Rochdale

[Berkshire Blue]

One change - Ben Close in for Naylor. It looks quite wet at Spotland.

[rumourmonger]

Well nothing to write home about in the first half. We are well on top , Curtis hit the bar and Lowe booked for diving. And that's about it.

Bring on round two.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Bazinga….91st minute 0-1

[New Forester]

Radio Solent. “Rochdale deserved a draw” Pompey won! The story of our season so far?

[rumourmonger]

Good , didn't want a replay.

Now the thorny old question , glamour tie or "on-paper easy home victory ?

Do we want Shrewsbury Town , Woking or Oldham Athletic at Fratton Park or would you fancy possibly being the first game at Spurs new ground or away to Fulham or someone beatable in the Championship like Reading or Brentford ?

A day out in London would be nice .

[Pompey Penguin]

Radio Solent. “Rochdale deserved a draw” Pompey won! The story of our season so far?

It's the way of modern football. Possession means nothing if you don't do anything positive with the ball. Pompey had only 39% possession, most of that in the first half, but still managed more shots than Rochdale. Trust your back five/six to defend and be confident that when the chance comes along you will make something of it and create an opportunity (even if it is a deflection!). The anti-Paul Cook football if you like.

At this point of the season, you can't keep putting it down to luck.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Just back to the hotel after the game. Pompey had most of the first half, Curtis hit the bar and we had a number of chances. The Referee was as bad as usual, where do they get them from? Rochdale were better second half and although they hit bar as well, they hardly threatened. It had 0-0 written all over it, but we get a deflection after Green himself had been fouled after a decisive run. Onward & upward, it is too consistent to be jammy!

[New Forester]

Talking of luck. Anyone see the goal that settled the Merseyside Derby? Extraordinary!

[streetrifle]

It really is a funny old game as someone once said. Pompey are reminding me of 'Lucky Old Arsenal' at the moment as they just keep on finding a way to win the games, but when you analyse it carefully its nearly always down to a great defence. Conceding goals is largely down to mistakes and organisation and we are simply rock solid in that respect, perhaps other than when Burgess plays. If you can keep a clean sheet, and you have players who can pinch at least one goal then you have a very good chance. This what we are proving week in and week out.

[Selsey Bill]

Had a quick look at what some of the Rochdale fans were saying after the game. They weren't overly complimentary, questioning how on earth we were top of the league. Well, for starters we beat them 3-1 in the league earlier in the season!

[BlueinPLtwenty]

I have just arrived back home & gone to their Fans Forum. They were all watched a different game to the one I observed. They complain about the Referee giving us fouls when our Guys fell over. There were several occasions when both Hawkins & Evans were manhandled and thrown to the ground and the Referee gave nothing. Yes they were better than us overall in the second half but we looked dangerous when we broke from defence.