Portsmouth Match Thread (starting on page 5)

[Abbotts Ann Green]

Well, we have won three of our last eight so even under your tin helmet you should be able to work out that it might just be possible...

 

[Knibbsworth]

Well said Biggs. Some fans expect wins every match until we get out of trouble. Football rarely works like that.

After Oxford, I read a fan on here say he didn't see it possible how Argyle could get the sheer points total required to get out of trouble, we were that far behind. The difference was too vast, too insurmountable. One match later and we are only one win away from the side 3 places above the relegation zone with five months of football to play.

If that doesn't sum up how impatient and demanding the modern football supporter is, I don't know what can.

I'm sure Derek Adams won't send Argyle out to defeat, but if we do lose, it won't be the end of the world. We don't need to hear the endless bleating and the calls for a new gaffer, ignoring all the points and the momentum he's gathered in the last eight matches.

It is all about the long term, and Derek Adams will have us well away from trouble by April.

After Northampton I read on here that that was what he expected from us in League one totally ignoring the fact that The Cobblers were exactly that. We, none of us need to be told what to think and for everyone that worries we’re not good enough to climb out of the relegation places there’s one who thinks we already have. The sad fact is that after our eight games unbeaten run we still find ourselves in the position of another loss for us and a win by Bury and we’re stock, Stark bottom again. Argue against that!

Oh! And I don’t expect Argyle to win every game until we’re safe but I appreciate we would need to because other teams are winning too many times for us to assume we will be safe until it actually happens.

It doesn't matter if we are bottom for the next two months. What matters is the gap between us and 20th position, and that we keep narrowing it.

The fact is that Argyle are now within 3 points of Doncaster who are 18th. That isn't a bad position to be in. They can't all keep winning and getting away from us the way one side in form (e.g. Oldham) can.

It is much healthier to have a relegation peloton, rather than have to chase one team. There is much more likely a few stragglers that are going to drop.

I personally think AFC Wimbledon, Northampton and Bury are poorer sides than us. Oldham only work on Eoin Doyle's goals, so when he loses form they will drop back into the mire. Bristol Rovers are plummeting, Rochdale, Gillingham and Doncaster are ordinary.

I honestly think by April we will be above the lot of them and in 12th - 16th position.

In this context, do we really need to hear such endless negativity and sniping about the manager if we fail to win the next game?

In the league, we have won 3, drawn 3 and lost 2 in the last 8. If we maintain that form it will be worth another 40+ points.

Rather than think how are Argyle going to do it, wonder how Rochdale, Bury, Gillingham, Doncaster, Northampton, Wimbledon and Bristol Rovers are going to find that form. They are all well within our sights now.

 

[Electronic]

We could draw tomorrow and go bottom but it’d still be a decent result. Long way to go.

Form is good and we obviously need to keep it up. December sees a lot of six pointers and so Argyle really should be out of the bottom 4 by New Year if we are taking a serious tilt at survival.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Frank, well our next 4 home fixtures are Gillingham, Oldham, Walsall and Bury, Walsall are the highest placed of those in 15th and pretty poor away record, so i would be hopeful of a good return from those.
Our away fixtures being Rotherham, MK, Blackpool, Doncaster. I fancy the first of those will be the most difficult, but certainly the next three hold no fears, we've won very recently at all of them, i see no reason why 14 points in these 8 fixtures isn't out of the question, that would leave 20 points needed from the last 19 to reach 51 points - nothing green tinted or head in the sand about those thoughts, the way we playing and grinding out results i think there are reasons to think we can move slowly forward.

 

[Frank Butcher]

I'm not sure why some people bother at all really.

 

[samjones]

We can all speculate on the upcoming results but the truth is we do not look very good and do not know what we are going to get from 1 week to the next. Even with this so called "terrific" run we are 2nd from bottom and another "terrific" run over the next 8 games could leave us requiring 20 points from 19 games.
Yes we have a chance IF we beat the bottom teams and IF they are worse than us.

RE DA out I don't think this is a game to game situation anymore. We have all seen enough dross over the last 2 seasons to make our minds up on the lack of entertainment factor.
Win tomorrow and people will still be calling for his head
Reality is we are stuck with him to at least the end of the season but I would say further still to the end of his contract.
Those pi553d off enough with his style of anti football will vote with their feet and not renew season tickets etc...

