Bit late I know but having read through all the posts, I wanted to add a couple of comments from yesterday. First half they were really good at pressing and stopped us playing our usual passing game. In the second half we were a lot quicker possibly as they tired. Victor lost possession badly during the first half but improved during the second, still not sure about him. The West Ham fans were bizarre with their chanting. "Your grounds too big for you" Really? I didn't see that many empty seats. "Is there a fire drill?" when a half a dozen fans went to get a pint just before halftime? Then the Pompey chant. I can only assume that they were so bored by their teams performance they just went through the chants which might get a reaction. The other difference between the two halves was that we didn't waste so much time passing out from Boruc to the defence, and as they were immediately closed down, back again. Boruc is really good at the quick throw out and it was only after the interval that he really showed that.
In response, a small group in the itchen south started chanting "Well done on selling out" (they had quite a few empty seats themselves), but trying to start chants in the itchen south is like trying to start a forest fire in Antarctica.
Is it just me, or did it seem like at times Lovren intentionally got in Boruc's way a bit to prevent the kick? Not that an attempted long ball would actually have hit him, but he kind of stayed close to and in front of Boruc and then moved with him to stay primary in his field of vision so as to strongly encourage Boruc to either play it to Lovren or throw it out to the fullbacks.
I bow to better judgement and the video replay - as haven't seen it since then. I know the "wrap" round and holding (a la Carroll) goes on, but in my minds eye JWP was so grossly interfered with I was surprised at the time it wasn't referred to the CPS ;-)
