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Match Day Thread Fleetwood v Pompey

Discussion in 'Portsmouth' started by Wooperts_duck, Feb 21, 2020.

  1. Wooperts_duck

    Wooperts_duck Well-Known Member
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    What ?! :steam:
     
    #41
  2. Wooperts_duck

    Wooperts_duck Well-Known Member
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    Today's attendance: 3,370 (including circa 900 Pompey fans).
     
    #42
  3. Wooperts_duck

    Wooperts_duck Well-Known Member
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    #43
  4. devonFRATTONiser

    devonFRATTONiser Well-Known Member
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    10 wins out of 12 in all competitions - no need to press the panic button. We're still a very good bet for the play-offs if we pick up points from games in hand on one or two above us.
    Potential to be on 59 from 33.

    Our next three games are MK Dons at home, Rochdale at home and Peterborough away
    Coventry are at home to Rotherham on Tuesday and home to Sunderland on Sunday - some-one's got to drop points
    Sunderland have Fleetwood at home on Tuesday and Coventry away next Sunday - some-one's got to drop points

    If we beat MK and Rochdale and get a point at Peterborough that would put us on 60 points from 34 games, and with '6-pointers' going on around us we'd be a damned sight less than 7 points off the top.

    Just call me Mr Optimistic
     
    #44
  5. Wooperts_duck

    Wooperts_duck Well-Known Member
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  6. SaintLapras

    SaintLapras Well-Known Member

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    I was being sarcastic, but my point is that by going on a long cup run in both the FA Cup and the EFL Trophy, we've ended up playing many more matches than we'd need to have played which is of course going to have an impact in the league, injuries are going to occur, players are going to get tired, get burnt out and won't be able to perform at their best, that just stands to reason. So I'm questioning why we needed to focus so heavily on the EFL Trophy in particular (FA Cup is still glamorous, is a big money maker and we got a tie against Arsenal as a result so that's acceptable) when we're aiming for promotion. Would the outcome have been different if we hadn't played our first team on Tuesday? Maybe, maybe not, but a week without football isn't going to cause any harm and could be advantageous at this point in the season.
     
    #46
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  7. pompeydownunder

    pompeydownunder Well-Known Member

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    Optimistic but not overly optimistic!
     
    #47
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  8. pompeydownunder

    pompeydownunder Well-Known Member

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    You raise good arguments Lapras on top of your principled objection to the EFL trophy.
    At a more pragmatic level we have a large squad most of which have had a reasonable level of involvement this season. This has been to a great extent due to the two cup runs.
    As the cup runs continue perhaps the extra fixtures become a burden rather than a positive but, in the case of the EFL, it is hard to bail out when the 'honey pot' of the final is so close. In Jackett's position think I would have taken the same decisions he has in selecting the best side for the semi final.In the event the semi final ended on a very positive note to carry to the next game although clearly, after todays result, this did not pay a dividend.
     
    #48
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  9. pompeydownunder

    pompeydownunder Well-Known Member

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    Disappointing to loose two 'six pointers' on the trot. Two strikers were selected today in windy conditions. This leaves the mid-field one player light which encourages the long ball that cuts out the mid field. Just what you do not want on a windy day.
    In the last three years Pompey have had three players - Chaplin, Pitman, and now Marquis - that are difficult to leave out of any side because they have ' the goal touch.' Selection of Chaplin & Pitman required a two up front approach because they were not suited to leading the line. Marquis can lead the line but faces competition from Harrision in role.
    It has been, and is in Marquis's case, a temptation to play them in the so called No 10 or attacking mid field role but none of them seem to contribute significantly to the mid field work load when played there.
    I have been an advocate of the 'two upfront' approach until this season. However, it requires us to play one less winger and this season I think the quality of our wide men - Curtis, Harness and Williams - has been a strength. Alternatively playing two up front and two wingers requires the wingers to drop back to the mid field more which is not their strength.
    While it is difficult to leave out either Marquis or Harrison out I think we must do so to play three established mid field players. Strikers cannot perform if they are not being fed and having two strikers not being fed is worse than having one in that predicament. Curtis and Harness both have reasonable goal scoring records.
    It will be interesting to see who is selected on Tuesday.
     
    #49
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