Pompey v Mansfield

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Sounds dire today so far

0-0 at the half

zzzzzzzzzz

[Pompey1985]

don't build it up

[Here comes AFC]

You're lucky you're not here. It's worse than that.

Totally clueless

[Pompey1985]

You're lucky you're not here. It's worse than that.

Totally clueless

I nearly travelled down for it today fortunately I havent

[Here comes AFC]

To cap it all we're losing now

[Pompey1985]

Strange substitutions

[Pompey1985]

Strange substitutions

What do I know. 1-1

[The Cincinnati Kid]

lol....switch to 4-4-2 and within 30 seconds....1-1

Not sure we need this 3 cb formation at home where everybody seems to come to not play football

[Pompey Dave]

Dire, the first half was the worst I have seen for some time. Awford needs to wake up, if we did not have so many season tickets the park would be empty by now. Hollands needs dropping, Drennan needs packing off to Villa and we need to play 442 and give Atangana a good run in the side. So annoyed we seem incapable of playing any football until we are chasing the game and even then we cannot maintain a spell of decent play. I am a pissed of season ticket holder and shareholder.

[rumourmonger]

No good playing 3-5-2 if your wing backs don't get up and down the line. If they sit too deep you're effectively playing 5-3-2 which means we get swamped in midfield and the forwards get no service.

Good a player as Nicky Shorey is , this system does not suit him and I wonder whether Dan Butler would have been a better choice there today.

[Pompey1985]

No good playing 3-5-2 if your wing backs don't get up and down the line. If they sit too deep you're effectively playing 5-3-2 which means we get swamped in midfield and the forwards get no service.

Good a player as Nicky Shorey is , this system does not suit him and I wonder whether Dan Butler would have been a better choice there today.

Sounds like the lessons of the past month or so havnt been learnt.

[pompeymick]

It doesn't matter what system we use when our players play like they're above League 2. The determination and effort of the Mansfield players was clearly evident, they latched onto every loose ball while our players stood and watched. Our players waited for the ball while they went and got it, our tackling and closing down is non-existent, we merely shadow a player, allowing him to do exactly what he wants whilst the opposition is in our face every time we get the ball.
Is it attitude or ability which allows us to be dominated because when Nige came on and showed a positive attitude it woke the whole team from their slumbers, so it is there when they want it to be. It would seem this team needs a good kick up the backside and a reality check on which division they're in.

[<dj.>]

Nigel is very comfortable on the ball, so is able to make space to thread through the killer pass that puts another player into space. That's how he made such a difference today. Mansfield (Stags? More like Slags!) closed us down quickly throughout the match with two, sometimes three players. They were bigger than our players and more aggressive and they played to a plan that allowed them to stop us playing our game. If a team can do that they will always get something from the match. It is the key to all sport - stop the opponent playing their game, then you can play your own.

Some of our players are not as good as they and some of us think they are. They allow the opponent to stop them playing. When we play our game we look loads better than any opposition I've seen. It starts by being comfortable with the ball.

[uspompeyfan]

They were bigger than our players and more aggressive

This comment has been said in several games this season, and in the last two pre-season ones too. Could this be a root cause.... getting scared of being bullied off the ball and losing confidence when it does. Did we build a team around speedier but smaller players who could get hoofed off the park?

[Weybridge]

They were bigger than our players and more aggressive

This comment has been said in several games this season, and in the last two pre-season ones too. Could this be a root cause.... getting scared of being bullied off the ball and losing confidence when it does. Did we build a team around speedier but smaller players who could get hoofed off the park?

Maybe, but ultimately we are way too lightweight for this league. And while we have comparatively skilful players for this league, they're not that skilful. Not good enough for play quality possessive football for 90 minutes. We give the ball away too often and we struggle to win it back.