Fleetwood start the better side. Ertl down injured - lots of blood everywhere. Game carried on but finally stopped to let Ertl get some treatment. Like a scene from Braveheart! Patched up and back on.
Listening to Joe Laidlaw on Pompey Player commenting on the game. He says the 12th man got the latest free kick for us!
Commentator after 2 strange decisions - 'Oh well Ref's are just human' - Joe Laidlaw - 'no they're not'
Not knowing a great deal about Fleetwood, I though that this would have been an easy home win but listening to the match review of Radio Solent, I think that I had under-estimated this team. There are quite a few interesting football stories at the moment but the failure for Portsmouth to dominate this league as predicted by many seems to have generally escaped most people's attention. I would have to say that I did anticipate that PFC would coast through this season but the early results made me realise that it will take the team a while to gel. I would have thought that Portsmouth should have established themselves by the end of September but the automatic promotion positions are beginning to slip away. Having not seen Portsmouth and with my experience limited to hearing a few of the commentaries of your matches, do you think it is a fair assessment to say that Whittingham is probably struggling and that the performance on the pitch is a reflection of the lack of experience of the people running the club? There seems to be a lack of urgency within your manager's post match statements and almost a tacit acknowledgement that you won't get promoted this season. I don't know what the alternative is as it will be difficult to pay off Whittingham and bring someone new in if your fortunes don't improve. As someone who isn't a supporter, the impression I get is that you are starting to sound like a non-league team enjoying an unexpected season in league two as opposed to a club who should really be considering the Championship your natural home at the very least. If I was a supporter, I would be pleased to have survived but suspicious as to whether the community club situation can continue in to another season in league Two - especially as the excellent attendance figures are unlikely to be replicated in 2014/15. The status of PFC has taken me by surprise as I could only see one conclusion to this season and that was you being promoted at Champions. I'm amazed that the current position in the league has not merited more consideration.
I'm not ready to hit the panic button just yet Ian. Three of our next four games are against side currently below us in the league. If we drop major points in those games then yes, I will start to get a bit fidgety.
Everyone has their opinion............ but we are 8 games in, that's all. There are fans who thought we might end up in the top 10 - I'm one of those, there are fans who thought we would really struggle in this league, then there are the bookies who thought we would be champions, and of course the fans whose expectations were raised by this. I just don't see how anyone could realistically expect this team to coast through league 2. We were warned time after time last year that this is a difficult league to get out of - and so it is proving. This is a good team, but it's a new team, only 7 of the squad of 20 were here last year (8 of 21 now Cooper has rejoined) - how quickly can they realistically be expected to gel? There are some calls for Guy's head already. I've even seen calls to get Cotterill or Appleton back. Really???? Yes Guy does appear to be struggling but I expect the board to give him a decent run to prove himself yet. Maybe they need to consider getting him a more experienced 2iC. It could be that the board consider stability to be the target this year although it's more likely that they want promotion via play-offs (for the money). At this stage I'm not overly concerned - if we start dropping further down the table then I will worry.
Fleetwood were a very well organised side I must say. Also, I must admit (thankfully) John Sullivan is improving in goal - he made a couple of fine saves, and the own goal wasn't down to him. Thought Ricky Holmes' free kick taking and corner kicks were very poor. Jed Wallace looked good when he came on as a sub, although perhaps Guy should have reacted earlier. Is Guy too nice a person to be a football manager ? He needs to develop a mean streak, but I fear that he probably comes across as a Sergeant Wilson type character (from Dad's Army) when he is berating them in the changing room at half time, or after the match has ended.............."I say Ricky, would you mind awfully changing wings with Andy Barcham, during the second half, and perhaps; if it's o.k. with you; do a bit better with your set pieces old chap" I have met Guy, and have to say that he is a top bloke, and I would love him to succeed as Manager at F.P., but he has got to develop a "nasty streak" to do so.
I did have high hopes for Appleton at first - but after a while he just stood on the sideline like a gargoyle. My first choice (if it was up to me) would be to get Stuart Gray back, we did well when the 2 of them were in caretaker charge after Cotterill left. But I still think Guy needs a mentor or a really good assistant.
Agree 3rd eye - Stuart Gray was very experienced, with what appeared to be a good footballing brain, and would be ideal as a "foil" for Guy. Perhaps they could play 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' when dealing with the players.
Stuart Gray is now currently a coach at Sheffield Wednesday after being appointed by his former colleague Dave Jones, when they were both back-room staff at Southampton.
