[Cunninglinguist]

I agree that Brown is a good honest pro but he is out of contract in the summer. I, like most people have noticed a drop off in his performances of late.

As far as Curtis goes, people say he isn't a striker but his crossing isn't startling good. So, what does he do? Against Sunderland, he was poor. Regardless of the position he was playing in, a poor performance is a poor performance. He committed the worst sin, in my book, after he lost the ball to give Sunderland a very good opportunity.

[tl73]

Hopefully Hume and Romeo put in some good crosses as wing backs to a front 3 with Curtis and Harness cutting in.

[tl73]

Still need at least a creative midfielder though.

[Cunninglinguist]

I think we have plenty of creativity. We have people getting in the box but the final ball is , too often, woeful. I can’t remember Walker having a clear cut chance yet, the service is abominable.

[Kingo]

I always thought a good coach, with decent players, should work out a formation that suits them. 4 4 2 is scorned nowadays but if it suits your players, maybe you should play it. Instead of deciding on your formation first and then trying to populate it.

[exgaffer]

I think we have plenty of creativity. We have people getting in the box but the final ball is , too often, woeful. I can’t remember Walker having a clear cut chance yet, the service is abominable.

Cunning I couldn’t agree more about the service, the crossing this season is worse than I have seen in any of the other 60 years of watching Pompey. It has been truly Sunday League.

Having said that, we do lack a clinical striker, so that needs addressing too.

[Cunninglinguist]

Maybe Walker is it. I’m waiting for him to have a chance. Even Hirst might surprise us, if he had some service. I’m not going to attack him for the chance he missed after just coming on against Sunderland. Plenty of other fluffs he’s made, mind.

[Pompeyloyal]

Sorry Loyal, but I just can't see why getting  a new left back in and letting an old one go suddenly leaves us stretched, especially when the new one also can solve the problematic left wing back role. 

Even without using Vincent or Williams we have two players for every position across the back four, two right backs, four centre backs and two left backs - admittedly using Ogilvie in both the last two positions.  That seems OK to me, certainly not 'stretched'.  In fact one of Cowley's biggest problem is going to be keeping all four centre backs happy because I expect Carter, Raggett, Robertson & Ogilvie will all reckon they are deserving of a first team place .

It doesn’t ‘suddenly’ leave us stretched - we’ve been stretched all season 

Freeman playin as 1 of the 3 centre backs says it all really

We got away with it to this point - well I say that,we are 10th which isn’t good enough for PFC at this level

[Cunninglinguist]

Defense hasn’t been (at least for a long while) and still isn’t our priority. Don’t think anyone is complaining or is worried about that.

[Hammie]

I would be sad to see Brown go, he's been a decent performer. But can totally understand why we would let him go and why he would want to.
But unless the wingbacks start acting as auxiliary wingers and setting up chances then we might as well revert to 442 and for that brown is our best bet.
If Brown does go and we stick to wingbacks long term, then Curtis is devalued to me and might as well go to. Creating a space, some wages and presumably a transfer fee inwards.

[Cunninglinguist]

If we went to four at the back then I would think Ogilvie would step across. That was what he was brought in for.

Totally agree ref Curtis.

[Pedalo_menders]

Been reading that Matty Longstaff is heading to Oxford from Newcastle. Is this the good one we were linked with a couple of seasons ago? Or is this the other brother?

[Rick Pumpkin]

Been reading that Matty Longstaff is heading to Oxford from Newcastle. Is this the good one we were linked with a couple of seasons ago? Or is this the other brother?

I think it was Sean Longstaff we were looking at a few years back - hadn't he just spent a year with Blackpool when we were interested?

Longstaff the Elder

[Pompeyloyal]

Welcome back Pompeyloyal

PUP

[Pompeyloyal]

I would be sad to see Brown go, he's been a decent performer. But can totally understand why we would let him go and why he would want to.
But unless the wingbacks start acting as auxiliary wingers and setting up chances  then we might as well revert to 442 and for that brown is our best bet.
If Brown does go and we stick to wingbacks long term, then Curtis is devalued to me and might as well go to. Creating a space, some wages and presumably a transfer fee inwards.

