Shrewsbury

[Weybridge]

[quote=streetrifle post_id=904320 time=<a href="tel:1616865393">1616865393</a> user_id=42852]
The first half was one of the best 45 minutes of the season. Close was magnificent and the passing and movement were excellent, such that we dominated and deserved to be 2 up. Unfortunately we gave away a poor goal to bring Shrews back into the game, and then Marquis was sent off for an obvious red card challenge. However we managed to see the game out thanks largely to Whatmough who was calm composed and a giant at the back.

Raggett was hugely disappointing for me and their goal was down to him I felt as he backed off the goalscorer. Also in the first half he was turned too easily in the penalty area but luckily the Shrews striker shot tamely wide.

Nevertheless it was a hugely encouraging performance showing qualities we didn't have under Jackett.

Ref Raggett. Their bloke was allowed to run from more or less the halfway line without so much as a attempt @ a tackle. It wasn't down to Raggett. Where was our midfield??
[/quote]

Agreed, definitely nothing to do with Raggett, he’s just holding the line with Whatmough. I just watched the replay. Ogbeta just does Naylor for pace, that’s all. Close is advanced up the pitch where he’s been asked to play. Naylor is left a little exposed on the counter attack. At best, Close could have only chopped him from behind while tracking back.

I don’t think anyone is particularly at fault. Just one of those times you acknowledge it was a good run and finish and its the risk you take in playing attacking football.

[Sam_Brown]

Just one of those times you acknowledge it was a good run and finish and its the risk you take in playing attacking football.

Good point. After years of moaning we are too defensive I'm happy to see people talking about how attacking we are now! Difference between now and a few weeks back is that we'd probably have still conceded the goal... it's just now we're actually scoring again!

[Pompey Penguin]

Good to see Callum Johnson back. I feel a bit sorry for James Bolton, who has worked hard, stepped in where necessary and done his job, but Johnson is just a step up as a RB.

[Blue Walter]

What is pleasing is looking at what they are saying on the Shrewsbury Forum about yesterday's game. Generally, even when we had that good run earlier, supporters are critical of their own teams performance against Pompey rather than credit Pompey with playing well. Yesterday's game was viewed differently in that Shrewsbury supporters think their team was beaten by a good team. One or two suggested that Pompey were the best visiting team they had seen this season. There were remarks such as how their team was attacked by a team with skill, pace and movement that you don't normally see in League 1. Most said they saw a defeat coming after 20 minutes but excused their team because of the quality of the opposition. Now that makes a pleasant change to the normal comments like saying their team losing to Pompey was poor because Pompey were far from good and should have been beaten.

[Selsey Bill]

We listened to the 'Shrewsbury' commentary on iFollow and their two lads were eulogising about our first half performance, saying we were the best team they'd seen all season. That first half display was probably the best I've seen us put in since Cook was in charge. It was a joy to watch, as was Ben Close. I do, though, feel a little sorry for Andy Cannon who has been one of our few shining lights under Jackett.

[Berkshire Blue]

Quite excited about today's game, but fell that maybe I should be dialling down my expectations a little, and not be too carried away with the new situation that we find ourselves in. I would love us to win all our remaining games by wide margins and playing thrilling football whilst doing so, but I know that realistically that will not happen, so today I will be satisfied if it is a decent game to watch - or on the other hand ...!

Well, it turns out that I was right to be excited, and not only that, but I found the first half to be thrilling, our best performance for a long while. the second half was also good in a different way as we managed the game very well after the sending off.

Surely we can't keep playing this well for the rest of the season - or can we?

[Pompey Penguin]

It was a joy to watch, as was Ben Close. I do, though, feel a little sorry for Andy Cannon who has been one of our few shining lights under Jackett.

All a bit horses-for-courses. I am a huge Ben Close fan and I like the way he plays football, but he has to be given a ball a lot by other players as he is all pass and move and keep possession and the team moving. It is not surprising that Close played some of his best football alongside Michael Doyle who was happy to do that all day (and the fans complained vociferously about it). Add in the problem that Close can't tackle very well, can get bullied out of it, and there are games that just pass him by. OTOH, Cannon is all energy, even raising the workrate of the players around him, and his input was a huge part of Pompey's successful run before Christmas as he applied pressure to the opposition when they had the ball and drove the team forward with turnover ball. It is easy to see the effort that Cannon is putting into every game. However, no-one can run for 46 games, and once Cannon tires he loses effectiveness and can be caught out of position or played around; he still works hard, but it can be pointless. It's a problem that Pompey have at the moment with a choice of players for positions who bring different things and it is not clear who is the best option; sorting that is a manager's job.

[jam tomorrow]

Good point SB regarding our midfield although Close is showing his capabilities more under our new system, as you correctly say there are weakness and strengths in all our midfield options. It is up to the Cowley's to determine who they feel who has the best all round capabilities. This could be one of Close, Cannon, White, or Byers we will see who they settle with, it may even be that Morris that has a role to play ?