Pompey

Anything yellow and blue
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Werthers Original
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Pompey

Post by Werthers Original »

Well that was all right wasn't it? What a lot of talented players. It's early days, but that lot could go far. If he stays fit it's easy to imagine Wes scoring most weeks from a yard or so, or a bobble off his bum. I guess it takes a lot of practice to get that lucky. Oddly, our least impressive player was Marvin and maybe his head has been turned. We'd manage without him, and hopefully get in a nippy youngster from Everton to take his place. Happy days!
OUFC4eva
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Re: Pompey

Post by OUFC4eva »

Image

A great win and another clean sheet.

I thought Mike Williamson was calm and assured again after doing well at Oldham
and he and Nelson look a good combination in central defence. The cultured Ricardinho was impressive and
always looked to play a short pass to a team mate.

He's got good technique! Joshua van Ruffels and Lego got to grips
with the midfield in the second half and when the U's introduced the power and pace of Obika and Hall
Portsmouth looked very vulnerable on the counter attack.

van Kessel replaced Johnson and a sway of the hips and a swagger saw him bamboozle the
Portsmouth back line before firing wide of 'keeper McGee.

Ruffels wrapped things up in time added on slotting home from Payne's perfect pass.

U's sit top of the embryonic League One table and it looks encouraging.
YF Dan
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Re: Pompey

Post by YF Dan »

This forum is hilarious, with it's total lack of posts when we're top of the league.

I text a friend before the match predicting utter doom and gloom for this season.

I'm still not convinced otherwise but our goals on Sat suggest otherwise.
Werthers Original
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Re: Pompey

Post by Werthers Original »

Yes, it's a shame folk don't share their thoughts more on the games, especially the good ones. Long way to go but we do look strong - bigger, stronger, and more experienced than last year if maybe less saleable.
recordmeister
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Re: Pompey

Post by recordmeister »

I wasn't at the game, Jerome. But I have to say that looking across the squad, we seem to have quality in every position, with the same in back up - my only concern would be the defence, particularly at CB. If we lose one of MW or CD, I'm not sure we have the quality to come in...

However, everywhere else we do. I was looking at who to put a pound on for first goal scorer. I was utterly confused not as to who might score first, but even to what XI PC would start with. Does he play Hall? Will Marv be in an attacking position? Will Kane play, or Obika? Nope, it is Thomas. How about Van Ruffles? Will it be three or four in the middle? If so, who will push forward and who will stay back?

I'm a huge fan of a consistent starting XI, but I think season we might just have a squad and a manager who - from the midfield up - might just be malleable enough to switch around on a regular basis.
Old Abingdonian
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Re: Pompey

Post by Old Abingdonian »

I agree it's both daft and inexplicable when we don't post on something as obvious as Saturday's victory.

There was a lot to be optimistic about. Ricardinho's passes out of defence were of a very high quality, and could become a useful source of counter-attacks. Williamson and Nelson looked very assured, and Thomas seems able to 'poach' goals in a way which we have lacked for years.

However, I'm most impressed by the turnaround from Tuesday night (I was there, Jerome). We were worryingly poor against committed but ordinary Cheltenham side. Pep managed, in the MApp phraseology, 'to get a response'. In part this was the return of Williamson, but the interesting one is Ribeiro. He had a dire game on Tuesday (and the crowd not surprisingly started getting at him), but was very good on Saturday. This suggests that PC, tactically or motivationally or both, managed to address the situation pretty impressively.

It's advisable to be cautious after two games, although I'm inclined to think that if the players can play that well, they can do so again, even if they won't do it consistently. In terms of recordmeister's reservations, I would add that I have faith in Raglan at CB, although he is currently injured. Martin looks to have no future at the club. I would hope that Pep can manage some gentle squad rotation, because this seems to me absolutely vital if we have a slightly larger group of players with a serious claim to starting a game. Otherwise, the season could be tough on the likes of Carroll, even Hall, and then we lose our important tag as a club which is effective in developing our own youth.