I think injury history of Robertson & Hume is my concern - need them both to able to handle a busy period of games

The wing back system required 5 players of our starting 11 - I still question the depth in that department especially if Brown does leave - should be 2 players battling for both positions ‘ideally’ - again heavily reliant on Romeo & Hume stayin fit 

Freeman & Reeco aren’t really wingbacks

 BTW I think Brown is a classic standard league 1 player who struggles with injuries fairly often too - not a promotion sort of player 

PUP

[Pompeyloyal]

Brown signed for wombles - confirmed

Just read that leaves us with 19 players - so room for 3 signings

[bluetagagain]

Just read that DC would like 2 more, a central midfielder and an attacking player . Let’s hope they’re experienced as Danny likes his potential and coming back from injury signings

[DeepBlue]

I would be sad to see Brown go, he's been a decent performer. But can totally understand why we would let him go and why he would want to.
But unless the wingbacks start acting as auxiliary wingers and setting up chances  then we might as well revert to 442 and for that brown is our best bet.
If Brown does go and we stick to wingbacks long term, then Curtis is devalued to me and might as well go to. Creating a space, some wages and presumably a transfer fee inwards.

I think injury history of Robertson & Hume is my concern - need them both to able to handle a busy period of games

The wing back system required 5 players of our starting 11 - I still question the depth in that department especially if Brown does leave - should be 2 players battling for both positions ‘ideally’ - again heavily reliant on Romeo & Hume stayin fit 

Freeman & Reeco aren’t really wingbacks

 BTW I think Brown is a classic standard league 1 player who struggles with injuries fairly often too - not a promotion sort of player 

PUP

Freeman played wing back for Sheff Utd in the Championship promotion season, probably not his best position but he has good expereince playing there.

[Pedalo_menders]

Reading Cullens comments on Denver Hume, talking about young players that will increase in value, its hard to argue against signing Ben Thompson. He is far more likely to increase in value than Hume is.

Signing Hume and offloading Brown is just offloading one slightly older bang average L1 player for a younger bang average L1 player.

[Pompeyloyal]

Just read that DC would like 2 more, a central midfielder and an attacking player . Let’s hope they’re experienced as Danny likes his potential and coming back from injury signings

Why isn’t he looking to have the full 22 players at his disposal - bearing in mind we probably won’t see very much (if anything at all) of Tunnicliffe again this season 

a squad of 22 players isn’t that great/big anyway really

[Prickles]

Hearing Harness to Birmingham and Matty Jay from Exeter in?

[DeepBlue]

Hearing Harness to Birmingham and Matty Jay from Exeter in?

I'd be happy with that if we got a big profit from the deals.  Harness is part of the problem up front IMO, very talented and capable of moments of magic, but not consistent and the move too often breaks down when he gets the ball. A difficult player to get the best out of.  

Jay is a more central attacking midfield player who scores goals and is probably a more natural fit for the number 10 role than Harness.

[Hammie]

and if we are sticking with wingbacks we don't really need 3 wingers if any

[Pompeyloyal]

and if we are sticking with wingbacks we don't really need 3 wingers if any

Sticking with wingbacks is fine but only if Romeo stays clear of injury - as it stands I don’t think we have another player in our squad who can play that role (very well/affectively)

[Hammie]

and if we are sticking with wingbacks we don't really need 3 wingers if any

Sticking with wingbacks is fine but only if Romeo stays clear of injury - as it stands I don’t think we have another player in our squad who can play that role (very well/affectively)

I think above, someone suggested freeman can play wing back. Not sure about that, he feels like the under performer out of all the signings this season.

Regading selling Harness. After that fantastic scoring run, maybe we've had all he is going to offer this season?