Lets be honest - that goal summed up our season - we have a problem with the last 5 minutes of games and defending set pieces. It wasn't a great 2nd leg - the first one was far more entertaining - we didn't create anything like enough chances and they only created a couple - we deserved extra time and nothing else. Good luck to Argyle for next season, we just have to dust ourselves down and get on with it. No major overhaul required just some sensible adjusting.
I can not help feeling cheated by ****e refereeing in BOTH matches, at least one of the Pilgrims should have received their marching orders in both matches...............SB3
Here's how I saw the end...Pompey were trying to conserve energy for ET, but then the corner was jammed into the net at the far post by Hartley and Pompey turned to jelly.... Seriously though better luck next year lads..
I can see several areas where the squad needs strengthening. The first being the goalkeeping situation. Pompey could do worse than persuade the vastly experienced Kelvin Davis to join their number. Second area that needs addressing is the scouting. What is the point in recruiting ****e from the reserves of Sheffield United and Bolton? The club needs to scour South London where there must be a load of potential Ian Wrights that just need unearthing. And yes, I would like to see an increase in the number of black players at the club. That leads me to the third area and that is goalscoring. Getting a guy who scores 1 in 21 is not going to get you very far.
Ides very fair point re scouring Greater London - we are 70 miles away tops and surely appealing.....and I totally agree re black players at the club, there is a host of talent out there and we should be snaffling up a few Palace/Chelsea/West Ham etc cast off's. I did say adjustments - so I mean 2 or 3 positions - GK yes, busy midfielder yes and a big CF.
I'm sorry Ides, but SKD would never play for Pompey. He is earmarked for a job at Saints next season anyway.
The first being the goalkeeping situation. Pompey could do worse than persuade the vastly experienced Kelvin Davis to join -------------------------------- ......wash your mouth out son.......
Well with regards to the goalkeeper situation, all our keepers were injured and Allsop was probably the only one available, but he was rubbish. We definitely need a decent striker to partner Chaplin next season. Let Tubbs go, he's getting on a bit. We need a young team with a few older pros to add some experience to the line-up and teach the kids, so I'd keep Roberts for that reason. We also need a good CB who can marshall the defense and stop us being so rubbish from set pieces and crosses... At least we have the core of a good team and this summer won't be one of wholesale changes unlike every season since about 2011. And we did better than Chesterfield in their first season under Cook.
The nucleus of a squad is there, a play making keeper is a must in this league our stripey neighbours played their way out of this league from the back with the keeper, keeping possession not just hoofing it up field for it to be a 50/50. We ahve players who like to be on the ball and can pick out passes......so jones at best is a reserve for me. As for a striker, we need some one who can find the net on a more regular basis than we have seen this term. PUP
Pst.........anyone want a striker? We have Reid.....yours at a cut price. League 2 used to be a blood and snotter hoof ball league. Huge Centre Halfs who just kicked people for fun. To get out of it you had to do the same or else your players would just get mullered. However, one thing I've noticed this season more than the last and the one before is the number of teams who don't just hoof it at every opportunity. At times the standard of football is far better than it once was. Ok some players aren't always on the money with their passing and stuff but the point is they try. If they were prem standard lets face it they wouldn't be playing in this league. When we first hit this league on the way down the standard was woeful. It reminded us all down here why we didn't want to be in it. Steadily over the 5 years it has improved and I think it will continue to do so. It is no fluke that most of the real passing sides are at the top from what I've witnessed this term. The others will learn from that which can only be good for spectators. Trouble is it makes winning this league harder. If I may say I think your team pass the ball very well throughout. If anything sometimes guilty of over passing without an end product to make the opposition keeper work. I still think you will go up next season and be the Northampton.
As long as you aren't suggesting Murphy as first choice keeper, bp. He is far to short, and struggles to hold on to the ball when he first catches it. Ryan Fulton on loan again from Liverpool would be ideal, as he looks a great prospect. With regards to strikers, try to sign Marc McNulty permanently from Sheff. Utd., and if at all possible Caolan Lavery from Sheff. Wednesday. They played so well together last season, and are the right age for the future. Let Adam McGurk leave - he did'n't impress me at all last season. We need a good winger (like Ricky Holmes) to replace Kyle Bennett who is so inconsistent, and frustrating. His final ball lets him down almost every time. Keep Ben Tollitt as he looks useful.
I'm not even disappointed at the not going up bit Saints people. My only disappointment is that my club appeared in a supposed prestigious match on the tele and were absolutely crap in a poor game from both sides. I feel sorry for Accrington still. Nobody will pursuade me that there is any justice in play offs. Brighton were 6 points clear and didn't get to Wembley even. Walsaw were 10 points above Barnsley and didn't get there along with Accrington being 10 points above Wimbledon and the same. There were 46 matches to decide who was best. Bit like Rugby isn't it. They have a season of games and then the top teams play off to decide who is crowned champions. How the f*** does that work? Bit like being 4th in that other league and taking part in a competition called Champions League. How can a competition include teams that are 4th for christ sake. Quite what the Europa league is supposed to be for god also knows. It's the hankering to extend seasons and grab a few more pounds or Euros that is the root cause rather than the competitions being genuine. A sell out to the TV companies who have made football their bitch. I just don't see why they have to include the 2nd to 5th tier in it all. I will put my soap box away now.
The play offs keep the league competitive right up till the last game. It may well be a cruel & painful way to fail, but every club understands the format before a ball is kicked.
You mean they have no choice but to go along with the format. They cannot make the rules or change them. If they are to remain in the professional leagues then they have to take part whether they like it or not. What the play offs do is reward the failed with a second chance. Like the Champions League rewarding failure in that competition with entry into the next Cup competition down. It's a farce. Why bother with 46 games. Why not just have a knock out competion of one off games to proceed to the next round until there are 2 left. Oh hang on that's the FA Cup. The League is the League and is called that for a reason the other competition is for a cup for last man standing. They are not the same.
Gosh, you would hate the Women's Premier League greeny.... There's two leagues that run parallel to each other, like the Conference North and South, and the winner of each league play a one-off (not even two legged) play-off for one promotion place into the Super League. So one team will win their league and get promoted, one team will win their league and not get promoted. It's frankly barbaric.
