[foxleyblue]

433 I ask myself, it worked with teams in the 50's

[FiftyYearsOn]

3-2-5. Would be a laugh!

[Lawrence]

433 I ask myself, it worked with teams in the 50's

Don't care. Just stop lumping the ball to kids that never win the ball. Have a midfield that doesn't allow the opposition to walk through it and play your fucking squad.

[exterminator]

To be fair Dozzell & Potts did fine just needed Moxon to help them out as they tired. When we started wasting time at the start of the second half I could see the writing on the wall.

The next 3 games against Hull, Plymouth & PNE all clubs in the lower half will define this season - 7 points is a minimum or it is bleak.

[Lawrence]

To be fair Dozzell & Potts did fine  just needed Moxon to help them out as they tired.  When we started wasting time at the start of the second half I could see the writing on the wall.

The next 3 games against Hull, Plymouth & PNE all clubs in the lower half will define this season - 7 points is a minimum or it is bleak.

Dozzell had a good game but I thought potts was shit. That premiership u21 league is basically a creche for soft players who look great playing against equally soft players. And clubs like us that don't want to pay the going rate for actual talent get conned every time.

[D'Alessandro dreaming]

To be fair Dozzell & Potts did fine  just needed Moxon to help them out as they tired.  When we started wasting time at the start of the second half I could see the writing on the wall.

The next 3 games against Hull, Plymouth & PNE all clubs in the lower half will define this season - 7 points is a minimum or it is bleak.

Dozzell had a good game but I thought potts was shit. That premiership u21 league is basically a creche for soft players who look great playing against equally soft players. And clubs like us that don't want to pay the going rate for actual talent get conned every time.

Potts played for Wycombe on loan last season in league one which is hardly the creche and hardly soft. He was good today in the difficult situation of an outnumbered midfield. He's having to make that step up like a lot of our players.

[Dibdenblue]

Depends if Tornate are willing to invest enough on championship quality players in January for us to stay up or not.
Clearly bringing in young, unproven players with potential for development is a nice idea for making money, but not realistic for keeping us in the championship. Especially if the only matches they get to play in are straight in at the deep end.
At present we are clearly out of depth in all respects. Each game feels like we are the minnows in a cup tie, hoping we may get lucky.

[slayer]

We need 50 points. I can't see us getting 35.

[FiftyYearsOn]

Mous says there were loads of positives tonight. That worries me because there weren’t. I might say ‘who are you trying to kid?’ I like him but he may not be the man to save our season.

[D'Alessandro dreaming]

We need 50 points. I can't see us getting 35.

Not necessarily. Low 40s has been enough to survive in the past some seasons. Although even that looks a bit beyond us tbh.

[Bedhamptonblue69]

Sad to see and say it but JM isn’t up to it. Tactically not aware of where the problem is with his own team and tactically unaware of how to combat other teams who alter their tactics during the game. They mix it up and we look devoid of ideas and panic sets in ,while we resort to just hoofing it upfield to a toothless frontline who could play for 10hrs and not pose a threat to the opposition goal. We go a goal down and you think that it is game over. Thing is a change of manager would struggle with this current lot. So fook knows what the answer is

[Cunninglinguist]

All the teams who are just above us, with only a few more points, will be saying exactly the same things as us.

Only a small improvement in points and we’ll be fourth from bottom, which is our target for this season.

[Hammie]

We should play the long ball but set the team up to receive it, ie close together to get the knock down off our player or a defender. Get corners and get very good at scoring from them.
The alternative is to play out from the back and give away a couple of goals a game as we are awful at it. It also negates the opposition high press as they have to keep running back. Presumably Mouse can set up a good offside system?
We have to cut our cloth this season and don't have the squad to try and emulate the pretty rich clubs at the top of the prem.

[firqdays]

At school two full backs; Centre half, left and right half; then the five at the front, we were taught that the two inside forwards tracked back when defending.

Simple system really and house points if you cleared the ball AND the opposing forward out!

[FiftyYearsOn]

Love that. Exactly my memories! Plus detention if you failed to do it!!

