Even when you ignore the sight of Southampton five points clear at the top, a look at the current Championship table doesn't exactly fill us [as Pompey fans] with a great deal of cheer. But should we be getting anxious about our results and league position? I feel there are a few things that we need to take into account. When I look at the list of sides in the league at the start of the season I pick out what I feel to be 'Target Teams'; teams against whom I reckon we should be picking up four or six points (at least a home win and away draw) Then those against whom we should aim for two or three points (two draws or a home win and away loss) And those against whom I'd be happy with a home draw while expecting nothing away. At the start of this season, for me, the list consisted of the following: (4-6) Barnsley, Bristol City, Coventry, Doncaster, Milwall, Peterborough, Watford (2-3) Blackpool, Brighton, Burnley, Crystal Pal, Hull, Reading, Nottingham Forest, Southampton. (0-1) Birmingham, Cardiff, Derby, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Middlesbrough, West Ham Games played: Middlesbrough [a] DREW = 1 point Above PAR Brighton [h] LOST = 1 or 3 points below PAR Reading [h] WON = PAR or 2 points Above PAR Bristol City [a] DREW = PAR or 2 points below PAR Cardiff [h] DREW = PAR or 1 point above PAR West Ham [a] LOST = PAR Hull [a] LOST = PAR or 1 point below PAR Blackpool [h] WON = PAR or 2 points above PAR Peterborough [h] LOST = 3 points below PAR Leeds [a] LOST = PAR Barnsley [h] WON = PAR Ipswich [a] LOST = PAR From 12 matches played, Pompey's results have seen Four at PAR, four at PAR or better and four at PAR or worse. Of the six teams below us, we have played only one game out of 12, while we have played three games against the top six sides. So at this point, putting things into perspective, I'm not too concerned as to our predicament.
You can take positives out of anything and, as a glass-half-full man, I normally applaud that. However, we need to start converting all these chances we keep making. I neither saw or listened to the game last night but the stats show us as having more territorial advantage, more shots both on and off target and more corners. At the end of 90 minutes though, there is only one stat that matetrs - goals scored.
It was all Pompey for the first 60 minutes, listening to live coverage on the radio last night. We just didn't take our chances. What a shame Guy Whittingham isn't 20 years younger ! We desperately need a regular goalscorer, or, the likes of Kitson or Benjani discovering where they left their goal scoring boots.
