The Pompey Chimes Forum

There I was, supping my whisky and thought I’d check the score again. 1-0 up. Good lord. Can it last?

Getting thrashed 0-1.

Got thrashed 2-1. Just the maximum 3 points.

How did we play?

'How did we play'?...two very poor teams. However, one thing came to light...we bought the wrong player from Donny - should have been Coppinger...he was outstanding for them...bossed the midfield completely and their attacking play...38 years old runs forever. Sorry KJ you have spent your money unwisely!!

eltorrro wrote: ↑Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:25 pm 'How did we play'?...two very poor teams. However, one thing came to light...we bought the wrong player from Donny - should have been Coppinger...he was outstanding for them...bossed the midfield completely and their attacking play...38 years old runs forever. Sorry KJ you have spent your money unwisely!!

I think there's more than a germ of truth there, the teams is undoubtedly better with Harrison up top, KJ bought him specifically to fit in , but then an opportunity arose to sign Marquis , clearly a better striker but he doesn't fit into the KJ way of playing. So KJ changes to 442 and it still didn't work, swallow your pride stick Harrison on and we win

Purbrook Chimes wrote: ↑Sat Oct 05, 2019 6:18 pm I think there's more than a germ of truth there, the teams is undoubtedly better with Harrison up top, KJ bought him specifically to fit in , but then an opportunity arose to sign Marquis , clearly a better striker but he doesn't fit into the KJ way of playing. So KJ changes to 442 and it still didn't work, swallow your pride stick Harrison on and we win

Thought that myself earlier today - although he came on at left midfield today. Would like to see him up front at somepoint.

Sam_Brown wrote: ↑Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:06 pm How did we play?

Not very well. Better than the last time i saw the team vs Sunderland, but still not great as the stats show.

The team found it very hard to hold on to the ball and the lack of pace and creativity is reflected in the lack of chances created. Harness and Evans lacked dynamism and when players did make runs, the person in possession took too long to release the ball. Pitman did a decent job of holding the ball up when needed and winning free kicks out of nothing, but set pieces are wasted again. Naylor and Close were solid in the middle but often out numbered and neither created much when Doncaster had players around them. The CBs did well and most of Donny's chances were from outside the area. Marquis had a shocking first half and we couldn't work out if he went off because of that or an injury.

Harrison did OK when he came on up front, but was tracking back a lot after the goal when Doncaster piled on the pressure. Jackett should have put another midfielder on when we were under pressure and camped on the edge of the box. Everyone was calling for it to happen, and then they scored.

We were poor, we didn't deserve to win, but by god it felt good when that header went in!

The players were emotional at the end. Happy, knackered but mainly relieved they held on. I hope this is a turning point for the season and an away win at Doncaster fills the players with confidence.

Win our two games in hand and we are one point off the play offs. Keep the faith.

... and chips wrote: ↑Sat Oct 05, 2019 11:51 pm

Sam_Brown wrote: ↑Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:06 pm How did we play?

Not very well. Better than the last time i saw the team vs Sunderland, but still not great as the stats show.

The team found it very hard to hold on to the ball and the lack of pace and creativity is reflected in the lack of chances created. Harness and Evans lacked dynamism and when players did make runs, the person in possession took too long to release the ball. Pitman did a decent job of holding the ball up when needed and winning free kicks out of nothing, but set pieces are wasted again. Naylor and Close were solid in the middle but often out numbered and neither created much when Doncaster had players around them. The CBs did well and most of Donny's chances were from outside the area. Marquis had a shocking first half and we couldn't work out if he went off because of that or an injury.

Harrison did OK when he came on up front, but was tracking back a lot after the goal when Doncaster piled on the pressure. Jackett should have put another midfielder on when we were under pressure and camped on the edge of the box. Everyone was calling for it to happen, and then they scored.

We were poor, we didn't deserve to win, but by god it felt good when that header went in!

The players were emotional at the end. Happy, knackered but mainly relieved they held on. I hope this is a turning point for the season and an away win at Doncaster fills the players with confidence.

Thanks for that assessment 'and chips'. I only get to a couple of games a season these days and The News has become so poor I don't bother with it anymore so an informed and balanced review like yours is invaluable. Only discovered this site the other week - looks more mature and intelligent than the other forums so I'll be sticking with it while it remains that way.

Welcome Dinksy. This is a great forum with insights I could never come up with. If you really want to see how bad it can get take a look at a Sunderland fans forum. Makes even the worst Pompey forum look like an exchange between Eton scholars.

Well, stats (FACTS) don't win games all the time and its a darn good job because I'm not sure I've seen a worse set of stats (FACTS) come away with a win.

Possession: 62% - 38%
Shots: 26 - 7
Corners 11 - 1

Still, I smell a slight breeze wafting away a small piece of the gloom and winning the 2 games in hand will put us 8th

But the only stat that mattered was that we scored one more goal!

I was there, It wasn't that good but it wasn't as bad as some people are making out either. Both goals were good, so was our bar! Realistically you have to win these games to get promotion out of League One which is a very scrappy league and we did. Was talking to a Charlton Season ticket holder this week and he says they have been taken back with the difference between League One and the Championship which is much bigger than it was only a few years ago. He reckons they will struggle to avoid relegation this year. Food for thought.

Thank you for the welcome NF. I don't look at other clubs' forums but some the stuff posted by our own is often embarrassing. I don't mind honest opinions but you really just can't please some people. After beating Bolton last week someone suggested it was the worst result possible because KJ will be in a job for another week. And there was more of the same after our smash-and-grab at Donny. I guess some people just like to moan.

Obviously the players are shot of confidence at the moment. You can be Messi and Ronaldo put together in terms of technique but if you don't have belief, all that talent is worth nothing. I believe KJ has excellent knowledge of the game but lacks the charisma to lift the players. What we desperately need is an inspiring presence on the field. Look at how Micky Doyle ran midfield for Paul Cook even spilling over into a dressing room brawl with Burgess in our promotion season. I think he needs to promote Gareth Evans to captain with Naylor as deputy. Leave out Curtis and Marquis. Having Lee Brown back is a huge boost. Jack Whatmough can't be that far off (Christmas?) and we have Matt Casey ready to come in at the back. With Harrison fit again and looking like Kenny's best signing of the summer, I think we might have just turned the corner.
There, how's that for a bit of positivity? Looking forward to Gilligham on Saturday which is now confirmed as going ahead.