Many Years ago they changed from awarding 2 points for a win to awarding 3. They also changed from goal averages to goal differences. At the time I thought both changes would promote more attacking football. I am less than certain that that has been the case. When Andy Awford became manager last year, with not much to lose and one point draws likely to be inadequate he did two things: a) Played attacking football - not too concerned with conceding - just trying to score more goals than the opposition. b) Made few team changes for the last few games. The results saved Pompey and made AA's reputation. This year we appear to have reverted to the don't concede at all costs mentality - which is the norm in the football league. Is the mentality of soccer management that if we do the same as all other managers we can't be critised too much?? I realise at the end of last season Pompey were playing each game as if it was a cup tie and that this may not be sustainable for a whole season. However, surely there was something to be learnt from that experience. The defensive ' don't concede, approach has two fundamental flaws to my mind. When you do concede, as will be the case in the majority of games, there is immediately a feeling of failure. Secondly a change of game plan is required when you concede. This is not necessarily the case when you set out to score more than the opposition. Game plan changes mid match fail more often than they work. Your thoughts please.
Evening pompeydownunder. When Awfs replaced the totally negative Richie Barker as manager last season, it was a breath of fresh air. He had the same players as Barker had to choose from, but from day one played an attacking formation and went for broke. The most exciting football all season ensued, and you are right in saying we did ship a lot of goals, but at the same time we were smashing in goals at an amazing rate, and entertaining the fans at the same time. Presumably, now we are debt free, and presumably, have a little spare cash, we can pay nominal fees for new signings in January, so we must attempt to reshape the squad with new signings to improve matters, at the same time offload some of our underperforming players if we can. Easy to say it, but Awfs must now stand up and be counted, and prove he has the ability to drag us out of the malaise we are currently in, so at least we finish mid table as a minimum target end of season. Saturday at home to Morecambe is a must win game, or else he may loose support from the fans who have been pretty patient up to now. We need a bit of grit in midfield for a start. The likes of a Michael Brown type player who will roll his sleeves up and help us win, even if it is ugly on the pitch.
The fact is we've got a very big squad of very mediocre journeyman players. When we bought the club it was April - I remember Guy Whittingham saying that he had a list, very long list, of players, but that the ones he really wanted were already signed to other clubs. We ended up with the leftovers in that case, and GW hurriedly put together a squad so that he could have a full pre-season with them. Buy in haste repent at leisure. Guy stepped up as Manager, and did not do a very good job. Everyone remarked how unfit the players looked. One of the directors said that our on-field form wasn't the only reason for sacking Guy, there were other things that he wasn't dealing with, didn't explain what those were though. Barker was appointed, because of the Steve Coppell link really - Ricky Holmes in one of his interviews intimated that the players hated Barker. So when AA stepped up as caretaker the shackles were off and we went on a decent run for the last few games. On the strength of that he was given the job. The problem is that AA has probably overestimated his ability to manage. He is another rookie and from what we can tell doesn't have the contacts in the game to bring in decent players. For me it's a combination of a load of poor players brought in and AA not being tactically aware enough to make changes when he needs to. Tonight he brought off Jack, because he had to - and replaced 2 strikers with 2 strikers...... after we were 1 down. We're rubbish in the final third, it's been our problem all season so far, who the hell is coaching them?
As you may know I am a supporter of both Saints and Pompey, more a follower now that I am in Mallorca. To me 3rd Eye you are spot on in your assessment about Pompey's squad - big in size, low in quality, so this could be a bit of a problem namely "How to finance possible arrivals in the New Year and ship out the duffers if they are on a two or three year contract?" In hindsight it may have been better to have stuck with the youth that Guy put out against Plymouth in a League Cup tie two or three years ago and built a platform on that rather than what emerged with seasoned jouneymen who have never really proved themselves in the past and have so fart failed to deliver for Pompey.
When signing strikers I thought the purpose was to put the ball in the back of the opposition net. How many goals did the likes of Miles Storey and Ryan Taylor score before being signed by Pompey? I will check this out on Google and come back with an answer later. Enjoy your day folks!!!
Totally agree........who is coaching them, presumably macca from what I have seen, might as well be big Kev because the only consistent thing produced in our game is a clean kit!
Something happened with Connolly - and we aren't going to know the truth - ever. That's how football works. At one point, must have been when Guy was fired, he offered to be caretaker manager and was told no, he was needed as a player. He was coaching the youngsters when Guy was here but that ended. Barker was appointed and he must have been out of Barkers plans as he took himself off to Oxford on loan. He has been included in the squad and continues to train with them but "will never put on a Pompey shirt while Awford is manager". He has had discussion about terminating his contract but those talks broke down and now both sides are doing what they have to legally. I can tell you other things I've heard, from pretty reliable sources, but none of this is confirmed. He was interviewed for the manager post - I don't know if that was before or after Barker but Connolly threw his toys out the pram and because of this was dropped. Things have been said about him such as he's a disruptive influence in the dressing room etc. That's probably true. The other thing I heard recently is that he told AA that his son shouldn't be anywhere near the first team, and that's why AA will never play him again. There are fans though who think it would be a benefit to the club if he could be used as a coach - but it seems he's a pariah now.
Interesting. Suppose you'll have to exercise your wealth (relative to the other L2 clubs) to get in a goalscorer.
As mentioned above Pompey have a big squad. I would be interested to know how many of the senior 'fringe' players are getting reserve team games. It appears to me - and this may be wrong - that there is a tendency to not risk the fringe players so the first team has a fit bench and fit replacements for first team injuries. The downside of this approach is that some players are getting very little match time of any sort which can reflect in their performance when they come into the first team. '
I always thought that the "Goals scored" rule over for and against was a good idea, but they dropped that.
Some really good points on here - I don't think AA knows his first 11 really - and Connolly is being wasted doing nothing - whenever he played we had someone with a bit of guile on the pitch and he worked harder than I expected for a player of his age. I think we need to be braver away and at home - too much emphasis on defend a 0-0. Somehow they should bury the hatchett with DC and get him back in. Currently watching Diacouraga who we had on loan having a very good game for Brentford in the Champ. What happened to Drennan....barely been seen - we should be knoocking Champ clubs for a young striker or go looking down in the Conf and Conf S & N - the gap is not great. I think our squad is pretty big and some need to go in Jan - if we have no real reserve set up then trying to keep more than 24 players happy is very difficult. To be fair I think he has blooded the right number of youngsters - I think at this level circa 3-4 in any starting line up is about right. No question though we need a finisher of goals badly.
Michael Drennan was sent back to Villa, as he wasn't offering us much up front. Awf's buddy Kit Symons is manager of Fulham - they have a very good youth team, so surely he must have a talented young striking prospect who needs first team football, that he would willingly lend us ? I hope the players step up to the challenge tomorrow - it's a game we must win.
I remember Harry saying once that he expected to ship goals but that we would score more. Yes, that sometimes means that you get a drubbing but it makes it exciting.
