have to agree here, think he has looked far from interested in recent weeks mind but was certainly up for it today.
very big 3points we were shocking first half scored against run of play we controlled second half now on to Bolton haway the lads
Pompey tried to follow the set pattern for L1 Sunderland away. Play high intensity early and press us and give it all to try and get the first goal. They huffed and puffed a bit in that first 20 but didn't create anything clear cut. Almost all of our opportunities in that first half came from when we pressed their CBs with the ball and forced them to play at a tempo they couldn't handle. The first one, Stewart plays in Cirkin and only a good challenge stopped him getting the shot off. The second one, Dajaku should have at least hit the target, or even take it closer and square for Stewart. The didn't learn and lost it again, good press from Embo and a ****ty backwards pass - its class awareness from Stewart to wait for Embos run and the first time finish was really clinical. So first half, they had more of the ball but didn't do a great deal with it and we worked out that we could force errors in their final third. Second half I honestly felt that we looked more likely to get a second goal than them an equaliser. They had the header that went over late on but offered not a lot else. Thought we managed the game really well and battled for the ****ty little fouls and second balls we were missing in the first half at times. Gooch was loads better at right back today, anticipated the ball really well in the second half a couple of times to knick in ahead of their player and set us away on a counter attack. Impressed with Batth, headed away what he needed to and won a couple of gritty 50/50s second half. Dajaku was brilliant, ran himself into the ground for 90 mins and took over Pritchards role of initiating the press out of possession. Cirkin was very good again, he looks a player. We need more of those industrial 1-0s before the end of the season to go up!
Is there anything people won't whinge about ... ... he's just given the reporter a polite version of 'mind your own f**ck**g business, it's match day'.
Not the best of games, however after we took the lead i thought we were reasonably comfortable. Game management was excellent and the clean sheet was a welcome addition. Batth is the player we've been crying out for for a few seasons. If Gooch had a footballing brain he'd be a decent player imo.
Hume really doesn't want to be here does he. All that clart on with his contract, holding out for better deal etc.
Bite their hands off. Frees up a spot in the squad for someone who wants to be here and will hopefully play more than a dozen games a season. Oh and is better than mediocre.
He can **** off for me, that summer showed what he was and I am surprised we actually gave him a contract at all.
I have no problem with people leaving early, paid their money and can do what they want. However, "leaving early" then standing in the walk ways watching the match blocking people's view that have also paid their money and would like to stay to the end is a pain in the arse. Seen this happen today, and when the person whose view was blocked asked the person doing the blocking to please move to one side, they were looked at like they had pissed in their first borns bottle.
Well, he had to accept the original offer after all that. I feel the lads cards were marked after that. Footballers careers are short (unless you're Defoe) so they need to do what's best for him, but the summer damaged him.
Shame we didn’t make an example of him and withdraw the offer after a month of him pissing about. I know there was other issues around him walking and signing elsewhere for free with no tribunal though so I suppose the club were looking after the bank balance should we lose him. I just hope we will be in a position to be able to absorb these issues soon and to be able to nip these pisstakers in the bud. He’s taken probably as much out of the club as we would have lost had we cancelled that contract when he refused to sign it. He stole a wage in the meantime and has done nothing at all since. Injured for most of the time and crap on the few occasions he has got on the pitch. I am not his greatest fan.
I am a bit surprised we are letting Hume go. We will be back to 1 left back. I assume we are getting a bit of cash and getting the lad from Northampton in. Shame as I like Hume, but he hasnt done as much as I thought he would and maybe a fresh start will be good for him.
For whatever reason Hume isn't happy, he's not happy. We have enough possible replacement left backs, such as Doyle, Gooch, etc, so we don't have to worry too much. Shame for me as he was one of my contacts for info and the odd ticket. I just hope the lad, and SAFC, are better without each other, it happens.
