Chesterfield

[Pompey1984+1]

So, judged on this performance who do we get rid of?

Whyte
Kamara
Yengi
Lane
Schofield
Anjorin

That will do for a start...there MUST be better available than those??

Funny that four of those have been widely praised, now as we lose for the first time in six months they suddenly become rubbish

I will respond to your comment PL20, thus:
Whyte...don't think anybody on this forum has ever had a good word to say about him...well, not since we signed him!
Kamara (loan)...don't know how many games he's played for us but my memory can recall him scoring one good goal and perhaps a couple of good crosses/assists. Has a certain amount of skill but mainly ineffectual and is lazy.
Yengi...really effective and scorer of lots of goals...in friendly, pre season games but can't do it against 'real' opposition.
Lane...flatters to deceive, loses the ball more often than not when attempting to beat his man. Tries to beat his man but really isn't fast enough and is usually either dispossessed or his cross is hit too heavy.
Schofield...just isn't good enough
Anjorin (loan)...unfit, not up to speed for lge1 football, too slow, and not as good as he thinks he is.

That's my assessment, others may not agree but I saw several better non league Chesterfield players today that I would have in my team rather than those listed.
I don't think these players have 'suddenly become rubbish'...I don't think they were very good to begin with but possibly showed flashes of skill which they can't maintain.

I think you're knee jerking with respect. Lane already has shown real quality with goals & assists, Yengi has been out injured but has scored 4 times in his 1st season @ this level. Kamara-I like him, fast & direct. Young kid but he's got pace but seems to be the fall guy. I'm not buying he's rubbish @ all.
Whyte-stop start thus far due to injuries etc. We will see.
Schofield-dunno, not sure how after a defeat he didn't play in he's suddenly so bad.

I agree about Kamara seems like a lot of fans have it in for him - lots around me at the Carlisle game were slagging him off from the start, and yesterday was the same as soon as he came on.

He reminds me a bit of Yakubu the way he carries himself around the pitch - his body language doesn't look all that interested and he doesn't look all that graceful but I think he is a better player currently that Yengi and he gets credit for.

I also think Whyte has suffered from being played in various different positions, and perhaps a level of unfair expectation.

[Blue Walter]

Tino out for approx 6 weeks with a hamstring tear, I think I can see why his career is stalling.
Wonder if we have to keep him for the season.

Actually I wonder if we won't be keeping him longer than this season. He is 22 and by now should be playing mens football, a young player approaching his best years. However, he has all the appearance of a player just out of youth football. The fact is that he has been out of that scenario some time ago and, so far, has not shown he is ready to be a regular player in men's football. I think, injuries allowing, he will get better but not good enough for Chelsea or the Premiership. I don't think he will have done enough to earn a contract at Chelsea because they need a higher grade of player of his age to make it worthwhile to keep him. I think that there is a chance that we could offer him a better route to first team football than he would at Chelsea. He does have attributes and signs that he could be a useful player outside of the Premiership which may attract interest from Portsmouth.

As for Kamara, I am not so sure. He is another who has shown promise but is far from able to operate regularly in men's football. He is younger than Anjorin so has a bit more development time on his side. I wouldn't be surprised if Norwich don't see him in their long term plans and could well end up here.

[PeteM]

Tino out for approx 6 weeks with a hamstring tear, I think I can see why his career is stalling.
Wonder if we have to keep him for the season.

Both sides suggested it was a season long loan when it was announced, no mention of a break clause in January.

[eltorrro]

pompeygunner...thanks for your response to my opinion.
Just looked up 'knee-jerk' meaning: denotes a too-hasty, impulsive, perhaps even irrational response that is often based on preconceived notions.

I have watched every minute of every game Pompey has played this season and my opinion is based on what I have witnessed from those games. Probably I shouldn't have said 'judged on this performance who do we get rid of?'...that indicated my opinion was based on that one game and it wasn't. Neither was it a knee-jerk reaction.

Possibly my judgement is clouded by my years having watched the likes of Peter Harris, Stan Matthews, George Best, etc. etc, real wingers who could beat their man and put over a decent cross. Yes, I know, we are in Lge1 and players aren't so good and that is an accepted so perhaps I should just keep my opinions to myself and accept the situation?
Well boll+++s to that...I will praise when deserved and criticise if necessary. Believe it or not I would much prefer to praise, that would mean we are doing well (the emphasis on WE because it's a team thing!) JM and management have done wonders so far, perhaps a couple of dubious choices but hopefully that will be rectified come January.

