how did we draw?

[rasta]

we are shockingly bad, got to love football, could of won as well. Keep hearing the same rumours, players have got to dig deep and everybody needs to leave their personal life at home for the sake of the game....

[C.V]

After thirty minutes all l could see was a hammering coming our way.Then for the last fifteen minutes we came back into it.Second half l thought we edged it but Portsmouth did miss some sitters.Exciting end and from where l was l couldnt see if it was offside or not for that last minute dis allowed goal.Satisfied with the point in the end thought the team did well to be fair.

[art vandalay]

I'm pleased we snatched a point but I'm not going to let this distract me from the overall quality of our performance, which was poor. There's clearly something not right as for the most part we played without passion and any sense of urgency. Our defending was often shambolic - very poor on both goals and we even tried to gift them a third when a 'clearance' off the line travelled all of 3 yards to one of their players - and our approach work invariably consists of trying to string several passes together before playing it back for a defender to lump up the field.

The first half was a non-event and we barely looked interested. Portsmouth were lively going forward and showed a desire to get the ball in the net, but our greatest gain was in the second half when they decided to sit back for the last 20 minutes. Just as well we scored so late as it didn't leave them much time to force another defensive error for a third.

I'm not going to single out any player for being poor, as most of them were. Jermaine deserves credit for getting his foot in for our second goal and Noble looks a composed player who can knock the ball around well, but I think we needed a defender (or winger?) not a central midfielder. We offer nothing down the flanks and capitulate so easily it's untrue.

[taxidave]

we are shockingly bad, got to love football, could of won as well. Keep hearing the same rumours, players have got to dig deep and everybody needs to leave their personal life at home for the sake of the game....

Again another little innuendo, if people know something then please post the information on here otherwise please stop these rumours of squad discontent and personal problems.
My ear is usually pretty near to the ground and I have heard nothing about any personal problems regarding players or members of the management staff for nearly a year so either I am missing out on something or these are old rumours being reignited due to our poor start to the season.
Perhaps anyone who knows of any new gossip would like to pm me and I will look further into it or even tell them it is a load of b@llocks.

[Benctfc]

Another shocking performance clouded by the fact we nicked an undeserved point Pompey should have scored 5+ we look shambolic at the back and were lucky we weren't against a top team it would have been a cricket score let's face it Pompey are nothing special ... The whole team just looks wrong Penn looked pissed off in the warm up not what you want from your captain. When will Yates see Deering isn't a left winger?! Poor start to the season continues Yates stays under pressure and if this carries on we will be looking down rather than up.

[solihullkev]

Overall I personally thought there was a lot of positives to take out of the game. For 70 minutes we were the better team and I thought many players played really well - McGlashan, Sido linking with McG, Penn when on. This was much better performance for me than Plymouth, Bury and Accrington (ok, we got 3 points at Accrington, but we were poor).

[rasta]

all my gossip is carbon dated for accuracy and if its ongoing that makes it current!

[rasta]

Both goals from Deerings side when on wing, looked much better when in the hole, play him there or don't play him

[taxidave]

all my gossip is carbon dated for accuracy and if its ongoing that makes it current!

If it is rumour and gossip keep it to yourself but if you are confident that it is true then post it on here, otherwise stop posting silly little innuendos that can only upset an already fragile squad.

[Old Coventrian]

We are clearly light on cover in defence so are going to struggle defensively with the injuries.

Conversely we (again) have a surfeit on midfielders and Yates does not seem to know what is our best midfield formation or who are the best starting midfield.

One thing Le Petomane highlighted to me at todays game was the difference in attitude/approach to the subs warming up. Our lot looked like a lot of park players, desultorily kicking the ball about - Pompey were out there looking fired up, organised and professional.

[cliffy90]

We are clearly light on cover in defence so are going to struggle defensively with the injuries.

Conversely we (again) have a surfeit on midfielders and Yates does not seem to know what is our best midfield formation or who are the best starting midfield.

One thing Le Petomane highlighted to me at todays game was the difference in attitude/approach to the subs warming up. Our lot looked like a lot of park players, desultorily kicking the ball about - Pompey were out there looking fired up, organised and professional.

Agree about the attitude/approach to the subs warming up. Portsmouth's half time warm up was very well organised with a high intensity, whereas our lads were just booting the ball to each other.

[Malabus]

Overall I personally thought there was a lot of positives to take out of the game. For 70 minutes we were the better team and I thought many players played really well - McGlashan, Sido linking with McG, Penn when on. This was much better performance for me than Plymouth, Bury and Accrington (ok, we got 3 points at Accrington, but we were poor).

Thought we were the better of two in the 2nd half. Bit more quality and confidence we would have won the game comfortably. The first 20 minutes of the game we were simply dreadful and that maybe down to recent results.

[Nesty]

We are clearly light on cover in defence so are going to struggle defensively with the injuries.

Conversely we (again) have a surfeit on midfielders and Yates does not seem to know what is our best midfield formation or who are the best starting midfield.

