Back from the Wigan game

[Selsey Bill]

My first visit to the DW so another of the 92 ticked off.

The journey up there was not the greatest taking well over 4 hours with heavy traffic around Birmingham and Stoke, but it took us just under three hours to get home Anyway, the DW is a typical 'new' stadium, all very neat and tidy, but totally soulless. I have to say, though, that our view was excellent. Take a look:

As the teams came out, so did some inflatable snakes, though not as many as I expected. Paul Cook got absolutely roasted by the majority of our fans, with two or three unsavory songs aimed at him throughout the match. With regards to our fans, they were very good today, and our following of just under 2,000 totally out sang the 7,500 Wigan fans who were awful at best. I did wonder what Cook and Richardson were thinking when our chants were at their loudest, especially in the second half.

From the moment the game started, the gulf in class between the two teams was blatantly obvious and it only looked a matter of time before Wigan would score, which they did inside 10 minutes with a very easy goal with Gavin Massey showing his class leaving Burgess for dead and then passing a lovely ball through to Toney who couldn't miss from about 2 metres out. For the rest of the half Wigan battered us and a 5-0 or 6-0 score line would not have flattered them. They hit the post two or three times and but for three excellent saves from Luke McGee they would have been out of sight.

I'm not sure what KJ said at half time but we came out looking a different team in the second half and immediately procuced an attack which gave us a corner. This really lifted our fans, and from then onwards our support was loud and proud. The turning point in the match came just on the hour when Brett Pitman tussled with their defender Chey Dunkley (who we tried to buy!). As Dunkley shielded the ball rolling out for a goal kick, Pitman tried to get inside him and as the two 'fell' over the goal line the Wigan centre back swung a massive punch at Pitman's face. Whether he connected or not, Pitman went down as if he had been hit by a sniper and the ref had no choice but show him red. We then started turning the screw, and within 2 minutes of Chaplin replacing the ineffective Bennett, he rose to meet a perfect cross from Haunstrup to head home. The fans went crazy! We could have gone on to win the game but I think most away supporters were happy with the point, I certainly was. The Wigan fans and players must have felt robbed.

With regards to our players, Luke McGee was our MOTM for me. He was outstanding and from what I have seen of him so far he is definitely an upgrade from all the keepers we have had for the last two seasons. Without him between the sticks, we would certainly have lost today. Other good performances came from Burgess and Whatmough, especially Jack in the second half. Adam May had another solid but unspectacular game, and Ben Close looked good when he came on, better than Rose. Jamal Lowe also looked very good, and one potentially goal saving tackle he made late on was unbelievable. He is a very clever player who definitely worries defenders. I can't quite work out Pitman. He shows signs of being very good, but then he lapses into moments of mediocrity. He had one very good chance early in the second half where he completely missed the header. I suspect he was trying to glance it into the corner but was put off by their CB. The jury is out for me with Haunstrup, but his assist was a moment of class. I also thought Donohue looked OK though will need time to settle in. At least he always wanted the ball.

On the negative front, Gareth Evans had a shocker today. He was awful from the start and it was no surprise when he was shown a second yellow late on. The way he has been playing so far this season, his one match suspension may be a blessing in disguise as I suspect Nathan Thompson will get his chance, and may well keep his place as he doesn't have to do too much to impress. The most frustrating player for me at the moment is Bennett who has lapsed back to his bad old ways. Naismith is another who hasn't yet recaptured last season's form, along with Danny Rose who has been disappointing. Maybe League 1 is one too high for some of these players?

Finally, a very amusing moment as we were leaving Wigan. We stopped to fill up at a Shell garage just before getting back on the M6. There were 5 other cars all doing the same, all Pompey fans wearing football tops. You'd have thought we were in Fratton!

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Great stuff as usual SB many thanks.

[Earl Grey]

Thanks for the BFTG report, SB.
I think both Evans and Rose have had very mediocre seasons so far and I fully expect the pair of them to struggle to get another chance with the first team for some while. Thompson is now fit and can play full back and Ben Close is gagging for a chance in the middle.
Pompey's youth set up seems to be bearing fruit with several products of the Academy finishing the game.
I hope Jamal Lowe continues to grow as a first team player. He impresses me more and more.
Whatmough and Burgess seem to gel ok now - Jackett will have a nice problem when Clarke gets back to fitness.