[pompeygunner]

pompeygunner...thanks for your response to my opinion.
Just looked up 'knee-jerk' meaning: denotes a too-hasty, impulsive, perhaps even irrational response that is often based on preconceived notions.

I have watched every minute of every game Pompey has played this season and my opinion is based on what I have witnessed from those games. Probably I shouldn't have said 'judged on this performance who do we get rid of?'...that indicated my opinion was based on that one game and it wasn't. Neither was it a knee-jerk reaction.

Possibly my judgement is clouded by my years having watched the likes of Peter Harris, Stan Matthews, George Best, etc. etc, real wingers who could beat their man and put over a decent cross. Yes, I know, we are in Lge1 and players aren't so good and that is an accepted so perhaps I should just keep my opinions to myself and accept the situation?
Well boll+++s to that...I will praise when deserved and criticise if necessary. Believe it or not I would much prefer to praise, that would mean we are doing well (the emphasis on WE because it's a team thing!) JM and management have done wonders so far, perhaps a couple of dubious choices but hopefully that will be rectified come January.

Nobody least of all me wants you to keep your opinions to yourself eltorro. I just found it strange that after one defeat in a season of so far success you're suggesting getting rid of players like Lane who has been vg. Bit bizarre but we cant all agree on everything.
So keep em coming (your thoughts). But lets see how we go before we start to offload players who may just take us to promotion-thats how I see it.
Btw-I'm dead jealous you saw the likes of Harris etc. Must've been amazing. Bestie-well yes possibly the greatest player of his time according to Pele no less. Never saw him play in the flesh but on MOTD & The Big Match. Amazing player.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

I was lucky enough to see George Best play live. He was the best British Player of his generation, in my opinion. I never saw Peter Harris play but did see Stanley Matthews play once at Fratton Park when he was well into his forties. However comparing their wing play to our current crop of wingers is like chalk and cheese. Defenders these days are vastly superior anyway. In addition Wingers these days are expected to be able to defend. In short very unfair comparison. Anyway Peter Harris was not a conventional winger as demonstrated by the fact he is our record goalscorer 194 goals in 479 appearances

[Portchesterblue2]

pompeygunner...thanks for your response to my opinion.
Just looked up 'knee-jerk' meaning: denotes a too-hasty, impulsive, perhaps even irrational response that is often based on preconceived notions.

I have watched every minute of every game Pompey has played this season and my opinion is based on what I have witnessed from those games. Probably I shouldn't have said 'judged on this performance who do we get rid of?'...that indicated my opinion was based on that one game and it wasn't. Neither was it a knee-jerk reaction.

Possibly my judgement is clouded by my years having watched the likes of Peter Harris, Stan Matthews, George Best, etc. etc, real wingers who could beat their man and put over a decent cross. Yes, I know, we are in Lge1 and players aren't so good and that is an accepted so perhaps I should just keep my opinions to myself and accept the situation?
Well boll+++s to that...I will praise when deserved and criticise if necessary. Believe it or not I would much prefer to praise, that would mean we are doing well (the emphasis on WE because it's a team thing!) JM and management have done wonders so far, perhaps a couple of dubious choices but hopefully that will be rectified come January.

Are you really comparing stanley matthews and George best to league one players ???
No wonder you think all are players arent very good.
As you say we are in league1 we have league 1 players, they arent ever going to be as good as matthews or best, they are playing in league one for a reason. By all means criticise but do it based on a level playing field

[Blue Walter]

Personally I think it is impossible to compare past & modern day footballers. I think the only accurate comparisons can only really made generational. Would today's players cope with heavy grounds and the more robust defenders of yesteryear? Today's players are far fitter than they were so would the stars of the past cope with fitter and stronger players of today?

I do believe that football was more entertaining than it is today where the coaches were restricted to training players in the art of playing football. On the coaches schedule today are items such as how to win a free kick and feigning injury. Tactics are more of a leveller today than ever before where a team can negate their opponents higher skill factor. Most teams in the old days had a 'golden ******' that every one knew and was a star turn, obviously also a hatchet man was waiting for them.

I had the privilege to see players such as Best, Law Charlton, Greaves, Gilzean, Bell, Dickenson and an endless so on. I did see Mathews and Peter Harris but unfortunately they were well past their best when I saw them. Mathew's was 48 at the time and Harris couldn't have been far behind, although I did meet him at a strip do on Hayling Island.

