[Archived] Portsmouth 3 Blackburn Rovers 0

[G Somerset Rover]

ROVERS I think you got it pretty much right there. One other problem (as others have started to pick up on) for me aside from creativity and depth of our squad is a lack of pace from our widemen. We didnt notice it too much last season because of Bellamy pulling out wide so often-but this season i think we will if we dont bring a genuine wide man with pace in.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Somerset Rover!

[des]

for me the heart of any team is the midfield, win that and its easy to defend and to plan attacks, lose the midfield battle and you have want we had today, a no show.

We need someone who can both defend and attack from center midfield, the problem is they cost a lot, but boy we need one.

AS for neil I know its only the first game, but if that is his chossen postion, then all I can say is good bye, he was bad very bad. As an ex center half and full back I was taught that you do not dive in until you sure you can win the ball, and hence you should stay on your feet. This he did not do, and as for reading of the game well, he must be half blind.

The forwards cannot be blamed with that kind of service they had no chance.

As for wed-day well for people paying up to £36 I do hope that there play a lot better because they need to

[Uxbridge rover]

UNACBLOODYCEPTABLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Portsmouth for Pete's sake!!

Sort it and sort it out now Hughes.

[tmap]

I expect I'm one of the first people home from this, so a quick review.

Goodness me, that was poor. We looped lazy passes to each other with a horrible lack of pace and energy, with really only Savage looking anywhere near fit. Neil, although he might have been unlucky to get sent off, wasn't nearly quick enough to deal with their attack and they knew it right from the off. They were first to every ball and just pushed us off the ball when we had it. I'd like to see them again, but I think although Kanu's two headers were well placed, Friedl will still be cheesed off he didn't get both of them. Good save from the penalty though.

Interesting ground - an astonishingly dlipidated dive, as if someone had pulled a few weeds out of Plough Lane and declared it open. I quite liked it though, I have to say, although all my life I've found the whole "Pompey" thing and their stupid chimes just, well, a bit gay.

The referee had a poor game, although not really in anyone's favour. There was an odd incident where we banged a ball into their box which caused all sorts of confusion and Stevanovic just lay on the ball and might have been lucky to avoid getting penalised, but I'm not even sure. Generally, the ref blew his whistle when he didn't need to (I hate that) and seemed to not be in control - as the world cup so painfully illustrated, our refs really are the world's worst - officious and incompetent.

I feel that to have any fun this season, we need to take a leaf out of Sheik Nasrullah's book and just claim anything better than 10-0 defeats as massive victories. Some work to do for Hughes and his men, not least on simple fitness. I suppose I can forgive Neil - after that display in the World Cup, he's deserved his pies.

[brfcshabba]

If Chelsea and United win as they should, then there will be no away wins

Edited August 19, 2006 by Cookiemonster

[Kei]

Sort it and sort it out now Hughes.

[Gav]

When Hughes arrived the first thing he did was make sure we became fitter and stronger. Today it sounds like we were second to every ball and miles off the pace which is a worrying to say the least.

Hughes said in his interview we may have some good news come Monday/Tuesday with regards to the defense, lets hope so.

[grizfoot]

Look on the bright side, the only way is up!

[greggyk]

Hughes said in his interview we may have some good news come Monday/Tuesday with regards to the defense, lets hope so.

Whats that? Dominic Matteo will be fit? Because Hughes has said Nelsen and Zurab are both out for Wednesday

Oh well, a win on Wednesday and today wont even be remembered and we'll be great again.

[Alan75]

When Hughes arrived the first thing he did was make sure we became fitter and stronger. Today it sounds like we were second to every ball and miles off the pace which is a worrying to say the least.

Hughes said in his interview we may have some good news come Monday/Tuesday with regards to the defense, lets hope so.

Nelsen is on his way back, sooner than expected.

or he could be refering to Lucas joining Liverpool, which would free up funds to buy that PSV defender.

[Bobby G]

Hmm...I wouldnt think we need Lucas to join Pool to free up funds. We havent even touched our transfer budget yet (rather spent the Bellamy money).

[RoyRover]

I'm in Richmond Virginia at the moment, going to VCU, but this awful result has gotten to me over the Atlantic. It seems like creativity in the midfield is one of the main missing parts in our team. The sooner this is sorted the better. Our defence will automatically improve when Nelsen returns. I still think we need another striker. Outside of McCarthy and Roberts, we lack any quality in reserve. If we could have signed Pongolle as well, then I would have been happy. We have to do much better and that starts on Wednesday. This is the 2nd season in a row when we have started badley.

[eddiecolne]

A few seasons ago we thrashed Wolves 5-0 on the opening day, if i remember rightly we were struggling at the end of the season. Last season we lost and went on to 6th place. In the words of Corporal J ones " Don't panic, don't panic."

[brfcshabba]

A few seasons ago we thrashed Wolves 5-0 on the opening day, if i remember rightly we were struggling at the end of the season. Last season we lost and went on to 6th place. In the words of Corporal J ones " Don't panic, don't panic."

5-1

Amazingly they managed to score

[Hannah]

I'd rather be bottom of the table on the first day of the season as oppose to bottom of the table on the last day of the season.

I didnt have a positive vibe about today's game but that doesnt mean we wont get better.I have every faith we will stil have an excellent season and I cant wait to come to the game vs Everton as I think we will be fantastic!

[pick32]

jon stead scored today maybe we can sign him up to waste a bit of money. think dunn shoul be back we need someone like him and he played the full 90 minutes and got an assist.

[nellybc]

I have just watched the highlights (maybe not many highs) on sky.

Just watched the bookings for lucas i find the 2nd yellow to be very harsh. I know the player was going nowhere and it was right on the touchline and lucas should know better but i have certainly seen worse tackles go unpunished. Especially the tackle by johnson on mgp.

Feel that Axe was badly at fault for the 3rd, maybe brad should be getting to it as well.

Never a penalty but a great penalty save, shame that they seemed to be reacting a lot quicker to the rebound but it was all a little bit too late.

Roll on wednesday

[modes98]

What a joke.

Wiley managed to get every single major decision wrong! The defending is something out of pub league coaching manual! Neill then Todd and then Moko managed to screw up simple easy defensive steps to make scoring at least difficult!

Get them in training tomorrow Mark, they don't deserve a weekend!

[OhmiBRFC]

What aload of ###### that was

Playes looked unintrested, had a definate penalty turned down, 2 players sent off, there played obstrucated the ball by diving on it, Mokena was abosulelty crap

and we gave away 3 sofrt goals

were fuked for sunday

No Neill, Todd or Tugay

Edited August 19, 2006 by OhmiBRFC

[bringdunnback]

We have everton on wednesday, so neill will be available on sunday. Glad to see hughes bollock Neill as walked off

[OhmiBRFC]

We have everton on wednesday, so neill will be available on sunday. Glad to see hughes bollock Neill as walked off

he'll have a 3 game ban,

[Uxbridge rover]

Glad you can see the funny side coz I cant

[stuwilky]

he'll have a 3 game ban,

Violent conduct?

No he wont.

[OhmiBRFC]

what will he get then?

[brfcshabba]

2 bookings = 1 match ban