Back from the Morecambe game

[Selsey Bill]

Before I go any further, my thoughts go out to all those who have lost family and friends in Shoreham today in the most tragic way. It makes talking about a game of football seem wrong right now.

Today was the Selseys' first trip to Fratton Park this season, and having witnessed the Crawley game on Tuesday we were hoping for some goals. We got them, of course, and quite early on, but the first three were not at the end that we were expecting!

Buoyed by our impressive start to the season, the atmosphere was electric from the kick off, louder than at any time in the last season or two, and within the first five minutes we could have been one or two up. As we continued to press I remember commenting that Burgess was way out of position after about 10 minutes when they had a break down the right. Doyle was not quick enough to cover and before you knew it they had scored a very good goal. Murphy probably could have done better, though with the two that followed he was not at fault. You could literally feel the disbelief in the crowd. After all, this was the best team in the league that according to all the other managers was going to win it at a canter. What followed in the next 30 minutes was almost unbelievable as Morecambe scored two more very good goals. Admittedly, the defending was poor though. To be honest they could have been home and hosed by half time as every time they countered they looked like scoring. They had certainly done their homework.

I'd like to say it was against the run of play, but it wasn't, but in the 42nd minute Gary Roberts surged towards the Morecambe goal and got hacked down just outside the box. Perfect position for a left footer to have a pop, and he did. The keeper really should have done better, but I've always said you have to at least work the keeper in these situations. Roberts did. 1-3. Great time to score, and having been shocked into silence, the Old Lady started to rock again. We ended the half on the attack, and it was pleasing to see our fans clap us off the pitch. Last season there would almost certainly have been boos.

For the first time since he arrived at our club, we were now going to see what Paul Cook was made of. In the end, he, and his team, just about delivered.

We were much better in the second half, though for the first 20 minutes we huffed and puffed but didn't really look like scoring. It was a bit of footballing class that got us back to 2-3. Gary Roberts was in possession outside the box on the right, but decided to go on a run goalwards. He skipped passed two or three defenders in a silky way (they were visibly scared of taking him down) before unleashing an absolute beauty with his left foot. 2-3. Now the park was rocking!! With all the time wasting we still had about 30 minutes to play. However, about 5 minutes after our goal we were down to 10 men. Enda Stevens, who had been one of our better players, went in on what I thought was a 50:50 tackle, but in fairness it did look like he fouled his opponent. Never a yellow in my opinion, but it was given. At this point the team seemed seemed galvanised and didn't stop. However, our much needed equaliser didn't look like it would come.

When the 4th official put up 6 added minutes there was the familiar Fratton roar. Deep, deep into these 6 minutes we were probing patiently away when a lovely ball was played out on the right wing to Adam Webster (who had literally sprinted from his own half to receive it) - Webster chipped in a delightful ball for Jayden Stockley to head home - 3-3. The park erupted. 60 seconds later the final whistle was blown. I have to say, it serves Morecambe right because they were quite literally time wasting from the first minute of the match.

With regards to our players, I think the whole team showed great character today and it was interesting to see that both Doyle and Bennett looked absolutely shattered at the final whistle. They were both sat on the ground taking their shin pads off. On the subject of these two, they were both well below par today. I believe Doyle was partly responsible for all three of their goals. He looked leggy to me. Bennett, who has been fantastic so far for us got caught in possession so much it was almost embarrassing. Evans had another very mediocre game for me, and Atangana was not up to his usual standards though was better than the other three just mentioned in midfield. On the other hand, Gary Roberts was undoubtedly man of the match. He was excellent today.

Paul Cook has a a dilemma on his hands now. It is blatantly obvious that Matt Tubbs does not work in his preferred formation of 4-5-1, but can he really leave out such a proven goalscorer at this level? From what I've seen of Stockley and McGurk, it seems to suit them better.

Anyway, onwards and upwards - we're still undefeated and only 4 points off the lead. Play up Pompey.

[pompeygunner]

Great summing up as always SB. Ref the sending off tbh I thought Stevens was a silly boy. Really no need to do what he did & in doing so gave the ref a decision to make. TBF if that had been the other way I'd have been dissapointed if he hadn't sent off an opposition player. Like you I agree that Tubbs isn't the right player to play up top in a 4231, sad but not cut out for the role.
On the subject of Doyle & co. you're right he wasn't effective today but it was very hot out there & for a 34yr old I can only imagine it would take it out of the older legs in the side.

[Earl Grey]

Good report, SB. Not sure that Tubbs isn't working. League Two defences are terrified of him and he seems to drag two defenders with him wherever he goes which creates space for others. I think I'd have liked to have seen him paired with Stockley rather than replaced by him....but you can't argue with that comeback.

Be interesting to see if Cookie goes for the young lad Haunstrup to replace Stevens or just keeps it as it ended up with Clarke, Burgess and Webster in a kind of three at the back thing.

Good to see the stats still great for us (apart from the goals against stat, of course).

[Selsey Bill]

Good report, SB. Not sure that Tubbs isn't working. League Two defences are terrified of him and he seems to drag two defenders with him wherever he goes which creates space for others. I think I'd have liked to have seen him paired with Stockley rather than replaced by him....but you can't argue with that comeback.

Be interesting to see if Cookie goes for the young lad Haunstrup to replace Stevens or just keeps it as it ended up with Clarke, Burgess and Webster in a kind of three at the back thing.

Good to see the stats still great for us (apart from the goals against stat, of course).

