Jabo v Pompey (Carlisle v Portsmouth)

[cufc17]

This weekend will likely see the return of Jabo Ibehre to the starting eleven, which should give us an almighty boost after such a disappointing performance and result in Bristol last week. Gilliead will be available following the International break, Raynes and Joyce both return from suspension whilst Kennedy, Grainger and Hope may return from injury/illness.

Although Portsmouth had another disappointing result at home last week, their away record this season is 3rd best in the league with just 1 defeat.

It's tight at the top of the table (excluding Plymouth), Pompey sit in 4th just 3pts ahead of Carlisle in 10th. The 4 sides directly above us also sit on 26 points, so a win could push us into the play-offs.

I'm feeling reasonably optimistic ahead of this one, should be near full-strength with Jabo leading the attack and more options in midfield.

Pompey always bring a very respectable away following, noisy too. Should be a good game.

 

[shoddycollins]

return of the Jabo v ... threads

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Well last week was a right kick in the b*llocks really as it sort've proved that on our day we can play like a top 7 side but when its not our day we can also play like a bottom 2 side.........at least unlike last season we can claim that bottom 2 performance was our back-up players fault and not that our first choice players are the fault.

whether we do ok here is going to 100% depend on the team, no point like last week building us up to then play a starting 11 none of us would want and putting in a horrific hapless performance. Of course if we can get 4+ of the 6 first teamers out back into our team it could be a whole different game and that is where we frankly cannot find out until 2pm sat because we never have any consistency or updates on our side and most weeks its pot luck guesses on starting 11.

I am still hoping we see a 4-3-3 with his strongest 11, and hoping to see Jabo and Gilliead in same attack with a 3rd forward into the mix just so we can see what opposition does.

 

[hellogregory]

We are due a good home performance. But we've only really beaten bottom half teams at home and have struggled (defensively) against top half sides.

I think we'll lose here unfortunately. I pencilled in Bristol away and Pompey at home as back to back defeats. I do however think we'll bounce back with a couple of wins against Luton & Crawley.

1-3 defeat for this one.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

We should have back Ibehre, Gilliead, Hope, Kennedy, Raines and Joyce........6 changes from last weeks ridiculously weak team, plus I hope Grainer who I think is actually quite vital to our team (not in a defence way)

its all going to depend how many come back, I hope when radio comes on next week I hear we've made at least 6 changes from last weeks side.....if less than 5 then we've lost before we started.

if we do have all our players fit and lots of changes I predict we'll score 2 goals and Portsmouth will score 2 goals. It is then a case of who can score more than 2 goals will win.

 

[hellogregory]

For your 4-3-3 Dave, what would be your 11?

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

errrm the team I'd like to see is this. I'll go with fact Curle will certainly play Raines and Ellis.

Gillespie
Atkinson, Raines, Ellis, Grainger
Kennedy, Dicker, Joyce
Gilliead, Ibehre, Asamoah (can be hope switched weekly)

That front 3 when on form is impossible for the opposition, you have Jaba with his mass strength, ability to hold ball and able to score, then Gilliad with lots of tricks, happy to beat players and able to Score, then Asamoah making lots of runs behind their defence, winning back the ball and also able to score.

that just reminds me of when we played 4-3-3 with Simpson and had Holmes, Bridges and Hawley in a very similar threesome which frankly destroyed nearly any side it played......the only reason we'd not do as well is our defence is much weaker, but it still would give us a great chance of top 7.

 

[hellogregory]

The Tom Miller or David Atkinson decision is a tough one. Some would argue that Miller has been our standout signing. For me Atkinson has to play, he's the best all round defender at the club in my opinion, but I'd probably have him in the centre with Miller at right back.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I agree on them points and its a shame for Miller that he as such cannot be fit in at moment.

I'd rather see Miller right and Ellis with Atkinson in middle but people seem to worry about Height so put Raines in the centre even though he's crap.

so I just added him as I know he'll get in regardless.

 

[cufc17]

Agree on most of the above points, and would like to see both Miller and Atkinson start, but can't agree on Raynes. I reckon he's a solid League 2 defender, and deserves his spot in the side.

Team I'd go with (providing they're all fit):
Gillespie

Atkinson
Raynes
Ellis

Gilliead
Dicker
Joyce
Kennedy
Grainger

Jabo
Asamoah

Also, I think Wyke is unlucky to be 3rd/4th choice now, such is the depth of our attacking options.

 

[shoddycollins]

Hopefully we'll be able to get Steve Pattinson to run the lines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34858825

Make himself useful for the first time in his life.

 

[hellogregory]

If everyone is back, I'd start with a 4-4-2 at home.

Gillespie
Miller Atkinson Ellis Gillesphey
Gilliead Dicker Kennedy Grainger
Ibehre Hope
​

The reason id start Hope over Asamoah is because Hope and Ibehre are a hard working physical pairing with power and a bit of pace. Hopefully they'll give the Pompey back line a tough time, then we can bring Asamoah on later when their defence is hopefully starting to tire. Asamoah would be a tired defenders worst nightmare.

 

[hellogregory]

The Portsmouth squad are this afternoon training at Carlisle City FC.

 

[shoddycollins]

Did they move into Celtic Nation's old ground?

 

[Bar Carousel]

I'll go 1-1.

Our away form is pisses all over our home form. But we just seem to be stalling, and unable to click back in to our early season form at the moment.