Lets hope he can keep us up but do not under estimate how poor we are and how this relegation battle could go down to the last game of the season.
Oh for mid table obscurity and nothing to moan about

 

[Ade the green]

Well said Biggs. Some fans expect wins every match until we get out of trouble. Football rarely works like that.

After Oxford, I read a fan on here say he didn't see it possible how Argyle could get the sheer points total required to get out of trouble, we were that far behind. The difference was too vast, too insurmountable. One match later and we are only one win away from the side 3 places above the relegation zone with five months of football to play.

If that doesn't sum up how impatient and demanding the modern football supporter is, I don't know what can.

I'm sure Derek Adams won't send Argyle out to defeat, but if we do lose, it won't be the end of the world. We don't need to hear the endless bleating and the calls for a new gaffer, ignoring all the points and the momentum he's gathered in the last eight matches.

It is all about the long term, and Derek Adams will have us well away from trouble by April.

After Northampton I read on here that that was what he expected from us in League one totally ignoring the fact that The Cobblers were exactly that. We, none of us need to be told what to think and for everyone that worries we’re not good enough to climb out of the relegation places there’s one who thinks we already have. The sad fact is that after our eight games unbeaten run we still find ourselves in the position of another loss for us and a win by Bury and we’re stock, Stark bottom again. Argue against that!

Oh! And I don’t expect Argyle to win every game until we’re safe but I appreciate we would need to because other teams are winning too many times for us to assume we will be safe until it actually happens.

It doesn't matter if we are bottom for the next two months. What matters is the gap between us and 20th position, and that we keep narrowing it.

The fact is that Argyle are now within 3 points of Doncaster who are 18th. That isn't a bad position to be in. They can't all keep winning and getting away from us the way one side in form (e.g. Oldham) can.

It is much healthier to have a relegation peloton, rather than have to chase one team. There is much more likely a few stragglers that are going to drop.

I personally think AFC Wimbledon, Northampton and Bury are poorer sides than us. Oldham only work on Eoin Doyle's goals, so when he loses form they will drop back into the mire. Bristol Rovers are plummeting, Rochdale, Gillingham and Doncaster are ordinary.

I honestly think by April we will be above the lot of them and in 12th - 16th position.

In this context, do we really need to hear such endless negativity and sniping about the manager if we fail to win the next game?

In the league, we have won 3, drawn 3 and lost 2 in the last 8. If we maintain that form it will be worth another 40+ points.

Rather than think how are Argyle going to do it, wonder how Rochdale, Bury, Gillingham, Doncaster, Northampton, Wimbledon and Bristol Rovers are going to find that form. They are all well within our sights now.

Can I just say that I only responded to Biggs calling out anyone that dared to call for Adams to be sacked should we find ourselves losing on Saturday therefore it might be assumed that it would lead us into a worse position. His wording in that any calls would be “rabid”. I in fact think that any such calls would be valid to those that see it as another step backward in our quest for safety.

If safety is looking attainable than of course the fair minded would rejoice but even so we wouldn’t want this to repeat next season. I however, like many would see no point in labouring that point until necessary (as I haven’t but that doesn’t mean i’m happy with him).

Now, you make the point that we can rally and gain the extra point or more on those above us which is true (of course) but you seem to be ignoring that those other teams have a better (by 1 point) form guide since the beginning of the year and they will have something to say about our final position also.

Finally, which seems to have been overlooked. I actually believe we stand as good a chance of victory at Fratton Park as we ever have and that Pompey’s form of late has been very hit or miss. Whatever the result, I will not call for “Adams out” but my views on him are well documented and they are certainly not “Rabid”.

 

[davie nine]

I prefer to look at Derek Adams's record since taking over :-

P114 W55 D25 L35 F161 A124 Points 189.

Despite our poor start to this season, only Paul Sturrock, in 2001/4, can beat DA's record on average games won and points earned in the last 70 years (courtesy of GoS); ignoring temporary appointments, of course.

I really don't understand the knee jerk reactions of some of the respected posters on Pasoti. Of course, without naming them, there are those who want a change of management as soon as we lose 3 games on the trot.

