Play Off second leg (Plymouth vs Pompey)

[Pompey Gary]

Let's be honest, Pompey don't deserve it this season so it's not so hard to take. 1993 was far more disappointing.

Come back next year and be better.

[RubiconCSL]

Looks like this board wasn't too chuffed either

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[RubiconCSL]

Wot e said. Difficult to make a good argument that we really deserved it. Still, a BIG improvement on the season before. I just hope we can get a decent squad together and not have so many bl**dy loan players. Oh and a keeper please.

Let's be honest, Pompey don't deserve it this season so it's not so hard to take. 1993 was far more disappointing.

Come back next year and be better.

[Pompey Penguin]

No complaints on the night, but it had to be a last minute goal didn't it? Pompey's season: posession, don't create enough and then concede.

However, for the first time in a while I am looking forward to next season playing with much the same team. I think they will have learned and be better.

[Pompey_Galactico]

Can someone please tell me what Gary Roberts brings to the team? Would have preferred Ricky Holmes playing his position this season.

Another display with no cutting edge. Another season of this level of football. Great.

[Pompey1985]

Wasn't that the player booked for denying a clear goal scoring oppertunity in the first leg?

[eltorrro]

Totally agree with Galactico - Roberts, for me has been a major disappointment this season (as has Bennett) and cannot see why Cookie perseveres with them. Today, Roberts seemed to be hiding after about 65mins and Bennett just isn't good enough. Having said that I thought the team generally played very well and if we had somebody able to penetrate we would have won. Can anybody tell me why Cooky didn't use Wilkinson? He's an international, for Christ sake so must have something about him!! Desperately need a creative midfielder and 'big' striker.

Roll on next year.

[Claygate]

No complaints on the night, but it had to be a last minute goal didn't it? Pompey's season: posession, don't create enough and then concede.

However, for the first time in a while I am looking forward to next season playing with much the same team. I think they will have learned and be better.

Agree with you about the summation of our season, lots of pretty possession football, but no real end product. The goal keeper has been a problem position for us all season, whether that be through injury or form. The central defensive partnership has also displayed areas of weakness...particularly at closing games out. How many goals have we conceded in injury time? Webster, Burgess and Clarke are certainly talented, but when we neeed an experienced old head at the back, we have just not had that luxury. Both issues are something we to address next season if we are to get promoted. Not forgetting a target man who can play in Cooks preferred 4-5-1 formation.

Contrary to your belief that we will retain the same players, I believe that is our biggest problem by trying to keep the players we've got. Burgess, Webster, Chaplin, Davies, Evans, Bennett, McNulty and Roberts can all play at a higher level. I not sure they will all be turn up at pre-season, time will tell.

[Pompey1985]

Totally agree with Galactico - Roberts, for me has been a major disappointment this season (as has Bennett) and cannot see why Cookie perseveres with them. Today, Roberts seemed to be hiding after about 65mins and Bennett just isn't good enough. Having said that I thought the team generally played very well and if we had somebody able to penetrate we would have won. Can anybody tell me why Cooky didn't use Wilkinson? He's an international, for Christ sake so must have something about him!! Desperately need a creative midfielder and 'big' striker.

Roll on next year.

Behave. Bennett has created so many goals and chances this season. If fit he has to start. He is far far better than anything else we have.

[POLPERO99]

Ironic and also fitting that the goal came very late , was a cross to the far post and we got out muscled in that area . Its been a weak point all season . I know we all argue about this but this again shows that when you play a big man up top in this league it will eventually pay off. Although he didnt score he kept Burgess occupied all night. Its not pretty or cultured but it works in this league.

Although we have to concede that we didnt deserve it , its still frustrating that teams like Acrington and Wimbledon are potentialy going up and we are not. I think we have to get off to a flyer next season and set the bar very high from the off. Cooke for me has to learn from this which I am sure he will do, but we have to get out next season - We just have to - or there is a great risk we lose support, lose interest and the club starts to settle into the culture of Div 2 .

[Pompey Penguin]

Webster, Burgess and Clarke are certainly talented, but when we neeed an experienced old head at the back...

...Burgess, Webster.... can all play at a higher level.

Whilst I think I agree with your point, you seem somewhat confused.

Webster (20 years old) has come on amazingly this season (most people wanted him released after last year's FB efforts), Burgess (24) has had a good season and is still improving, Clarke (19) will be replaced by Whatmough (19), Barton (25) is a fill-in defender. These are young defenders, still learning and growing, but who can play football (I have said for ages that Webster is the best footballer at the club) and their ability to carry the ball from the back is integral to Cook's strategy as it commits defenders and pulls players out of position.