[Slagger]

To be fair Dozzell & Potts did fine  just needed Moxon to help them out as they tired.  When we started wasting time at the start of the second half I could see the writing on the wall.

The next 3 games against Hull, Plymouth & PNE all clubs in the lower half will define this season - 7 points is a minimum or it is bleak.

Sadly you’re right. Failing to get two wins from the next three games will leave us a long way adrift with a third of the season gone. I can’t see the Eisners risking good money on recruiting expensive signings, if by Christmas we’re odds on relegation.

I am normally glass half full but this season has been a hard slap in the face. The gulf between L1 and the Championship is even bigger than we feared.

[Peter_Mellor's_Got_No_Hair]

First thing is to accept that what has been tried, isn't working. Forget what system and how you would like to play and accept that you have to fight for everything and play in the most effective way, with the players at your disposal.

Then make yourself as hard to beat as possible.

I'd like to see 3 proper midfielders in the centre, rather than the two + one of the attacking players (who doesn't actually play as a central attacking midfielder) put in there.

Last night, second half Barry Bannan started getting on the ball and ran the game, changing it completely.

The two centre backs have to stop letting the ball go past them. They aren't quick, and it stretches the game and allows space for people to come on to. Head and kick everything - Forward and first time, then let your midfield battle for that second ball.

Lose the ego. Accept where you really are as a group. Have a plan for what you can do, not try and do what you can't.

[TitchfieldBlue]

To league one.

[firqdays]

Crap - 'back to league one' -, there is time, this is football and MUCH stranger things have happened over the course of a season - or even HALF a season!

[TitchfieldBlue]

The players just aren't good enough. The blame can be blamed on Hughes mostly, poor recruitment. Most of the players brought in don't even get a look in. Waste of money.

Can't really blame Mousinho or the owners etc. The owners have backed Hughes to an extent but the money has been wasted.

It's league one again next season for Pompey. Keep the squad together, players like Poole, Mcintyre etc, keep Mousinho, and Pompey have an excellent chance of coming back up.

[Daniel]

Schmid
Williams-Poole-McIntyre-ogilve
Devlin-pack-Potts
Lang-yengi-Murphy

Is probably the way I’d go next match if Williams and Schmid are back

Shaughnessy and Farrell replace McIntyre and Ogilve if they are fit too

[bluetagagain]

Gk?
Poole Towler Shaughnessy
Swanson Devlin Pack Moxon Farrell
Lang (Yengi/O’M/?)

I wouldn’t have a clue who to play up front with Lang as so far no one stands out. Pretty much the same for the GK position , probably Archer atm as he hasn’t really fecked up.

[Maddog56]

First thing is to accept that what has been tried, isn't working. Forget what system and how you would like to play and accept that you have to fight for everything and play in the most effective way, with the players at your disposal.

Then make yourself as hard to beat as possible.

I'd like to see 3 proper midfielders in the centre, rather than the two + one of the attacking players (who doesn't actually play as a central attacking midfielder) put in there.

Last night, second half Barry Bannan started getting on the ball and ran the game, changing it completely.

The two centre backs have to stop letting the ball go past them. They aren't quick, and it stretches the game and allows space for people to come on to. Head and kick everything - Forward and first time, then let your midfield battle for that second ball.

Lose the ego. Accept where you really are as a group. Have a plan for what you can do, not try and do what you can't.

I agree entirely with having three proper midfielders on the pitch. One of them has to be Pack. He is the most experienced, can pick a pass, and with more support will run more games for us. Boy are we missing Shaughnessy! He is a definite for the central defence slot. It would probably have to be Poole with him, although he isn’t impressive at the moment, but he has had to play a lot since returning from injury. Can’t see Towler being able to play with Shockers, although did they play together against Lincoln last game of the season? I dunno about forward players? Lang has been the most impressive. I’d love Murphy to be more consistent, but he doesn’t look like someone you want in the trenches. I do think getting Ritchie on the pitch more will help us. You do not become a bad player, and let’s face it, he is probably the best player we have on our books. I don’t know the answer, but these are my random musings ….