Now that was better.

Banging on as I usually do about lack of fitness, skill, tackling, commitment, co-operation and forward thinking in the Pompey performances, I think it only fair to give credit where credit is due.

This was a much better performance all round from individuals and Pompey as a cohesive unit (fairly important I think you will agree in team games). The fact that we did not emerge as victors @ Sarfend should NOT deflect the team from taking this as a positive step in the right direction; for this alone we thank our new Manager RB.

Football is all about scoring and not conceding goals. We were undone by a wicked deflection and a hopeful punt that took a swerve as it was caught by the wind. You could argue that the player should not have been given the opportunity to shoot, but that would surely be a tad unkind bearing in mind the weather and stressful playing conditions.

What was encouraging was the inter-passing and the willingness for most of the players to become "involved" - my word f

Glad that I am we apparently played much better,the weather conditions should be taken into account.We were on top when Southend playing against a howling gale.
The game stats showed Southend had more possession,an equal number of shots.
Anyway luck or not,if we don't take our chances and the opponents do...we will continue to lose.
One swallow doesn't make a summer,and now the expectations are for a great performance Saturday.If heaven forbid we lose,questions will be asked, as nothing will have changed since Guy was sacked(incidently after losing to S****horpe and just look where they are in the league now under a new manager).

Injury problems are mounting. Holmes suffered suspected concussion, Wallace injured his ankle. Urgent reinforcements are required, RB says. Don't panic Captain Mainwaring

We still have Ertl fit and raring to go...drop him at your peril

You are absolutely right, Scou, one game does not prove or indeed disprove anything.

That is why I applied my SMARTER criteria: give praise where credit is due for improving in some areas, and then evaluate the specific/overall match performance to set revised targets and subsequently re-evaluate again later.

I don't know what other fans think, but I am noticing that some of our players are quite thick around the waist, and yet others are not good at accelerating forwards, nor running backwards, nor passing/kicking with their non-preferred foot. These are areas that need work on as well as skills, motivation, etc.

I know Rome wasn't built in a day.

But, there again, I wasn't on that job, was I?