The last time we went through this "must have an experienced defender/leader" nonsense we ended up with Chorley, and look how that worked out. This is L2, a big, strong CB will be a slow hacker; if they were big, strong, quick and could play football they would be Sol Campbell and not in L2.

Assuming they all stay (and I do share your fears about keeping the best of the team together, even though they are under contract), CB is well down my list of priorities for the summer shopping.

The conceding of late goals is not all down to the CBs. It is about the way that the team approaches the last ten minutes as a group. Dropping deep and giving the ball away invites pressure, especially against teams that hoof the ball into the penalty box. We tend to stop doing what we have done for 80 minutes, and the game changes. Having said that, on many occasions the late goal would have meant nothing (much) if we had scored the goals earlier in the game that our possession warranted; too often missed opportunities have come back to haunt us.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

I was there again last night amongst the more respectable Argyle ensemble. It was amusing to see so many people there who were there for the first time "since the old King was still alive". We bossed the first half without that "Killer Ball" which would have made all the difference. Defensively we were solid and they carried very little threat. I have not seen the two incidents that caused Evans & Hollands to go off injured, however I spoke to Kev the Kitman after the match and he suggested that the Hollands injury was more the result of the "over the top" tackle on thursday. Pompey looked tired in the second half McNulty & Bennett faded and any planned substitution had to be aborted. McGurk, well what can I say that does not include expletives. Roberts was shackled for most of the game. Davies looked as if he had taken a knock as part of the bully boy tactics in which Argyle relish and the Officials bottled it again. To some it might sound like sour grapes but we should have walked this League because when we played well we were better than anyone else but we did not produce it when it really mattered. This season has experienced in my opinion some of the best football we have seen in years, however the requirements to improve are apparent. A big quality Goalkeeper, a big quality Striker and a central midfielder who can spot the quick killer ball.

[Selsey Bill]

Roberts, for me has been a major disappointment this season (as has Bennett) and cannot see why Cookie perseveres with them.

Seriously? I can see exactly why Cookie persists with them. Roberts and Bennett are without a doubt two of our most talented players and if you check the stats Bennett has been one of our most prolific 'assisters'. Yes, he can be frustrating, but whenever he is on the ball he always looks like he could do something. In one such instance he nearly scored a goal on Sunday with an excellent bit of skill on the edge of the box, before firing a shot that was goal bound before being headed out for a corner by one of their defenders. As far as Roberts is concerned, I'm not convinced he's ever really been fully match. I seem to recall he got what looked like a really serious knee injury in one of the pre-seasons, and he has niggly issues ever since. I wonder whether Cookie was tempted to rush him back before he was fully ready?

[eltorrro]

SB - I bow to your superior knowledge because you have been to more matches and seen more of these two than I have. But, your comment "whenever he is on the ball he always looks like he could do something" hits the nail totally on the head. Undoubtedly he is skilled but also he is VERY frustrating in that he does lose the ball a lot. He has the capability to open up defences but does not seem to do it too often.
Roberts, I would agree with you does seem not match fit for whatever reason and if Cookie is playing him with an ongoing injury then the manager is at fault. A battler he may be but what is needed is an attacking midfielder that can penetrate defences and give our (small) forwards to run on to.

Let's see what next season brings!!

[Selsey Bill]

SB - I bow to your superior knowledge because you have been to more matches and seen more of these two than I have. But, your comment "whenever he is on the ball he always looks like he could do something" hits the nail totally on the head. Undoubtedly he is skilled but also he is VERY frustrating in that he does lose the ball a lot. He has the capability to open up defences but does not seem to do it too often.
Roberts, I would agree with you does seem not match fit for whatever reason and if Cookie is playing him with an ongoing injury then the manager is at fault. A battler he may be but what is needed is an attacking midfielder that can penetrate defences and give our (small) forwards to run on to.

Let's see what next season brings!!

What I'd like to see with Bennett is him using his pace to run past players. Admittedly, all too often he tries to take on one two many players and then loses the ball. I do rate him highly though. It's a great shame we didn't get out of L2 as I am convinced L1 would suit his style better. Kyle had offers to play in the Championship and L1, but he chose to come to Pompey because of Paul Cook and the Pompey fans. It's ironic that many of the latter have got on his back for much of the season!