Matchday Thread Portsmouth v PNE | 30.08.25 | KO:3pm | Championship

[wld]

On the train home, and a few questions from me;

- why doesn’t Smith win any headers?
- why does Whiteman take corners?
- why doesn’t Iversen understand the concept of wind direction when kicking?
- why didn’t the 16 year old come on for Smith just to try something different?

I thought we played ok in the second half, but 10 mins after the break the Pompey goalkeeper faked an injury which stopped the game for 4 mins. We had real momentum at that point. Excellent shithousing / gamesmanship on their part which contributed to their 3 points.

I hope Gryba isn’t on the bench much more, once or twice is good to experience the routines etc but as he clearly isn’t going to get on it’ll be better for him to play games of football. It’s interesting that he’s even there, the management must see something in him so soon and that sounds very positive.

Whiteman on corners is a mystery - but so are our corners in general!

I was really impressed with Smith until Tuesday when he was, to be blunt, appalling. I didn’t see today but maybe he needs an effective partner rather than someone not fully fit?

Safe journey,

 

[SF]

I also can't fathom why we left 3 CBs on the pitch when chasing a game against a side happy to camp in their half. Carroll or Vukcevic coming could have easily changed our shape and allowed another body in the box.

 

[wld]

Something really needs doing about goalkeepers going down with pretend injuries so that the coach can gather his players around for a chat and also to take the sting out of the oppositions momentum…

It needs clamping down on…

I’ve long said, even when we did it game after game, that the simple solution is to stop the coach and manager holding a session with the players.

 

[Row Z]

Something really needs doing about goalkeepers going down with pretend injuries so that the coach can gather his players around for a chat and also to take the sting out of the oppositions momentum…

It needs clamping down on…

get them off the pitch for treatment with a stand in outfield player , that should sort it

 

[potsie66]

Don't think the performance was anywhere
near as bad as some on here have made out personally. Pretty evenly matched game against a decent team at a place which is very hard to go to.
We can moan about the usual scapegoats at the back but weve conceded 3 goals in 4 game, 1 OG and 2 deflected efforts. Think they've all been solid so far

Side note..the break has come at a good time, in 2 weeks Milly, Mads, Devine, Jebbo, Dobbin and any new signings 🙏🙏. Will be fully fit, tactically prepped and ready to go.
Boro at home, top of the league, could be the perfect game for us .
COYWS

 

[arumturk]

Osmajic - and who else?

I think Jebbison and Dobbin both have capability, but are lacking match fitness, and need time to settle in and show what they are capable of. I like I'm you you do would like to see us sign another forward, but I'm realistic about our budget. We look much stronger in midfield from an attacking perspective Devine and Carroll have impressed. Small and Valentin offer so much more going forward, and I think Offiah has real potential to change the dynamic coming out of defence.
So I think it's more about overall team balance which hopefully when players are both fit and settled will allow Heckingbottom to play a much more progressive style of football. I think we judge after 12 games, and let's hope my optimism is proved right eh?

 

[Joanpne]

We won't get anywhere near that over the full season even after players have gelled. I expect closer to 5 points per 4 games over the season.

We don’t know that yet, there are so many variables to change any expectations. We are struggling with injuries at the moment but that may improve and give the manager better choices. Refs can be catastrophic in points gained or lost we have to see how that pans out. Form in various players at various times will make a difference. I think we will do ok this season provided that the attacking element is sorted.

 

[deepdaledreamer]

It will be 'interesting' (not the right sentiment i suppose) to see how quickly this shower of journeymen (Storey, Whiteman, Hughes, Lindsay, Brady, Potts. Keane etc - i know some are are out 'injured' but are in and around the Club still) pull the bright sparks down to their level.
They've already done it with Mads, Small, Offiah, Devine & Dobbin, next?

 

[Schofe]

Absolute nothing of a game where neither side deserved three points.

Unfortunately, again in my opinion, the 3 at the back system hindered us as we created very little of note throughout the game. It just seems we are so easy to defend against when using this system against the ‘lesser’ mid table sides in the division, who invariably are happy to concede possession.

352 has its uses as was evident V Leicester and Ipswich to a degree as we can be solid and offer a counter as these teams tend to be more on the front foot.

We have played 2 promotion faves and won and 2 lower half championship sides and picked up 1 point which is disappointing when you consider the 6 points gained were almost bonus points.

Disappointing performance and result, topped off by disappointing tactics for me today - also why not change shape or take a CB off in the final 10 mins and give it more of a go?!?!

