I would make the players warm up by running up and down the touch line in front of the most vociferous of the Pompey fans so that they get quickly acclimatised to the vitriol before kickoff. What would your advice be to Nigel so that our players are not intimidated by the hostility of the baying Fratton mob once the game starts?
Score early, score heavily. Keep a clean sheet. All that will put a sock into that home megaphone end [which is why they are noisy, nothing more], and put another 3 points on the board. Just play well lads, and that will be enough.
That's what AVB did,he showed his Porto players clips of the Benfica players winning the league.Porto went on to win the league(unbeaten),cup and Europa League and they beat benfica 4 times that season(beat them 5-0 at home),I think it worked well...
And the great thing about that idea is that whereas Saints now arguably have a better squad than on either of those occasions, Pompey have gone downhill big time. And both sides know that.
I would say to them make sure that they do not play a too higher defensive line, which we have been caught out doing in the last few games. It means one long ball can bypass our midfield and most of our defence; too easy.
I'd put a direct link in the changing room showing all the pubs back in southampton.... The atmosphere will be horrific for them down there, just look at the last time we went down there, the players shat themselves. Knowing there's a whole city 27 miles away behind them will no doubt inspire them more. Alternatively [video=youtube;myyWXKeBsNk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyWXKeBsNk[/video]
Don't just try and walk the ball into the net, shoot from distance as well. Don't over elaborate, just do what you do best, Saints.
We only have Lallana as a natural winger capable of starting. Chaplow is our best right midfielder, after Guly, but he'll be up top.
Play 4-4-2; if no Chaplow; tell Hammond to take up a holding position in front of the back four when defending and Spiderman in the other midfield slot. Use two wingers (put De Ridder on the right wing and Lallana on the left) - let them roam inside and not to hug the touchlines. Mix the play up and try not to walk the ball into the net. Finally, don't go out trying to win the match in the first 15 mins. Grind the match out over 90 mins and be happy with a one goal victory. As Adkins knows what he's doing and I don't - I fully expect he will do something completely different to the above and my Football Manager tactics are consigned to the bin!
