16-03-2021, 04:09 PM
Picking up on Gaffers point about direct football, the fantastic Pompey sides of their 1946/50 heyday were extremely direct....but on the ground.
Typically out of defence, Harry Ferrier would move the ball to Jimmy Dickinson at Left half in midfield and he would shift it to either Froggatt on the wing or Phillips at inside-left, Phillips (an outstanding passer of the ball) would look for Dougie Reid, Ike Clarke or a marauding Peter Harris to finish the move.
That Pompey side did not play tippy tappy football, everything was quick to the point where the opposition were often stranded, no time to get back to cover the attack.
Pompey were blessed with outstanding players of course, Scoular and Dickinson not only great tacklers but with the ability to pass the ball 20 yards or more with accuracy, Phillips and Reid with great first touches (when did having a great first touch go out of fashion?).
A different age of course and just maybe the 1948/49 and 1949/50 Pompey’s sides might be found out by Man City and the like today but I can’t help but feel that the current Pompey team (not really fit to wear The Shirt) might have been Reserves at best and The Pompey B team more likely.
Typically out of defence, Harry Ferrier would move the ball to Jimmy Dickinson at Left half in midfield and he would shift it to either Froggatt on the wing or Phillips at inside-left, Phillips (an outstanding passer of the ball) would look for Dougie Reid, Ike Clarke or a marauding Peter Harris to finish the move.
That Pompey side did not play tippy tappy football, everything was quick to the point where the opposition were often stranded, no time to get back to cover the attack.
Pompey were blessed with outstanding players of course, Scoular and Dickinson not only great tacklers but with the ability to pass the ball 20 yards or more with accuracy, Phillips and Reid with great first touches (when did having a great first touch go out of fashion?).
A different age of course and just maybe the 1948/49 and 1949/50 Pompey’s sides might be found out by Man City and the like today but I can’t help but feel that the current Pompey team (not really fit to wear The Shirt) might have been Reserves at best and The Pompey B team more likely.