 

[Doyler]

I also can't fathom why we left 3 CBs on the pitch when chasing a game against a side happy to camp in their half. Carroll or Vukcevic coming could have easily changed our shape and allowed another body in the box.

Pushed our wing backs much higher up and their full backs were struggling to get out to them. That’s why we kept getting in down the sides on the second half.

Normally I’d agree with you (I.e what’s the point our spare man being at the back when chasing the game), but can see why in this instance.

 

[OOOO3]

Im sorry if its against the grain but I thought we played well, today, without being incisive.

People seem to have short memories, that was chalk and cheese compared to Portsmouth away, last season

Yes Im piffed off, I hate us losing but, the reality is, the performance was nothing like those we experienced for way too long.

Certainly thought we had a good second half and agree it was much better than last season. We deserved a point and with an Osmajic and Devine we’d have caused far more problems as Dobbin and Frokjaer made us look better as two 6ft plus strikers with little movement wasn’t helpful

 

[SF]

Pushed our wing backs much higher up and their full backs were struggling to get out to them. That’s why we kept getting in down the sides on the second half.

Normally I’d agree with you (I.e what’s the point our spare man being at the back when chasing the game), but can see why in this instance.

Wingbacks were crossing to two men in the box though. We didn't trouble Pompey whatsoever.

 

[billymac]

Pushed our wing backs much higher up and their full backs were struggling to get out to them. That’s why we kept getting in down the sides on the second half.

Normally I’d agree with you (I.e what’s the point our spare man being at the back when chasing the game), but can see why in this instance.

tactical genius @Doyler however we hardly tested their keeper and LOST, love your "we played so well in spaces" we were playing on a football pitch NOT fuckin spaces you thick cunt.

 

[pnenycx]

We don’t know that yet, there are so many variables to change any expectations. We are struggling with injuries at the moment but that may improve and give the manager better choices. Refs can be catastrophic in points gained or lost we have to see how that pans out. Form in various players at various times will make a difference. I think we will do ok this season provided that the attacking element is sorted.

6 points per 4 games takes us to the brink of the playoffs
I want to be optimistic but I think the playoffs will be a bridge too far even with a couple of new signings and luck with injuries.

 

[Joanpne]

6 points per 4 games takes us to the brink of the playoffs
I want to be optimistic but I think the playoffs will be a bridge too far even with a couple of new signings and luck with injuries.

Given the Leicester game and the first half against Wrexham I think with luck in the things I mentioned in my response to you, we could do very well. Having said that, if it weren’t for bad luck we would have no luck at all, so you are probably right.

 

[Doyler]

tactical genius @Doyler however we hardly tested their keeper and LOST, love your "we played so well in spaces" we were playing on a football pitch NOT fuckin spaces you thick cunt.

Could write what you know about football on the back of a fag packet Billy.

Leave me and @SF to it - you can go and shout at a brick wall or something.

 

[twickerspne]

That was as wank as every away performance for the last 2 years, they don't deserve the away support they get.

Jebbison is a headless chicken and should be no where near a championship eleven, but he's cheap so he is.

And Whiteman continues to be utter utter wank, if we really have to keep him start by stripping him of the captaincy...

Agree this. Jebbison played like a loan player who doesn’t want to get injured. And positioning suspect.
Whiteman should NOT take set pieces. The free kick at the end of the first half was so inaccurate as to embarrassing. And these floated free kicks — NO!!!!!!!!

 

[billymac]

Could write what you know about football on the back of a fag packet Billy.

Leave me and @SF to it - you can go and shout at a brick wall or something.

at least SF and most others face the pitch when watching football, you know the square root of fuck all re anything footy related and are so far up Ridsdale's arse you cannot see the pitch anyway

 

[deepdaledreamer]

In respect of the overall start to the Season, its been steady but not spectacular, so an overall assessment is that most of us would have been fairly happy with 7 points from 4 games.
However.
In respect of this, the Match Day Thread then todays performance by the Players on the pitch warrants criticism.
Somehow we raise our game against bigger Teams & some of these Players (& senior Players at that) doing it over and over, have been here a while, but can't put the same level of intensity or desire into their game in 'lesser' games.
Especially when we play away.
Today there was a lack of self belief that when we went behind, without Milly we would not score.
Maybe a draw might have been a fair result, but it was only going to be a 0-0 one.

 

[Malky]

I wouldn't keep doing the same shit over and over when its led to 3 wins in 25 away games, you sarcy cunt.

Sarky yes. C-nt no. If you wouldn’t do the same, EXACTLY what would you do. Please give us all the benefit of your overflowing wisdom. …also it takes one to know one …