My big gripe is the possibility of losing our best players just because we have been identified as a League 1 club playing good football. It seems we are an obvious place to turn if you are a Championship club with money to burn from parachute payments and/or Premiership clubs having spent silly money on your players. To some extent, it was always thus. However, I am suspicious of the combination of agents / scouts / journalists with electronic column-inches to fill which can turn players' heads - Johnson was absolutely uninterested on Tuesday, although better on Saturday. It seems very hard for a club like Oxford to plan for the future if even a three-year contract is not enough to know that you can rely on a player for a couple of years. And it's one more step in making football dependent on the money men rather than what happens on the pitch.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Pompey

Post by Kernow Yellow »

Always funny when people who weren't at the game complain when others haven't posted about it. Anyway, some of Us have only just got back home!

The first half was a tight affair, both teams cancelling each other out. Their disallowed goal certainly fell into the 'I've seen them given' category, though there was a push. Bennett looked lively for them, but we dealt with their threat ok in the main. The half got less watchable as it wore on, and I thought the match had 0-0 written all over it at half time.

But the second half - wow! Some of our play reminded me of the better matches from our recent promotion season - wave after wave of attack and some lovely flowing football. Having said that, they had a blatant penalty turned down at 1-0 when Williamson cleaned their guy (Chaplin?) out. Would have been a red card as well. But Van Kessel came on and basically stole the show and we all went home very happy.

In terms of individual performances, everyone did pretty well, though I was disappointed with some of Ledson's play - plenty of missed passes in the first half and a couple of missed tackles in the second. Ricardinho grew in stature (figuratively if not literally) as the game went on, and looked great by the end. Payne has obviously got a lot of talent but sometimes tries to do a bit too much - lovely to watch when it works out though. Marv did well second half, when he seemed to play higher up the pitch. His one real eye-catching run led to a corner when he should have got a better cross away sooner. Standout performer for me was Ribeiro. I don't know why but I wasn't expecting to be impressed with him, but everything good we did in the first half came through him, and he made a great run for our first goal (even if he got a bit lucky with the cross).

Still early days, but it's a great start. The Williamson/Nelson partership looks key, especially with Raglan injured. Let's hope Leeds' rumoured interest in our captain comes to nothing. And now Swedish bloke is out too, there isn't a huge amount of cover in central midfield either.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Pompey

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

Like KY, this is the first chance I've had since Saturday to post; this forum tends to be busier on the Monday/Tuesday after a game than straight after the whistle. There's probably a lot to be said for that - reactions tend to be more considered as a result!

Completely agree with Werthers Original on this point:
Werthers Original wrote: Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:26 pm If he stays fit it's easy to imagine Wes scoring most weeks from a yard or so, or a bobble off his bum. I guess it takes a lot of practice to get that lucky.
Something on Saturday made be think that Wes is a bit like Nigel Jemson in that regard - he won't get many 30-yard screamers or overhead kicks, but he's a pain in the backside for defenders to defend against, and his positioning is bang-on. He'll also, as a result, often be the player who gets the opener in a tight game (as on Saturday), at which point opponents then have to go on the attack and get stretched, making it easier for others in our side and the subs to get the bulk of the goals and do the fancy stuff. We shouldn't under-estimate the value of that.

Disagree with WO about Johnson though, who I thought was excellent on Saturday, and was sometimes only let down by the players around him not thinking as quickly as he did! Him and Henry looked like a great pair of attacking wingers, and Pompey's fullbacks were visibly terrified every time they got the ball. I didn't see the Cheltenham game, but Johnson's attitude seemed fine to me on Saturday.

Agree with everything else that's been said about Williamson, Ribiero et al. My only worry is that behind the first XI we don't have great depth - which is very concerning with such an injury-prone squad.
YF Dan
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Re: Pompey

Post by YF Dan »

Kernow Yellow wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2017 10:16 am Always funny when people who weren't at the game complain when others haven't posted about it. Anyway, some of Us have only just got back home!

The first half was a tight affair, both teams cancelling each other out. Their disallowed goal certainly fell into the 'I've seen them given' category, though there was a push. Bennett looked lively for them, but we dealt with their threat ok in the main. The half got less watchable as it wore on, and I thought the match had 0-0 written all over it at half time.

