fit to wear the shirt!

Whilst he didn?t not get the service there was no effort or looking for the ball from Heggebo. Five million for him? Really!

[phild]

Error number one appointing Mason in the first place, followed by removing Mason far too late and our 3rd error was appointing a z lister coach who incredibly is far worse than Mason.

Albion brought in Ramsay to get us clear from the bottom but instesd he will without question take us to Bloomfield Road. We have had to suffer the worst two coaches in Albions history followed by the worst performing Albion team that any fan can ever remember. What on earth was Patel thinking in putting his faith in this utter shambles?

[baggieal]

Error number one appointing Mason in the first place, followed by removing Mason far too late and our 3rd error was appointing a z lister coach who incredibly is far worse than Mason.

Albion brought in Ramsay to get us clear from the bottom but instesd he will without question take us to Bloomfield Road. We have had to suffer the worse two coaches in Albions history followed by the worse performing Albion team that any fan can ever remember. What on earth was Patel thinking in putting his faith in this utter shambles?

Never mind losing Phil but it?s the lack of fight. Are Taylor, Phillips, Mepham and Junior to name but a few professional football players FFS?

Heggebo at almost five million 😂. He looks like he sits next to Maja for his lunch!

[Johnny on the spot 1]

Hi Al ,
not many time I disagree with you ,
But what did you expect from Heggebo he was up front on his own with no one near him within 30 yards , all game there are forwards who are 10 times better than him wouldn?t do anything in those circumstance , we are pi ss poor.

[baggieal]

Hi Al ,
not many time I disagree with you ,
But what did you expect from Heggebo he was up front on his own with no one near him within 30 yards , all game there are forwards who are 10 times better than him wouldn?t do anything in those circumstance , we are pi ss poor.

Hope your well Jonny. My point really was the lack of fight collectively and whilst Heggebo got
p iss poor service he never ran off the ball or looked for it. So whole team were s hite and all did not seem to care and really do not understand it. Surely fight and mentality should come from the manager and captain but that said - it should be basic to give 100% as after all they should be professionals.

[kettering_baggie]

The manager will no doubt look at the data at half time as the answer to the problem must be in there somewhere.

For certain, study the stats and the answer will be there! Like Hell it will be, far too much ?analysis? of statistics, any half decent manager can see with his own eyes what the problems are. Today, we were very lucky to escape with only a 3-0 defeat; they had two good penalty shouts and three other chances before half time. The first of those penalty shouts, I thought, was a definite penalty.

[Omegstrat6]

Before Christmas I was still pretty convinced that we may have avoided a relegation battle but it looks a certainty now with League One looking a very real prospect 😞

IMHO, Ramsay must take his share of the blame for today as well as the players, far too many of whom, in a huge reversal from the Derby game, failed to show the desire and competitiveness that should be the very least that fans should expect. That is on them, as is the sloppy passing and shambolic defending.

On the other hand-while it's always difficult to judge from just audio commentary -we also seemed very disjointed and greatly lacking in confidence and the manager must shoulder a lot of the responsibility for that, especially as he has had an opportunity to spend far more time with the players before this game than he has with others.

The wing back reliant formation may have worked for Ramsay in the MLS but trying to force this group of players into unfamiliar roles at this crucial stage of the season and not playing to their strengths also seems ridiculous. We all know, for example, that Mikey can create far more opportunities playing wide and cutting inside whereas when playing as an effective number 10 or as a wing-back he is not only less effective going forward but is also too often culpable of playing dangerously sloppy passes in his defensive play. We moaned (rightly) about some of Mason's selections but Taylor over Styles? What was he thinking?

Our injury list-Campbell, Grant, Bielik and Mowatt-has certainly limited Ramsay's options but with Gilchrist, Mepham, Taylor, Illing Junior and Price all being consistently underwhelming to put it politely and neither Maja or Dike offering much, if anything, surely it is time that Williams, Whitwell and Bostock are given their chances alongside Wallace?

I'm in agreement with Matt that none of these youngsters are properly ready yet but when I look at today's game, when it could so easily have been more than 0-3, I also cannot disagree with Al that Bostock and Whitwell should have been given their opportunities. As he says, they could hardly have been worse and their very freshness and desire may have inspired the others.

The window closes on Monday I believe but I honestly can't see us getting much, if anything. As for those we've secured so far, I'm pretty sure O'Leary will improve but Imray needs to be a lot better than he was today if he is going to challenge Campbell for his place. Not looking promising is it?

[kettering_baggie]

Why aren’t the youngsters ready? If they don’t play, we don’t know. By all accounts, we are trying to sign a 19 year old from the Vile (not another one), so why give ours a go?