The Pompey Chimes Forum

What are your thoughts for tonight? This game has a real 'derby' feeling about it. I get the same feeling that I get before a Pompey v Saints game where there is an excited nervousness about it. The outcome is probably more important than the points at stake, which sounds a bit weird. I have been looking at some Scottish forums and they are wetting themselves over this game, which most think they are going to win. The rhetoric is full of venom towards the English it makes uncomfortable reading sometimes. For them it's not only a game of 'fitba' it has Brexit, Independence, politics & national pride at stake. They really want to rub our noses in it. I personally hope that, not only do we win, we win with style and win it by a mile. We should win as I think we have better players. I don't think any Scottish players would get in the England team so you would think the result is a foregone conclusion. The thing is that it is a derby and very often form goes out of the window so I will be wearing incontinent garments for the rest of the day.

As someone mentioned on radio just now this match means more to the Scots than for England, the Scots would be happy just to beat England, where as we look at winning the competition. If we get into an arm wrestle with the Scots it would be a game leveller so we shouldn't be drawn into that, we need to treat it just like any another game if we can? There is no doubt on paper we have the best players but as we all know its all about playing as a team and Scotland are a very close knit team. However in my opinion we have a much stronger team than the last tournament and we have a good chance of winning.

Basically, it is a third round FA Cup tie in the rain where the underdogs will be really up for it and giving everything. Scotland will start at 100mph, and England have to deal with that calmly, and then move on as the game settles down. The scrappier it is, the happier the Scots will be, and England mustn't be drawn into a niggle-fest.

It is a match Scotland can't afford to lose, whereas England might also be OK-ish with a draw and the Czech Republic to come on Tuesday, and this could come into play if it is still level with 20 minutes to go, and both sides settle for what they have.

We need to really want to win as much as them, and at all costs avoid any silly red cards. Not a game for faint hearts.

On paper England win easily but , as we know this will be played on (possibly wet ) grass not paper.

Some of us remember June 1967 when the best team in the world lost at Wembley to a far better Scots team than you can imagine today.

Be glad when it is done with.

As an aside, from the snippets I saw of Monday, your man Schick looks the real deal so I would rather we didn’t need to beat the Czechs to go through. He could be just what our fragile defence don’t need.

PUP

I often wonder if I am in a minority hoping Scotland, Wales and NI win unless they are playing England. As for tonight I will be edgy as ever unless we are three goals up with a few minutes left. Remember us leading the Germans 2-0 in the 1970 World Cup with 20 minutes to go. It still hurts.

My Father was a patriotic Scot. His Father (my Grandfather) was quietly even more a patriotic Scotsman. He had brought the Family down to Hampshire when my Father was 5 years old owing to him being in the Royal Navy. I was born in St Marys (the Maternity Hospital adjacent to Fratton Park) and although I was subjected to the Scottish ways, being a free thinker from an early age I considered myself English (but dual Nationality is very useful at times). My Younger Brother not being a free thinker succombed to the brainwashing and considers himself Scottish although he too was born in St Marys. My Father, although he never admitted it, liked the fact that I was a free thinker, but my Younger Brother was always his favourite (which I cottoned onto very early) it never bothered me as my Father tried to treat his three sons the same. Home International matches were very interesting in our household, especially the 9-3 in 1961. I worked in Edinburgh for a year in 1969 and the differences in culture and outlook of the Scots was an eye opener. My dual Nationality came in handy. The Scots are brought up to hate the English which unites the Catholics & the Protestants (it was another thing I found very different this hatred of the other Christian Style and those that practised it). I watched an England Scotland match in a Bar in Edinburgh a 4-1 defeat for the Jocks, it was wonderful and accepted remarkably well by the locals. So to today I believe it will be closer than many believe because the Jocks will be really motivated, but their skill level is not on a par with England. I expect a single goal difference with England coming out on top!

New Forester wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 11:26 am I often wonder if I am in a minority hoping Scotland, Wales and NI win unless they are playing England. As for tonight I will be edgy as ever unless we are three goals up with a few minutes left. Remember us leading the Germans 2-0 in the 1970 World Cup with 20 minutes to go. It still hurts.

I think re Scotland, yes you are in a minority. Wales and NI, perhaps not.

The difference is that the Scots seem to have this huge chip on their shoulder about us, which historically we just don't reciprocate -- although I feel we are starting to now, probably since their independence referendum.

My brother-in-law is a very devout Scotsman, and he will openly admit that he will support any team against England, even though he has been living is Sussex for many many years.

Many of the points raised here I would have said myself. Up to a few years ago I also wanted to see all home nations win against foreign opposition, obviously I did not want them doing well against England though. That changed for me concerning Wales when it was shown how the Welsh players celebrated at England being knocked out in the last Euros (or was it the World Cup). As for Scotland it changed my outlook when the hatred for the English became more apparent to me. Being racially abused by some Scots when I was in Scotland accelerated the way I now veiw things now. As for the game tonight I hope our players don't get drawn into the occasion and that they rely on their superior skill level. I know everyone says the Scots will be 'up for it' and that seems to imply we're not. I am sure that our players will want to win this game because that will put us through but, it has to be remembered, that they were also football fans before and they will know what it means to their country.

0-0 at half time probably even stevens

Typical derby boring stalemate know each other too well

A fair 0-0; which is how many points each of those sides should be awarded. A really terrible game; devoid of ideas, imagination or pace. Another example of teams waiting for something to happen, preferably from a corner.

Too many England players didn't take part. Kane for the whole game; Mount for the second half (was he even still on); Sterling for most of the time; RAshford when he came on.

Scotland and their fans happy at the end, which probably shows how low their expectations were. England fans not happy (boos all round), and quite right too.

jam tomorrow wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 9:53 pm Typical derby boring stalemate know each other too well

I beg to differ, England were sh!te, Scotland were excellent. One of the tournament favourites my arris!

Second in the group plays Sweden or Slovakia, winner plays France, Portugal or Germany.

Just to cheer you up.

New Forester wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 10:01 pm Second in the group plays Sweden or Slovakia, winner plays France, Portugal or Germany.

Just to cheer you up.

Another boring 0-0 draw to look forward to on Tuesday then