He definitely creates space, and manages to get to balls that others wouldn't, but would he have scored the equaliser that Stockley did? I don't disagree with you about him and Stockley together, a bit like Tubbs and Taylor last season, it worked. I also suggested in PnC's Q & A thread that he might work better in the 3 behind the 1 but who would Cook drop to make way for Tubbs? Possibly Evans?

[igor :)]

Cheers for the report Selsey Bill - sounds like the entertainment value is returning at least.

[the-future-is-blue]

Thanks for the report SB, you captured the atmosphere and events well as always
We're getting there I reckon !

[BlueFaith]

Up until the first half yesterday our game this season has been all about passing a lot, trying to create chances and, if we do lose possession, pressing hard to win it back. Yesterday, for me, the pressing part of our game didn't work so well first half - we could blame it on players being tired or out of form, but I think it was more to do with Morecambe doing their homework on us. Their first goal, as SB covered, was due to us committing lots of players forward for a corner - I think Burgess crossed from the right wing - then Morecambe broke very quickly, Doyle slipped, but the Morecambe player still had a lot to do and scored a good goal. Second was from a corner - maybe we should have defended it better at the near post but fair play to their player for getting in there. Third was them playing at us at our game, passing it around a bit, cross into the box, goal.

Even during this period we were still passing it around, creating half chances, and getting crosses into the box. It's just Morecambe were matching us and taking their chances.

Big things for me in the second half were ... we stuck to our game plan, passing it around, trying to create chances and didn't resource to "lumping it up field". The substitutions were all good - bringing Webster on and going three at the back after Stevens was sent off was a nice twist - Stockley seems to be growing game by game and McGurk brings a bit more grit. And we were still playing our high tempo game up until the 95th minute - which is why I think first half was more down to Morecambe than our "tiredness". It was nice to see us stick to our playing principles, with some sensible substitutions, to get back into the game.

Roberts is an immense player for us in this league - Bennett had a bad day yesterday and, for me, at times went "hiding" - compared to Atangana, who also didn't have the best of games, who still went looking for the ball. Think they both need a rest on Tuesday - if we weren't forced into bringing Webster on I'd like to have seen Chaplin on for Bennett. Tubbs is getting into positions and having half chances - feel at some point this could click, maybe starting with Stockley and Tubbs coming on as a sub could trigger that.

Impressed with the crowd yesterday - despite being 2 goals down everyone stuck with the "pass, pass, pass" ethic with no audible groans if we played it all the way back to defence. In some ways this results proves a lot more than a comprehensive win - if we'd have won 3 or 4 nil then there could be a bit of complacency set in, but this shows there are teams in this league who'll match us but also we an get back into games by playing football. And looking at the bench (+ people who weren't even in the squad) you feel as though there are options there to change it.

[Pompey Penguin]

Just a few bits from me.

Firstly, well done to Morecambe. They came with a game plan and deserved (at least) a point. They had clearly worked us out, and were prepared to let us have the ball in areas where we would do no damage. Even letting us advance down the wings, safe I the knowledge that there was only one (small) man to which to aim a cross. Then attacked at pace on the break against our exposed defence. It only fell apart when they tired, and made the classic mistake of sitting back and hanging on; humping the ball away instead of retaining possession to run down the clock.

From a Pompey viewpoint, as someone once said, never believe your own propaganda. It was clear from the start that we expected to spend the whole game attacking and that Morecambe wouldn't bother leaving their own half. The first goal came from a corner where we just left Davies back on his own against an attacker; 1-on-1 became a mad scramble to get back with players badly balanced to make challenges. The free kick that led to the corner that led to the second goal was similar.

On the positive side, the team kept going, even when things were going wrong; had the magic of Roberts to give us a chance and really created a lot of chances at the end before eventually taking one.

It seems daft when we have scored 10 goals in 5 games, but this formation really isn't working, as people have commented above. Tubbs might create space, but it is space for no-one, and he is not getting enough of the ball himself. To my mind, Evans is doing little, and we often don't need two MF players sitting deep. So, allowing Cook to retain his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, I would bring in Stockley as the "one", use Tubbs as the centre of the "three" (Roberts and Bennett very fluid around him), and then Tubbs would be keener to get in the box to support Stockley than our current MF is, and Atangana could step forward into the gap vacated by Tubbs.

In any case, I think the "midweek team" have a real opportunity against Reading to get themselves a chance to be first choice.

[Selsey Bill]

So, allowing Cook to retain his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, I would bring in Stockley as the "one", use Tubbs as the centre of the "three" (Roberts and Bennett very fluid around him), and then Tubbs would be keener to get in the box to support Stockley than our current MF is, and Atangana could step forward into the gap vacated by Tubbs.

Completely agree with you as I have suggested above and in another thread.

[Pompey1985]

Can't see Tubbs playing as one of a three when you also have Naismith. Chaplin and Mcgurk all of who are vying for one of the three positions.

[Selsey Bill]

Can't see Tubbs playing as one of a three when you also have Naismith. Chaplin and Mcgurk all of who are vying for one of the three positions.

I think you are right. I was just suggesting it could be a way of accommodating Tubbs in team. I wonder what the odds are of us selling Tubbs before the window closes?

[tinmanjoshua]

Tubbs has the type of skillset you want to see out of a second striker, I think putting him in the center of the "3" might pull him too far from goal and force him to be more of a creator, which doesn't really suit him. He needs to be getting on the end of things not trying to set others up.

If PC prefers a formation with only one up top, I worry that Tubbs is simply left out.