Pompey Yeovil

[The Cincinnati Kid]

0-0 early doors. 1st game off a defeat for Capt. Cook....weak team at home ...lets hope they don't park the bus and get lucky on the break.
Predictamundo....2-0

27 McCarey
02 Davies
20 Clarke
06 Burgess
03 Stevens
26 Evans
08 Doyle
15 Barton
23 Bennett
11 Roberts
09 Tubbs

[uspompeyfan]

Not much happening early on

[1G18]

We improved after half time when Stockley came on and despite Yeovil never really being a threat it was disappointing to see the stats show that out of 13 shots only two were on target. We were the better team by far and we will play worse and win this season but it's becoming common for teams to come to Fratton and park the bus as we are seen as the big fish in this league.

[Pompey Dave]

We improved after half time when Stockley came on and despite Yeovil never really being a threat it was disappointing to see the stats show that out of 13 shots only two were on target. We were the better team by far and we will play worse and win this season but it's becoming common for teams to come to Fratton and park the bus as we are seen as the big fish in this league.

Yeovil had the best chance of the game though, forced a great save from the keeper. I do not think we deserved to win that game.

[RubiconCSL]

I'd say form the second half performance we did. The first half was dire and I was wondering why the hell I had driven 3 hrs to see it! The second half was pretty much all us. Wave after wave of attacks, but with very little end product sadly. Yeovil defended splendidly to be fair, but we had two or three fine chances and just didn't look like we knew how to score a goal. Very frustrating and the way the away fans celebrated at the end told it's own story. Pretty much everyone who comes here this season will do the same. We need to work out fast, how to break down an 8m 9 or even 10 man defence!

My hope is that we have played it carefully, financially. No big expensive players bought. But hopefully, if we re there or there abouts at the end of the year, we will take more of a risk and bolster the squad with some good players to finish off what Cooky has started. We are NOT the finished article at all in my opinion. But we are good enough to be near the top with the current squad. Add two or three really good players in Jan and we will win this league. If we don;t do that, I think we will be any one of several teams that could win it.

[Earl Grey]

I'd say form the second half performance we did. The first half was dire and I was wondering why the hell I had driven 3 hrs to see it! The second half was pretty much all us.

Think you'll find the first half was all us as well, Rubi!

Yeovil hardly touched the ball the entire match, first half AND second half.

I agree, though, that 4-4-2 in the second half looked a whole lot more likely to unlock Yeovil's defence than Cookie's favoured 4-2-3-1.

Rather telling that the only 'midfielder' the entire match who looked to make penetrating runs was our centre half Burgess ffs.

I'd like to have seen Webster on in harness with Burgess as both can make those deep runs - although maybe too many defenders making penetrating runs may have ended in us conceding, unless it was properly orchestrated.

Still, entertaining football apart from the lack of goalmouth action - although good save from our keeper first half - despite the Beeb's stats saying Yeovil had no on-target shots first half!

No need to panic. If we pick up wins away but have to deal with parked buses at home then the net effect is the same - we will go up.

[Selsey Bill]

No need to panic. If we pick up wins away but have to deal with parked buses at home then the net effect is the same - we will go up.

From what I have seen of us, we have looked far more likely to win away than at home, with the exception of the Oxford game where we were lucky to nick a point IMO. I'm actually starting to look forward to the away games more than the home ones, this Saturday at Cambridge included.

[Pompey Penguin]

That was grim. A really poor performance. Lethargic, listless and without ideas. As against Exeter, we only really looked dangerous once the opposition completely sat back and tried to hang on to what they had.

If I have to spend another match watching passes going Burgess-Doyle-Stevens-Clarke-Burgess at pre-season pace, I think I'll go to sleep myself. The ball moves so slowly that the opposition find it easy to drift their defence from one side of the pitch to the other.

Barton is barely the right side of useless. Every time he gets the ball he runs sideways for 4-5 touches, and then passes about 10 yards sideways. As above, taking all the pace out of the game. I am not a great Hollands fan, but it was noticeable that when he came on we had a player willing to pass straight out to Davies/Stevens, who by that stage were playing as wing-backs, which at least gave them a chance of being in space.

There is a problem with the CBs moving out of defence. They both look great moving into the opposition half, but then obviously don't know what to do next. This is something that they should be dealing with in training. Both improving their skills, and also ensuring that the other players know where to move to give the CBs some easy options forward.

I agree with SB, and strangely am really looking forward to the trip to Cambridge where I expect to see us at our best.

[Pompey Dave]

That was grim. A really poor performance. Lethargic, listless and without ideas. As against Exeter, we only really looked dangerous once the opposition completely sat back and tried to hang on to what they had.

If I have to spend another match watching passes going Burgess-Doyle-Stevens-Clarke-Burgess at pre-season pace, I think I'll go to sleep myself. The ball moves so slowly that the opposition find it easy to drift their defence from one side of the pitch to the other.

Barton is barely the right side of useless. Every time he gets the ball he runs sideways for 4-5 touches, and then passes about 10 yards sideways. As above, taking all the pace out of the game. I am not a great Hollands fan, but it was noticeable that when he came on we had a player willing to pass straight out to Davies/Stevens, who by that stage were playing as wing-backs, which at least gave them a chance of being in space.

There is a problem with the CBs moving out of defence. They both look great moving into the opposition half, but then obviously don't know what to do next. This is something that they should be dealing with in training. Both improving their skills, and also ensuring that the other players know where to move to give the CBs some easy options forward.

I agree with SB, and strangely am really looking forward to the trip to Cambridge where I expect to see us at our best.

Absolutely, nail on the head spot on.