[jam tomorrow]

I think it’s important to look at this game subjectively to see how we can learn from it, the first thing I believe we should take from it is teams will put extra emphasis in stopping Sparksie’s crosses. Orient also employed this tactic last night so we need to mix it around a bit and find ways of scoring goals in different ways. This may involve changing our shape and having a striker playing alongside Colby because after all he is the best in the league. This will give teams something to think about and relieve pressure on the wings, we also need to adapt to teams that press us right from the start like the Norris incident we were not prepared for this scenario.The other issue was the physical aspect which again threw us whether other teams in this league will be like that who knows?

[Pompey1984+1]

I think it’s important to look at this game subjectively to see how we can learn from it, the first thing I believe we should take from it is teams will put extra emphasis in stopping Sparksie’s crosses. Orient also employed this tactic last night so we need to mix it around a bit and find ways of scoring goals in different ways. This may involve changing our shape and having a striker playing alongside Colby because after all he is the best in the league. This will give teams something to think about and relieve pressure on the wings, we also need to adapt to teams that press us right from the start like the Norris incident we were not prepared for this scenario.The other issue was the physical aspect which again threw us whether other teams in this league will be like that who knows?

Orient did a brilliant job of stopping Sparkes crosses last night. He didn't get one in all night...

[Blue Walter]

I think it’s important to look at this game subjectively to see how we can learn from it, the first thing I believe we should take from it is teams will put extra emphasis in stopping Sparksie’s crosses. Orient also employed this tactic last night so we need to mix it around a bit and find ways of scoring goals in different ways. This may involve changing our shape and having a striker playing alongside Colby because after all he is the best in the league. This will give teams something to think about and relieve pressure on the wings, we also need to adapt to teams that press us right from the start like the Norris incident we were not prepared for this scenario.The other issue was the physical aspect which again threw us whether other teams in this league will be like that who knows?

Orient did a brilliant job of stopping Sparkes crosses last night. He didn't get one in all night...

Yes I agree with you Sparkes did absolutely nothing last night, in fact it proved my original opinion of him to be correct. I think that Hume should have played in his position to give him a run out.

[Pompey1984+1]

I personally don't have too many issues with Hume I think he could have been good enough if given enough of a chance I'm just not sure he has managed to settle down south, and it's just not worked out for him. Never really let us down when called upon.

[Blue Walter]

I think it’s important to look at this game subjectively to see how we can learn from it, the first thing I believe we should take from it is teams will put extra emphasis in stopping Sparksie’s crosses. Orient also employed this tactic last night so we need to mix it around a bit and find ways of scoring goals in different ways. This may involve changing our shape and having a striker playing alongside Colby because after all he is the best in the league. This will give teams something to think about and relieve pressure on the wings, we also need to adapt to teams that press us right from the start like the Norris incident we were not prepared for this scenario.The other issue was the physical aspect which again threw us whether other teams in this league will be like that who knows?

I agree with you about giving Bishop a strike partner. I think he does a brilliant job as a focal point and gets through some tremendous work. However, I think that he is primarily a predatory striker and to get the best out of him a strike partner would help unburden him somewhat. I always believe that more strikers up front means that there is less reliance on precision passing and that punted forward passes have more chance of being effective with more players looking to get on the end of them.

I am not so sure we have the players that are good enough at this level at the club to fill this roll of second stiker. I do not think that both Saydee & Yengi are ready yet for League One. However, unless they are given a run in the team we won't know and the players themselves will not get the games they need to progress. I think our problem is that Bishop is absolutely critical in the way we play and there is no one at the club that can offer what he brings to the table. If we were to lose the services of Bishop through injury or suspension I believe we would have to play both Saydee and Yengi in his absence.

[Blue Walter]

I personally don't have too many issues with Hume I think he could have been good enough if given enough of a chance I'm just not sure he has managed to settle down south, and it's just not worked out for him. Never really let us down when called upon.

From what I have seen of Hume I think he hasn't done that much wrong and probably has deserved a longer run in the side. He seems to be almost ostracised with his treatment from the club and they have made no secret of wanting him off the books. That seems a bit of a harsh scenario by the club but by not knowing the full story it is difficult to make a bona-fide judgement. We don't hear too much of the player complaining about the situation or anything discerning about the player from the club. So I would assume there are other issues that is causing problems for Hume regarding his Pompey career. What is odd, though, Hume is a player capable of playing League One football and has been available for some time but, it appears, no club has been that keen to take him.

[NSRailings]

This may involve changing our shape and having a striker playing alongside Colby because after all he is the best in the league. This will give teams something to think about and relieve pressure on the wings

Agree, and seeing Pigott last night reminded me that him and Bishop were good playing together. Hopefully JM etc have some targets for January if necessary.