Hatters Vs Pompey

[That Fat Centre Half]

So after both teams put in respectable showings in the League Cup against higher opposition we both return to league action.

Portsmouth have had a decent start to the season, whereas we have been well below par so far, leading to us being under pressure, even at this early stage of the season to get a result in this game, especially with the next 2 league games being away from home and looking a bit tricky.

I personally hope we stick with the 4 at the back shape that we had on Tuesday night, as we looked far more comfortable then than we have at any other point this season playing the 352. After the past 2 games with Cuthbert and Wilkinson playing well against Stoke and McNulty being absolutely abject at Yeovil i definitely cant see Macca getting back in the side yet, or indeed any time soon.

I liked the look of O'Brien and Lee in midfield but you wonder if they will have the legs having gone the distance against Stoke.

I don't normally try and pick a team but i am somewhat intrigued as to what the below might look like:
Justham
O'Donnell
Cuthbert
Wilkinson
Griffiths

O'brien
Smith
McGeehan

McQuoid
Mackail-Smith
Hall

With perhaps Jack Marriott coming on as an impact sub at some point. Always a bit of a worry with both Smith and McGeehan that you are a bit tactically ill disciplined though as both like to be all over the pitch and O'brien whilst impressing me at least in midfield is as i understand it a centre half by trade.

This will be a very tricky game, Tubbs always seems to score against us and we havent kept a clean sheet in what seems like forever so i think there will be goals for him.

Thinking we will draw this one 2-2 or something like that but at least put in a decent/improved performance.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Tubbs hasn't been too threatening for us and doesn't really suit our system. Our midfield is capable of swamping yours though, and Gary Roberts is a difficult man to stop.

I'm quite confident of getting a result here but Luton have to get their arses in gear eventually. I just hope they leave it a week or so.

 

[BelizeHatter]

Tough game at a tough point in a tough start. Got Cambs and Notts next too so not about to ease up. Can't help but think we really need to not lose but struggling to see past anything else. I do expect a much better League showing as we rise to the occasion - but I can just see Pompey doing the same and having a touch too much for us.

 

[Kenneth E End]

We've played the formation many times since we got promoted, but I've only seen us play well about twice going with a 3-5-2. The players just don't seem to know how to play it.

The problem is with the number of defenders that came in over the summer were almost forced to employ it. I have no idea where Okuonghae stands at the moment.

I barely saw any of the Stoke game unfortunately but reports have been good about Hall and McGeehan so I'd be surprised if they didn't start.

 

[Kenneth E End]

Looks like today's attendance will be approaching 10,000 again with no tickets available on the door.

 

[Judge Dredd]

A bit shit that it isn't sold out if we're honest. It looks like we could pretty easily have given Pompey the whole of the Oak Road and still had space in the ground. Disappointing really, I know we're in shit form but still...

 

[SVH]

Game of the day this, will have one eye on this. Especially with Luton coming to our place next week. A Pompey win and Luton/Still are under big pressure.

 

[Varboss]

ill go 2-2 , A win for us wouldnt surprise me with Lutons poor start, however i expect Luton will be challenging for promotion and they will pick up.

 

[WAP]

Stockley in for Tubbs. Think most were expecting that, Tubbs could still play a part late on in the game.

 

[Arbury]

Stockley in for Tubbs. Think most were expecting that, Tubbs could still play a part late on in the game.

think you best do the lottery tonight.

No worries hatters, you'll win next week.

 

[Varboss]

Draw would of probaly been a fair result but thats footie, we should of beaten crawley the other week so very happy. Luton will bounce back.

 

[Varboss]

not so happy Chelski just cost me 200 quid grrr

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

Luton! What is happening! You're making me look an idiot. Sort it out.

 

[TheHatter]

That was in line with all our other performances in the league this season - crap. The goal looked offside to me but no complaints, just getting a bit tired of creating very little and constantly conceding late on in games. Sort it out Still.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Football eh? Bloody hell.

Don't think we deserved to lose but we certainly never did enough to win. Conceding late goals in three consecutive games is worrying in the extreme. Pressure is on now.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

We werent actually bad today, defended reasonably, allowed Portsmouth to play in areas that wouldn't hurt us and defended alright in the main, although the winner was just a straight hoof which we didnt deal with, the first was just unfortunate i think.

We desperately need to improve when we are in possession of the ball though, that for me is the key to us turning around this form, we give the ball away far, far to much with simple sloppy play. I think Lee has already done something to help that and I have liked the look of him so far but it needs working on as at it so frustrating.

 

[Kenneth E End]

That is 3 last minute goals conceded in 5 games. We're getting quite good at this! We're getting closer and are getting better - we just need to get a full 90 minutes out; we can claw it back. Its a marathon not a sprint.

It was written in the stars that Matt Tubbs scored the winner - amazed he didn't start to be honest, because he was an instant upgrade on Jayden Stockley who struggled to make an impact, bar one chance in the first half that was saved well by Justham. It must be 6-7 goals "Tubbs (pen)" has scored against us. You didn't really need to be Mystic Meg to predict that one.

I love some of our fans by the way, I had a small argument with one of our fans walking out as he was telling John Still to go. Its 5 games out of 46 for goodness sake. I hate this modern football fickleness. Give him a chance.

Portsmouth are a good team, but I felt we deserved a point, certainly not 0. I'm a fan of Nigel Atangana - he is a real unit and we got very little change out of him. Feel that it will be difficult to stop Portsmouth in this sort of form.

 

[TheHatter]

I love some of our fans by the way, I had a small argument with one of our fans walking out as he was telling John Still to go. Its 5 games out of 46 for goodness sake. I hate this modern football fickleness. Give him a chance.

I think the frustration comes from the fact we were poor for the second half of last season too, he's spent a fair bit and signed a load of players and there's been no real improvement. We've not been consistently good under Still for a while now.

 

[Kenneth E End]

I think the frustration comes from the fact we were poor for the second half of last season too, he's spent a fair bit and signed a load of players and there's been no real improvement. We've not been consistently good under Still for a while now.

Last season has gone. We finished 8th - first season back, that's not a terrible result. 1 spot off our target.
New season, clean sheet. You can't dwell on the past.

 

[That Fat Centre Half]

In fairness to the lady you argued with its not 5 games in 46, its the end of last season combined with the beginning of this AND the way we have played for most of those games as well.

Viewed as a whole the play of the side has been poor for basically all of 2015 so i do understand those who are very annoyed and want him gone, but i dont agree with them... yet anyway, this group needs a fair crack first.

At least we looked better today than against Bristol Rovers or Yeovil which were diabolical displays.

 

[WAP]

Portsmouth are a good team, but I felt we deserved a point, certainly not 0. I'm a fan of Nigel Atangana - he is a real unit and we got very little change out of him. Feel that it will be difficult to stop Portsmouth in this sort of form.

I like Atangana and sounded like he had a decent game today but his passing accuracy is so frustrating and probably the reason he's not playing higher up the leagues.

Delighted with the points, from the radio sounded like we both had spells of the game.

 

[Don Tonberry]

It was a very even match although not great on quality. As time ticked into stoppage time I would have been content with a draw and it certainly would have been a fair result. Good thing that our mentality has completely changed under Paul Cook and we never stopped looking for a winner despite the nature of the match. The quality of our full backs shouldn't be under-estimated either, both Davies and Stevens were excellent today.