 

[hellogregory]

Did they move into Celtic Nation's old ground?

They did.

 

[hellogregory]

I'll go 1-1.

Our away form is pisses all over our home form. But we just seem to be stalling, and unable to click back in to our early season form at the moment.

That was Bristol Rovers problem until last weekend.

We are always the ones that give teams that boost when they are on a bad fun or their form has dipped.

 

[hellogregory]

Apparently everyone is available tomorrow apart from Gillesphey.

 

[cufc17]

Oh Danny Grainger you fucking beauty! Didn't deserve anything from that game, but what a strike.
Cook is a c***.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Tactics were shocking...........the first half reminded me of the abbott days when frankly all passion and care for the football drained out through shockingly negative tactics which murder your chance to get into the game.

yet somehow we completely undeservedly were 1 goal up through our MOM the referee, the first of 2 dreadful decisions which went our way. We deserved nothing at all but being 2-3 goals down at half time, but amazingly had lead so people just tried to defend the stance and style

did better start of second half, tried to at least have some more men forward than 1 stranded in middle of no where, so was surprised when they scored as they were not doing much at time. We then panicked as we have 5-6 times this season and conceeded a quick ridiculous second goal (need to stop doing this) and defeat seemed certain really as tactics were crap, performance crap and were showing little.

if was a wee positive to Curle for all his approach was negative and dreadful, his subs were spot on and the changes got us back into game and last 15 minutes we created quite afew chances but didn't seem to get that final break until that wonder shot which in reality nicked us an undeserved point

dreadful to watch though, i just hope its a one off as i don't want to watch that negative crap again, thought it had died off.

 

[Carver]

That felt like a fucking win!!

Definitely one of the best goals I've ever seen at Brunton Park and even more so for it to be in the 95th minute, after the usual cock up in our defence to let them score their second I was just thinking that nothing is ever going to change with us as even when we do have a good performance someone at the back will give it away. It is annoying and very frustrating because the amount of goals we've let in like this is far too much, but I suppose the great goal at the end made up for the mistake today!

Fantastic result against a good team.

 

[hellogregory]

Well I thought Portsmouth would have too much and I was right, they did. Fortunately for us we managed to prevent it from being a cricket score, and got a much undeserved equaliser.

It wasn't just the tactics, they were a small part. The big thing was portsmoiths pressing, their midfielders were tight on ours all the time, gave us no time on the ball which resulted in us giving the ball back to Portsmouth nearly every time. This caused us to be pinned back nearly all game.

Excellent performance and tactics by Portsmouth. I almost feel like I should be apologising for the 2 points that were robbed off you today.

I think today shows that we are not good enough for top 7. Our performances at home have been largely dreadful this season and we're far too inconsistent to get playoffs. We'll beat most of the shite down the bottom, but we'll struggle against top half sides. Midtable mediocrity would still be a miracle after last season, so we can't be too disappointed.

 

[hellogregory]

As for the subs, correct yeah apart from Raynes shouldn't have been the defender hauled off. He won nearly everything in the air all afternoon and put in some heroic last gasp blocks.

 

[Carver]

Excellent performance and tactics by Portsmouth. I almost feel like I should be apologising for the 2 points that were robbed off you today.

What are you talking about? We totally deserved the draw today because we scored a brilliant goal and defended reasonably well apart from one silly error, I know we didn't play like Barcelona today which is what disappoints you, but come on we can't always play pretty football.

 

[cufc17]

Pompey absolutely dominated the first half, though our tactics gave them a helping hand with that. Jabo was isolated all half, and the defenders had him in their pockets, Gilliead didn't have much of an impact either. Portsmouth were very good on the ball, we couldn't get it off them at times, though they didn't create an awful lot of chances.
The build-up play for the penalty was our highlight of the half - pretty sure the pen was our only shot in the 1st half.

Improved in the second half, and Gilliead was getting involved a lot more. Pompey got their deserved equaliser, but Ellis (I think) then decided to gift them a second goal a few minutes later. After that, it was fairly even with the away side trying to close the game out, but we began to create some chances when Wyke and Asamoah were brought on. I couldn't see us getting that equaliser, and couldn't believe it when Grainger's strike hit the top corner.

We didn't deserve a point, but I'll definitely take it.

 

[cufc17]

Oh, and back-to-back 2-2 draws with Portsmouth at Brunton Park. Coincidentally, we equalised in the 95th minute last season too.
Ouch.

 

[Carver]

Oh, and back-to-back 2-2 draws with Portsmouth at Brunton Park. Coincidentally, we equalised in the 95th minute last season too.
Ouch.

Ha I know! When we were getting beat 2-1 there with 5 minutes to go I was thinking, come on, let's have a repeat of last season!

 

[hellogregory]

What are you talking about? We totally deserved the draw today because we scored a brilliant goal and defended reasonably well apart from one silly error, I know we didn't play like Barcelona today which is what disappoints you, but come on we can't always play pretty football.

If you think we totally deserved a draw today, I want some of whatever you've been smoking.

 

[hellogregory]

Oh, and back-to-back 2-2 draws with Portsmouth at Brunton Park. Coincidentally, we equalised in the 95th minute last season too.
Ouch.

We were 1-0 up last season as well.

 

[hellogregory]

The one good thing about today is that barring a shambolic 3 minute spell, we proved we can defend well against relentless pressure.

Last season in a game like that we'd have been 3 down by half time, easily.