Pompey v Rovers

[Boz]

Our game in hand is a visit to in form Portsmouth, whose recent signing Matt Tubbs re-discovered his scoring boots at Cambridge. Micky Adams played for Southampton, so the home fans will be keen to see their side get one over a Scummer.

Rovers have injury doubts with Odejayi and Dugdale. The latter can be covered by McGahey or a now-fit Ihiekwe, on performances since his return, I don't think a major loss. However, especially with Stockton out with a hernia op, Kayode's absence will leave us a little short of options up front. Maybe JMW as a forward alongside Donnelly? I would imagine Micky will set us up as hard to beat, whether that involves a formation similar to how we finished Saturday or packing the midfield remains to be seen.

Prediction; comfortable Pompey win.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Prediction; comfortable Pompey win.

I am sorry, but that is an absurdly negative prediction. Portsmouth are favourites, but there is no reason why we should be heavily beaten, particularly after Saturday's showing.

I think we will start with the same side as Saturday, injuries permitting. This is effectively a bonus game for us, so a point would be a very good result. While this is the tougher of our two away games this week, Cheltenham is the really big one as regards our fate this season.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I am sorry, but that is an absurdly negative prediction. Portsmouth are favourites, but there is no reason why we should be heavily beaten, particularly after Saturday's showing.

I think we will start with the same side as Saturday, injuries permitting. This is effectively a bonus game for us, so a point would be a very good result. While this is the tougher of our two away games this week, Cheltenham is the really big one as regards our fate this season.

Absolutely agree. But it's a difficult one to call. We haven't had decent back-to-back results in the league all season, but I'll be very disappointed to see us lose. As RLC implies, Saturday is the six-pointer and I'd be more than happy to for us to get a couple of draws this week, which would give us a four-point and 14-goal cushion.

 

[Boz]

I am sorry, but that is an absurdly negative prediction. Portsmouth are favourites, but there is no reason why we should be heavily beaten, particularly after Saturday's showing.

Why? We're playing a team who have come into a decent patch of form and one of the players who is key to how we set up is an injury doubt. I haven't said we'll get hammered.

You haven't said what you expect the result to be...

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

You haven't said what you expect the result to be...

Probably a draw or a narrow defeat. To predict a 'comfortable victory' for Portsmouth suggests that we won't even be in the game, which is unlikely unless we produce a repeat of the York fiasco: we have not lost by more than two goals in any league game this season. Portsmouth's long term form is worse than ours.

Anyway, not long until kick off......

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Oh, dear. Back to old ways. Did anybody go?

 

[Sparky]

Disgraceful. Losing Thompson was obviously a blow but to collapse like that is awful.

Reminds me of the Edwards era....

 

[drwhoman]

1. 
   It would have been a great result but once a home team gets momentum with 10,000 plus fans behind them it is very hard. That said, the cat is currently staying under the settee for preservation purposes! The Pompey substitutions worked unlike ours. I assume Taylor was injured to go off at half time.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

The injuries to Thompson and Taylor and the disruption at the back knackered us, but even so...... To play so well and control the game for 75 minutes and f***k it all up is gut wrenching. Obviously I did not see the game, but I certainly have no confidence in Dugdale and McGahey as a centre back pairing. I was surprised Mickey did not go to three at the back immediately after Thompson went off.

I agree with Sparky that the collapse is an echo of the Edwards era. It is a massive job to lift the players for Saturday now.

 

[frenchrover]

According to BBC text, Thompson wasn't substituted until 70 minute. If this wasn't injury related it beggars belief that you would substitute one centre half for another when you are winning 2-0. I could understand playing 3 centre-halves but why, why disrupt the defence uneccesarily when you are 2 goals to the good. To then bring on Iheikwe and take Donnelly off when the game is turning against you is unbelievable.
Cheltenham must be relishing our visit on Saturday. Unless injuries played a part in this latest debacle, management must carry the can.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Thompson had a head injury and had to go off. It will be interesting to hear from anybody who went.

 

[Ian]

What the hell happened?!

 

[Boz]

McGahey instead of Ihiekwe as Josh Thompson's replacement baffling given how badly he and Dugdale played ay York. I felt Micky got lucky on Saturday putting an extra defender on, when it would have been better packing midfield. That didn't work in this game. Koumas didn't even make the bench.

