Slump, Blip or Things Evening Out?

[StMonkton]

Results have been poor recently and performances don’t sound to have deserved much better.
So, at this stage what do we think?

Are we now headed for a scrap to stay in the playoffs as our form dips?

Is this just mid-season woes, shortly to be replaced by a resumption of the first third of the campaign?

Or, is it just luck evening out . We seemed to have the rub of the green a few times in the Autumn, is this the opposite swing of the pendulum?

We have had more bad Januarys than good I think.
It feels like we’re headed for another.

I hope I’m being pessimistic.

What do we think?

[eltorrro]

A few decent incomings next week should do the trick.

Need a left and right winger that can attack and deliver to a new striker that can score goals plus a number 10 that can make incisive penetration of back 5's.

Anybody got a spare £10m?

[Rjk66]

Typical Pompey

[NSRailings]

Think we should have at least carried on with Yengi in the starting line-up. Playing with our usual set up of Bishop up front is one dimensional and teams know to mark him. So it's up to JM and co to show some imagination and come up with alternatives. Saydee should be starting more as well.

It'll be interesting to see who starts against Exeter.

[BlueinPLtwenty]

Nobody has a perfect season! Let`s put it into perspective: We are halfway through the season and we have lost just two matches, the second of those was yesterday. We are top of the League by four points. None of the top seven Clubs have beaten Pompey and we have beaten Peterborough, Bolton and Barnsley. We have had injuries & suspensions to quite a number of key Players and we are still top of the tree. I am going to Exeter on friday for my first live match of the season, I have watched virtually all the other games on IFollow, thanks to my VPN.I think this is just a blip, no other Team has really caught my eye as being better than Pompey. I am very confident that this is our season!

[Pompey1984+1]

I think it's worth remembering that the downfall yesterday was arguably trying to win the game. Perhaps we should have settled for one point?

Personally I think we did the right thing, but with reward comes risk....

[Sam_Brown]

I think it's worth remembering that the downfall yesterday was arguably trying to win the game. Perhaps we should have settled for one point?

Personally I think we did the right thing, but with reward comes risk....

I agree. Ultimately it’s how we bounce back. I feel we’ve had enough last minute winners that our luck had to end eventually. As always it’s down to the manager to make sure we bounce back and a good investment this January is needed. I remember our 02/03 season and we had a similar drop and getting a few guys in January really helped shore things up. I recall a mr Yakubu was one such signing.

[Mickemo]

I think it's worth remembering that the downfall yesterday was arguably trying to win the game. Perhaps we should have settled for one point?

Personally I think we did the right thing, but with reward comes risk....

Likewise, I was pleased we changed shape to 3-5-2 and tried to win the game…of course it’s disappointing that we lost but that’s football.

It’s important to take the learning from each game (be it a defeat, draw or a win) - let’s get behind the lads at Exeter and hopefully fortune will favour the brave this time !

[Pompey1984+1]

I think it's worth remembering that the downfall yesterday was arguably trying to win the game. Perhaps we should have settled for one point?

Personally I think we did the right thing, but with reward comes risk....

Likewise, I was pleased we changed shape to 3-5-2 and tried to win the game…of course it’s disappointing that we lost but that’s football.

It’s important to take the learning from each game (be it a defeat, draw or a win) - let’s get behind the lads at Exeter and hopefully fortune will favour the brave this time !

Agreed, we don't need knee jerk and we don't need wholesale changes.

I think the biggest conundrum is the Central midfield 3, Robertson has been less involved since playing behind the forward. Is it time to go back to two from three of Pack, Morrell and Robertson?

I think Saydee needs a goal, he wanted too many touches on Saturday before getting shots off, a goal would probably change that.

[GreenBlue]

I don't see the doom and gloom that some others appear to fear. We are, as some point out above, top of the league and our terrible run of form is... well not there.

If you look at form over the last 5 matches we are 5th in the form table. 6th over the last 10 games and 2nd in the last 15.

So this dreadful run we are on, 10 points from the last 5 games, is still promotion form.

I agree our performances have dipped slightly but we are a league one side.. a good one, but just a league one side. Enjoy the ride and PUP.

[Blue Walter]

I think we are in a bit of a blip, as our recent performances have shown. The reasons are probably some, or all, of those already mentioned. We are sitting on top of the league but we can't say we are blowing everyone away and most games are fairly close with our opponents in with a shout in most games. Our team just seem to find that bit extra and get over the line. I think that bit extra is a real team spirit. I don't think we have really got an exceptional player for this level, lots of good ones, but not outstanding. I wonder whether being the top team brings an extra pressure that has got through to our players, opposing teams play with that bit extra determination to take the top scalp. They even measure their performances on how well they do against Pompey, they are certainly up for the game against us. I do think that teams have studied Pompey and worked out our weaknesses and 'done a job' on us. I think the two main weaknesses are on the left side of our defence and the inability to turn good opportunities into goal scoring threat with a shortage of creativity. Most expected Fleetwood to 'park the bus' but they came and had a go because they knew they had a 'punchers' chance.

Hopefully these issues can be remedied next month. Also I hope we change our way of playing to get Yengi a decent run with Bishop. I think we will get through this blip and go on another run, hopefully all the way to the Championship. However, I do think change is needed to do this so next month and team set up is becoming crucial to our promotion aspirations.