[CoshamWreck]

Thanks from me too Bill.

Whatmough and Burgess seem to gel ok now - Jackett will have a nice problem when Clarke gets back to fitness.

Do you think KJ will sidestep the problem by playing three at the back? Thus giving himself the choice of playing Evans in his supposedly better position further forward, which in turn might allow the player to salvage his declining reputation.

[Earl Grey]

Thanks from me too Bill.

Whatmough and Burgess seem to gel ok now - Jackett will have a nice problem when Clarke gets back to fitness.

Do you think KJ will sidestep the problem by playing three at the back? Thus giving himself the choice of playing Evans in his supposedly better position further forward, which in turn might allow the player to salvage his declining reputation.

I'd love KJ to try that, CoshamWreck. And yes, it may give Evans a chance to re-establish himself.

[pompeygunner]

Thanks from me too Bill.

Whatmough and Burgess seem to gel ok now - Jackett will have a nice problem when Clarke gets back to fitness.

Do you think KJ will sidestep the problem by playing three at the back? Thus giving himself the choice of playing Evans in his supposedly better position further forward, which in turn might allow the player to salvage his declining reputation.

I'd love KJ to try that, CoshamWreck. And yes, it may give Evans a chance to re-establish himself.

Certainly worth a go imo. Instead of trying to shoehorn players into a 4231 or even 442 a 352 would enable most of our better players to be in their right positions.

[andybart]

Have watched all the games on i-follow and done a second watching of every game too...Afraid to say Evans and Rose have really done nothing this season to warrant selection and yesterday Wigan made a point of attacking our right hand side and especially Evans from the start.Bennett does have something but is struggling so far and needs to get into the game more.I am a proponent of 3-5-2 as well as i think it will suit quite a few of our players especially when Clark is fit.Thing for me is Pitman I don't think he is either a #9 or #10 but he is a goal scorer(though i think he had a mare of a game yesterday and just seemed interested in flopping and floundering) need to work him into a formation that allows his natural goal scoring ability,pretty much the same as conor in a way.

[Pompey Gary]

Paul Cook got absolutely roasted by the majority of our fans, with two or three unsavory songs aimed at him throughout the match.

I don't really understand the mentality of fans sometimes. He had two good seasons managing Pompey and won the League 2 title so he probably deserves a little gratitude rather than abuse. I don't blame him for taking another job that pays a lot more money.

[Selsey Bill]

Paul Cook got absolutely roasted by the majority of our fans, with two or three unsavory songs aimed at him throughout the match.

I don't really understand the mentality of fans sometimes. He had two good seasons managing Pompey and won the League 2 title so he probably deserves a little gratitude rather than abuse. I don't blame him for taking another job that pays a lot more money.

I'm split about this. The big mistake Paul Cook made was to come out with the line about only ever leaving Portsmouth for Liverpool. I think it would all be very different if he hadn't said that. However, let's not forget there were a large proportion of Pompey fans who didn't like him anyway and wanted him gone. But, as you say, the man delivered, so for that we should all be grateful.

[Pompey Gary]

Ok, so he was talking out of his backside when he came out with that statement but did that really make a difference to the fans’ attitude? Should it? As you say, he never really seemed popular at Fratton, despite his success so I think he was going to get abuse the moment he became an ex-Pompey manager.

[past memories]

Well after all he did a Redknapp, and we know how that works.

[Pompey Gary]

Well after all he did a Redknapp, and we know how that works.

Redknapp walked out on Pompey midseason and within a couple of weeks had joined that lot down the road. I do not think it is in any way a comparable situation!

[Locky_McLockface]

Ok, so he was talking out of his backside when he came out with that statement but did that really make a difference to the fans’ attitude? Should it? As you say, he never really seemed popular at Fratton, despite his success so I think he was going to get abuse the moment he became an ex-Pompey manager.

It certainly made a difference to my attitude towards him. He professed undying loyalty to us, but within 4 weeks had done the very thing he proclaimed he would never do. If you don't mean something, don't say it.