Portsmouth pre match chat

[Cjay]

its-time-ufc.gif (877.6 KiB) Viewed 1531 times

First pre match thread time as the new season gets underway.

We welcome League 1 winners Portsmouth to Elland Road.

1 defeat in the last 19 league games for Pompey, 13 wins, 97 points overall last season.

A team high on confidence, will that play a part? Momentum from a successful season can spur a team on.

John Mousinho is the manager, only 38 years old in his first manager role he has done a fantastic job.

Only 11 defeats in his 70+ games in charge.

A modern coach, Portsmouth play a high possession, high pressing, intense risky style with a focus on switches of play to catch the opposition off guard.

Key players include former LUFC man Conor Shaughnessy who has become a key player for Portsmouth and was named in the EFL League 1 team of the year.

He was joined in that by goalkeeper Will Norris who conceded less than a goal a game and veteran Championship midfielder Will Pack.

A massive blow for Portsmouth is the loss of top scorer Colby Bishop who they have lost for a time as he has surgery over a heart scare.

They have also lost impressive winger Abu Kamara who got 10 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season but has returned to parent club Norwich.

In terms of incoming Josh Murphy has signed after an impressive season at Oxford and Danish striker Elias Sorensen has arrived after a stunning season in the Danish 2nd division where he got 26 goals and 15 assists and a goal or assist every 60 minutes.

So not an opponent to be taken lightly.

However we have been in decent form in pre season, Mateo Joseph in great form.

Piroe has found confidence and we have Struijk back.

Hopefully Gnonto (if he stays) and James can thrive out of Summerville's shadow and Georgie can build on last season.

So what we hoping for formation and lineup wise?

How do we approach the game? More bravery or same as last season?

And so on and so forth

[mentalcase]

I'd like to see Ampadu in a more advanced midfield role but it won't happen.

[The Subhuman]

Mealier
Bogle
Firpo
Ampadu
Rodon
Struijk
James
Gruev
Joseph
Georginio
Gnonto

Bench

Darlow
Byram
Wober
Aaronson
Piroe
Bamford
Gelhardt

[John in Louisiana]

Mealier
Bogle
Firpo
Ampadu
Rodon
Struijk
James
Gruev
Joseph
Georginio
Gnonto

Bench

Darlow
Byram
Wober
Aaronson
Piroe
Bamford
Gelhardt

Mealier? Mealier than what?

I like the look of this. Here's to hoping we can hold on to all these players.

We just took in sixty-five million on the sales of Archie and Summerville, and most of that was pure profit. I will not be surprised to see a signing or two this week.

[The Subhuman]

Mealier? Mealier than what?

I like the look of this. Here's to hoping we can hold on to all these players.

We just took in sixty-five million on the sales of Archie and Summerville, and most of that was pure profit. I will not be surprised to see a signing or two this week.

I’m on my iPad, expect spelling mistakes and auto correct when I am….Actually at work today on a break

[John in Louisiana]

I’m on my iPad, expect spelling mistakes and auto correct when I am….Actually at work today on a break

Clearly just a typo. You're forgiven.

[Tyzy]

I'm really struggling to get enthusiastic about this season,I'm not sure why ?

[whiteswan]

Non promotion hangover from last season?

[GreennWhite]

I'm really struggling to get enthusiastic about this season,I'm not sure why ?

You never even got enthusiastic last season when we were going well

[Tyzy]

You never even got enthusiastic last season when we were going well

Yeah , enthusiastic is pushing it a bit

[Tyzy]

Non promotion hangover from last season?

Maybe so

[Victor_Notts-17]

We will pan these poseurs: 4-0...

[1964white]

I'm really struggling to get enthusiastic about this season,I'm not sure why ?

Nothing new there, Tyzy.

[The Subhuman]

Pompey maybe this seasons Ipswich ... should be a good open game.

[1964white]

Pompey maybe this seasons Ipswich ... should be a good open game.

Please no!

[The Subhuman]

Please no!

Good open game will suit us, don't think Pompey can play the low block.. Anywhere from 4th to 10th for them this season for me atm. We'll win but I wouldn't rule out a draw.

[GreennWhite]

I think this season will be as difficult as last season to predict. I doubt we will see 2 teams run away with things like Ipswich and Lester did last season. I believe there will be 4 or 5 teams that will stick close to each other. Could be very open this season.

[1964white]

From a Pompey forum

Post by CityBlue » Mon Aug 05, 2024 1:19 pm

We need real investment in the playing squad to compete. And the level of investment required is clearly significant in the championship.

Whilst we don’t know what budget the Eisner's have committed to this window, the lack of activity is definitely concerning. Add to that recent comments from someone at the Snooze claiming that Pompey ‘’don’t have £1m to spend….on a player’’ (I’m paraphrasing) and you can see why frustration might be starting to build inside and outside of the club.

I can’t help but thinking the squad is a lot weaker than maybe the Eisner’s think. Beyond Poole, Shockers and Bish I’m not sure any of the rest of the squad are dead certs for the championship. Yes we won the league last year, but the quality of league one was much poorer than the previous 3-4 years. And we really benefited from winning ALOT of games that could’ve gone either way, and all the momentum that came with that.

IMO our strategy of focusing on frees, cheap(er) young talent, and loans may have just about got us into the championship, but it has not prepared us well for this next step. I think we would’ve been in a much better position had we invested in higher quality young prospects over the past 3/4 years. We had the pulling power in league one, and it was the perfect division to develop elite young players. Not that it’s risk-free, but there is a considerable ROI for those elite young players once they prove they are championship worthy. With a great recruitment team (which we have), you reduce the risk associated with the investment outlay.

Crucially, by under-investing in the squad we may end up forcing Mous and Rich Hughes to move on if their ambition isn’t matched. Both are tremendous assets to the club and I think we’d be materially worse off without them.

Whilst the pace of progress has been slow (and certainly not linear), I’m grateful for what the Eisners have done so far. The club is on a very firm footing. I just really hope we are being realistic as to the level of resource that is required to continue to push on from here.

[1964white]

It would seem Pompey are not another Ipswich.

[1964white]

From another Pompey forum.