But the second half - wow! Some of our play reminded me of the better matches from our recent promotion season - wave after wave of attack and some lovely flowing football. Having said that, they had a blatant penalty turned down at 1-0 when Williamson cleaned their guy (Chaplin?) out. Would have been a red card as well. But Van Kessel came on and basically stole the show and we all went home very happy.

In terms of individual performances, everyone did pretty well, though I was disappointed with some of Ledson's play - plenty of missed passes in the first half and a couple of missed tackles in the second. Ricardinho grew in stature (figuratively if not literally) as the game went on, and looked great by the end. Payne has obviously got a lot of talent but sometimes tries to do a bit too much - lovely to watch when it works out though. Marv did well second half, when he seemed to play higher up the pitch. His one real eye-catching run led to a corner when he should have got a better cross away sooner. Standout performer for me was Ribeiro. I don't know why but I wasn't expecting to be impressed with him, but everything good we did in the first half came through him, and he made a great run for our first goal (even if he got a bit lucky with the cross).

Still early days, but it's a great start. The Williamson/Nelson partership looks key, especially with Raglan injured. Let's hope Leeds' rumoured interest in our captain comes to nothing. And now Swedish bloke is out too, there isn't a huge amount of cover in central midfield either.
How do you know I wasn't at the game? (I wasn't :-))

Surely though it's better to let people comment on the game who were there, (Jerome)?
OtmoorYellow
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Re: Pompey

Post by OtmoorYellow »

Everyone is eulogising at the result, and quite rightly so.

First half was very tight. Magic was again a bit ball shy for my liking. I wonder if Hull have spoken to him or his agent before making a cheeky bid.

Wes Thomas remains for me the least useful of our striking options, but fair play to him to be in the right place at the right time. I just wish he did a bit more of the donkey work.

Riccardinho looks an excellent acquisition. Bar his first couple of touches, he was very good indeed. Very calm under pressure, virtually never giving the ball away, and no silly passes in dangerous defensive areas. He linked up well with Magic at times and that relationship will hopefully flourish.

The centre back pairing look very strong and assured. Plenty of height coupled with pace and skill on the ball from Nelson.

Ribs looks to be improving. Given that he has barely played in the last year he was very good, and Mr Baldock will soon be forgotten.

Henry was just a little slow for me, but it is very early days.

I was a little disappointed with Lego and Ruffs in the first half. The work rate wasn't there and they stood off too much, meaning we didn't win the ball back as quickly as we might have. Second half was a different story altogether, and they were top notch and I would go as far as to say their work rate prevented Portsmouth from playing and allowed us to play with more confidence, knowing that if we lost the ball, it would be quickly retrieved.

Jack Payne is a great replacement for Maguire, and arguably an improvement in open play. We will miss Maguire's free kicks though.

Eastwood didn't have a lot to do, bar one decent save in the first half.

The subs all played their part. In particular Hall really terrorised the Portsmouth back line, and Van Kessel's strike was sublime.

Pompey are a decent outfit, make no mistake. They will finish top 10. Before the game I would have taken any win, but 3-0 shows the quality in our squad.

We've yet to concede a goal in the league, but have scored 5 in 2 matches, which gives a lot of hope for a brighter season than I would have predicted.

It is very early days, but the signs are very encouraging so far.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Pompey

Post by Kernow Yellow »

OtmoorYellow wrote: Mon Aug 14, 2017 4:24 pm Pompey are a decent outfit, make no mistake. They will finish top 10.
Not sure about that assertion on current evidence. Portsmouth certainly weren't awful, but they crumbled pretty quickly once our first went in. Moreover, much as I liked Danny Rose playing for Us in L2 he was pretty anonymous on Saturday. Pompey need better than him (on that form) in the middle of the park to trouble the upper reaches of this division.
Geoff
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Re: Pompey

Post by Geoff »

Thoroughly enjoyed that game, even more than Oldham. I was very impressed with Ricardhino considering it was his debut, pleased with his quality and relieved that we look to have solved our biggest positional problem. He jumps well for a little 'un.

It bodes well when the introduction of three substitutes doesn't disrupt the team.

Pep did well to turn things round after Tuesday but he needs to address what Appleton and Wilder both failed to do - defending set pieces against a team of big lads. Williamson is an important piece in that particular jigsaw.
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