Not that they are much of an enemy as Joe Kinnear hasn't been there for a long time now. I listened to some of this match today and for a long while thought we had it sewn up but then we did the usual last 15 minutes or so thing where we seemed to get battered. I then thought we had blown it and were going to lose and not even get the point. Bit of a shock at the end to be honest to get all 3 and I'm not sure how deserved it was. Still, deserved or not we put it in twice and they only managed once so as said many times, that's the rules so we win. Have to say that 6 points out of 9 for the last 3 matches is a bloody good return given who we had to play. Think we have played pretty much most of the top half of the table now so is it time for us to hit the buffers when we thought it was safe.....(that's my Argyle thing of many years coming out). Result of the day in this league must be Newport. I didn't think they had much of a prayer against Bristol except in the post match fight perhaps. Doubt they are mates. But to have hammered Bristol at Bristol is just weird. I have to say I thought Newport were certs for relegation this season even after only a few games. Shows how hard it is to do predictions in this league once again.
Bristol Rovers have a terrible home record....W1...D1....L5......there away record is exactly the opposite....W5....D1....L1.....the draw of course against Argyle.
I think there are a few teams in this league that are under performing and one or two who are over performing given resources. Although I still think they will go up, if I was a pompey fan I'd be a bit worried at the draws they seem to get which should be wins. It's still picking up points and they are still second but nonetheless I wouldn't be happy if I were one of them. Bristol seem to have the home hebejebees that we had a few seasons back. But they do well crowds wise so should have a reasonable budget to go with. Accrington are performing out of their skins considering their crowds and even we are doing better than most of us would have expected. We get decent crowds for this league but still have some debt to furnish which hampers us compared to some of the others going for it. Stupidest statement of the day by a Manager goes to Mr Cook of Pompey. Apparently he is unconcerned at a draw. After all where would they be if they had won? Allegedly a bit higher in the league he says. Got news for him.....Oh no you wouldn't you'd still be second. Guess maths isn't a strong point with him.
Why no Jervis? Tired perhaps: he's played more or less every minute of every game so far. Or tactics? Adams seems to change the team to suit the size of the pitch when away from home - there's a comment to that effect in the WMN in relation to picking or not picking Ryan Brunt.
Battering Ram tactics. Reid is a handful size and strength wise whereas Jervis isn't. Brunt is a handful size and strength wise so would guess he is preferring a battering ram at this stage to any finess. It is working so who am I to criticise. If you can take out two of our big scorers and still get a result away from home then it all looks good doesn't it. It's the years of green that keeps us from boiling over with excitement I think having been burnt so many times before. I was having a look at the games played last night and I was right in saying we have played virtually all of the top half of the table so far this season. Given the in form teams we have met our points total looks even more impressive. We could be safe before Christmas at this rate.
Start again. One look at the table says Adam's tactics can't be criticized so far but I wondered what the logic was of not playing Brunt on Tuesday but starting him yesterday. Also, I'm hoping Jarvis isnt injured!
It has been said elsewhere that Adams seems to be influenced by ground dimensions......so Aerofilms guide to football grounds tells me that Oxfords, Kassam Stadium, measures 112x78 yards......Lutons, Kenilworth Road Stadium, measures 110x72 yards......so Luton's Stadium is narrower. Rather confusing personally seeing that we played two genuine wingers in Tanner and Wylde on the narrower pitch yesterday..... My guide book was reprinted 2003...so are the pitch sizes the same now ?.....of course a manager without genuine wingers might get the groundsman to narrow the playing area. PS.....it states that Home Park is 112x72 yards....so is that still correct.....they've had a new playing surface since then.....quite cheap I hear.....