 

[Ian]

Surely though even given the subs, they should be capable of defending. 3 goals in 15 mins is shocking no matter who's in the back line. Ludicrous when you think we were cruising for 75 minutes. Home team puts a bit of pressure on and our defence collapses. If we're going to be pointing fingers I'd point it in the players direction.

 

[GroundsmansFork]

These things don't shock me anymore having been watching Rovers for 50 ish years. Inconsistency is the word over and over again.

 

[Brightonian]

We looked like very comfortably winning as they had caused little discomfort and for long periods we had control.

The turning point was absolutely losing Josh Thompson who would have been my man of the match with an assured commanding performance at the back. He took a heavy knock to the head and the ref instantly stopped the game with concern. After a lot of treatment and changing his shirt came back on and looked fairly with it but Pompey had sensed an opportunity when we played briefly with ten and when MC Gahey came on.

The first goal against was a free header with a terrible lack of marking. Our good performance had subdued the Pompey crowd hitherto but they now came to life and the game became frenetic. Rory D had faded in the second half but by taking him off we lost the outlet to relieve pressure and they withdrew a central defender as they had defended his runs in numbers. The game turned around in a flash with all three goals against really down to us losing organisation at the back and getting rattled.

On the performance of individuals: JMW took his goal really well with a sublime finish across goal into the corner. He looked dangerous at times but too often his final ball was disappointing. However think he will take heart from the goal and will continue to improve. Marc Laird worked tirelessly and was I think the pick from the midfield. Danny H was getting up and down well, having as usual a good game. OFW no chance with goals and made a couple of good saves as well as catching and kicking much better. Max mediocre and wasted a couple of free kicks in the final minutes in good positions. Dugdale does not inspire with confidence although did a reasonable job first half but I would not have him as a first choice. Not sure what happened to Taylor but the only threat they posed was crosses from the left and we left often great oceans of space and not much better with Liam R.

All Pompey fans saying on the way back on the train they had been lucky to get back into the game and Tranmers must be sick having played well and letting a 2 goal lead slip. Yes it was sickening: hope we don't live to regret this one.

 

[Sparky]

Thanks for the report Brightonian.

Max had been very poor recently up to the Shrewsbury game where he did ok. Disappointing he was poor again last night - is it due to his contract situation?

As I and others have stated Dugdale has not really impressed since his return. I never thought he did that well when on loan and although he is clearly an organiser and quite vocal, he has been poor. You do worry about the centre of defence. Holness is out for a while so is Thompson and Ihikwe the best partnership?

Taylor had a hamstring strain apparently.

Certainly puts more pressure on this Saturday...

 

[Boz]

Thanks for the comprehensive report Brightonian. It sounds like Thompson was on the top of his game and losing him was pivotal to how things turned out.

I agree with Sparky that a Thompson-Ihiekwe central defensive pairing looks like the best option.

Would disagree that Micky Adams can be totally absolved from responsibility for the outcome. He's not been able to overcome vercome our tendency to defend too deep, but replacing Donnelly with a defender when we were hanging on seems to have invited trouble.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Surely though even given the subs, they should be capable of defending. 3 goals in 15 mins is shocking no matter who's in the back line. Ludicrous when you think we were cruising for 75 minutes. Home team puts a bit of pressure on and our defence collapses. If we're going to be pointing fingers I'd point it in the players direction.

I basically agree with this. Micky clearly must take a share of the blame, although I would not accept that he simply got lucky on Saturday, as we did not really look under threat in the closing stages of that game. Listening to the commentary, it also seems that we only went to three at the back when they gambled and put a third striker on (Westcarr). As we were already on the back foot at that stage, Adams probably thought we had no choice other than to match them up with three centre backs. However, I agree that the faith he is showing in McGahey is bizarre considering his performances so far, as he does not seem physically suited to this league.

The real concern for me is the lack of leadership on the pitch, in the closing stages yesterday and at York: we were not down to ten men or playing people out of position, so it is inexcusable to throw the game away in the manner we did.

 

[Ian]

I just hope all these thrown away games don't come back to haunt us.