One thing Le Petomane highlighted to me at todays game was the difference in attitude/approach to the subs warming up. Our lot looked like a lot of park players, desultorily kicking the ball about - Pompey were out there looking fired up, organised and professional.

Agree about the attitude/approach to the subs warming up. Portsmouth's half time warm up was very well organised with a high intensity, whereas our lads were just booting the ball to each other.

just a few more clues as to what is wrong.

[rasta]

all my gossip is carbon dated for accuracy and if its ongoing that makes it current!

If it is rumour and gossip keep it to yourself but if you are confident that it is true then post it on here, otherwise stop posting silly little innuendos that can only upset an already fragile squad.

True or not i wouldn't post it, wont be long before everybody knows, we are almost at critical mass now. If the squad are that fragile we are f'ck this season, be professional and get through it.

[Admin]

all my gossip is carbon dated for accuracy and if its ongoing that makes it current!

If it is rumour and gossip keep it to yourself but if you are confident that it is true then post it on here, otherwise stop posting silly little innuendos that can only upset an already fragile squad.

Even if true, please can no-one put anything about players personal lives on here - it is known that some read this board and a previous attempt at making comment about a players personal life led to a complaint from the club for the comments to be removed as they were completely unfounded. So even if you think you know something I am asking that personal lives of managers / players is kept off of here - if you want to post it then stick it on twitter etc and see where that leads.

(By the way - this is not directed at the posters Ive quoted but at everyone)

[Nesty]

thats why nobody has said what these "rumours" are.

[Admin]

Not yet Nesty I know, but I want to make it clear, BEFORE someone thinks "what the hell" and posts it.

[C.V]

The only rumor l have heard was that we are s*** not sure whether its right or wrong though.After reading Paul Bakers bit in the program l think he thinks we have been.

[Robin]

What did PB say in the programme CV?

[C.V]

What did PB say in the programme CV?

Programs are £3.00 each buy one

[taxidave]

Have to agree Kev, he certainly stuck the knife in.
There is no doubt in his mind where the fault lies.

[Robin]

What did PB say in the programme CV?

Programs are £3.00 each buy one

You do realise they were sold out today don't you

[taxidave]

What did PB say in the programme CV?

Programs are £3.00 each buy one

You do realise they were sold out today don't you

That will teach you to get to the ground earlier in future instead of staying in the pub.
I will sell you my copy for £5.

[Robin]

No thanks Dave I stopped collecting them several years ago now.

[Stanp1pe]

£3? My nephew owes me 50p, gave him £3.50.

[51/84]

I tend to agree with TD that any rumours are just a few people trying to make themselves more important than they are.
Like most people I have heard lots of rumours but no actual facts
There was one story in particular which seemed to be unfounded, or resolved

As to warming up subs, who was warming the team up just before the second half?
Who was the kit man ?
Are these permanent appointments or just on the job training

[Admin]

The one rumour that I was told today at the ground by someone, I just turned round and said...I knew that...its several months old and has been completely resolved...I expect this is the same rumour that people keep alluding to on here.

[taxidave]

The one rumour that I was told today at the ground by someone, I just turned round and said...I knew that...its a several months old and has been completely resolved...

I have had 4 pm's tonight all saying the same thing and as you say it is old news and has been resolved.
I suggest we now leave it at that.

[Nesty]

Have to agree Kev, he certainly stuck the knife in.
There is no doubt in his mind where the fault lies.

where does PB feel the fault lies?

[taxidave]

Have to agree Kev, he certainly stuck the knife in.
There is no doubt in his mind where the fault lies.

where does PB feel the fault lies?

So you didn't buy a programme either.
Come to think of it I didn't see you at half time, were you at the game ?

[RTT]

I tend to agree with TD that any rumours are just a few people trying to make themselves more important than they are.
Like most people I have heard lots of rumours but no actual facts
There was one story in particular which seemed to be unfounded, or resolved

As to warming up subs, who was warming the team up just before the second half?
Who was the kit man ?
Are these permanent appointments or just on the job training

The gentleman warming up the players was Ian Hutton. He is a personal trainers etc.

[Nesty]

Have to agree Kev, he certainly stuck the knife in.
There is no doubt in his mind where the fault lies.

where does PB feel the fault lies?

So you didn't buy a programme either.
Come to think of it I didn't see you at half time, were you at the game ?

No and no......
So... Can someone enlighten me?

[51/84]

The players - nesty

So is Hutton now on the staff and who was the kitman/water man
Too many chiefs and not enough indians

So now I get why people were asking what Howarth does if he does not do the training

[RTT]

Ian Hutton is more on the physical aspect of the players whereas I would have though Neil Howarth is involved in the football skill and tactics.

Marlon Pack was using Ian to help keep fit whilst waiting for his transfer. A lot if not all use Ian's services as part of their gym work.

Ian Hutton is not the kit/water man. Ian is though, I believe, also the manager of the Cheltenham Ladies team.

[51/84]

No I realised that the water/kit man was not the one doing the warm up
Shevates has his hands full with the 500 balls