We seem to have resolved our disciplinary problems, despite the Oxford 'harsh hiccup', and, hopefully, with Ryan Taylor, Luke McCormick and Oscar Threlkeld back to fitness in the near future we could see DA challenging PS's record by the end of the season.

 

[Biggs]

Ade, that's a masterclass in distortion. To say that I was 'calling out' anyone, and that 'any' calls for Adams to leave would be rabid is simply not true.

I disagree with Metal Green Mickey a lot for example, but his posts are certainly not rabid. However, some posts are. Not that hard to understand, is it?

 

[Ade the green]

Ade, that's a masterclass in distortion. To say that I was 'calling out' anyone, and that 'any' calls for Adams to leave would be rabid is simply not true.

I disagree with Metal Green Mickey a lot for example, but his posts are certainly not rabid. However, some posts are. Not that hard to understand, is it?

“We’re going to lose a few even with that OK form, but I can see the rabid Adams Out posts already.”

That wasn’t you then? Why anticipate anyone’s views and discredit them before they appear?

 

[The Doctor]

[the battles continue...]

Anyway, I've just bumped into a Portsmouth season ticket holder working as a volunteer at the Mary Rose museum (which is fantastic by the way) and he reckons that Brett Pitman has a hamstring injury and is pretty doubtful for the game despite media reports that he'll be fit.

 

[Biggs]

Ade, that's a masterclass in distortion. To say that I was 'calling out' anyone, and that 'any' calls for Adams to leave would be rabid is simply not true.

I disagree with Metal Green Mickey a lot for example, but his posts are certainly not rabid. However, some posts are. Not that hard to understand, is it?

“We’re going to lose a few even with that OK form, but I can see the rabid Adams Out posts already.”

That wasn’t you then? Why anticipate anyone’s views and discredit them before they appear?

I'm missing the bit where I said any Adams Out posts would be rabid, merely anticipating there will be some that are. Definition of rabid = 'an extreme or fanatical support of or belief in something'. Is it good to ignore those posts from the same old people and keep calm? Yes. Should we discredit sensible and constructive criticism from those who offer it? No.

This is a bit silly, let's move on.... Do we know if Matthews is definitely fit? And if Brett Pitman will be playing for Pompey?

 

[Balham Green]

Ade, that's a masterclass in distortion. To say that I was 'calling out' anyone, and that 'any' calls for Adams to leave would be rabid is simply not true.

I disagree with Metal Green Mickey a lot for example, but his posts are certainly not rabid. However, some posts are. Not that hard to understand, is it?

“We’re going to lose a few even with that OK form, but I can see the rabid Adams Out posts already.”

That wasn’t you then? Why anticipate anyone’s views and discredit them before they appear?

I'm missing the bit where I said any Adams Out posts would be rabid, merely anticipating there will be some that are. Definition of rabid = 'an extreme or fanatical support of or belief in something'. Is it good to ignore those posts from the same old people and keep calm? Yes. Should we discredit sensible and constructive criticism from those who offer it? No.

This is a bit silly, let's move on.... Do we know if Matthews is definitely fit? And if Brett Pitman will be playing for Pompey?

Well you have an 'extreme or fanatical belief in Adams' so you could be classified as rabid. Works both ways doesn't it?

 

[Balham Green]

Well said Biggs. Some fans expect wins every match until we get out of trouble. Football rarely works like that.

After Oxford, I read a fan on here say he didn't see it possible how Argyle could get the sheer points total required to get out of trouble, we were that far behind. The difference was too vast, too insurmountable. One match later and we are only one win away from the side 3 places above the relegation zone with five months of football to play.

If that doesn't sum up how impatient and demanding the modern football supporter is, I don't know what can.

I'm sure Derek Adams won't send Argyle out to defeat, but if we do lose, it won't be the end of the world. We don't need to hear the endless bleating and the calls for a new gaffer, ignoring all the points and the momentum he's gathered in the last eight matches.

It is all about the long term, and Derek Adams will have us well away from trouble by April.

After Northampton I read on here that that was what he expected from us in League one totally ignoring the fact that The Cobblers were exactly that. We, none of us need to be told what to think and for everyone that worries we’re not good enough to climb out of the relegation places there’s one who thinks we already have. The sad fact is that after our eight games unbeaten run we still find ourselves in the position of another loss for us and a win by Bury and we’re stock, Stark bottom again. Argue against that!

Oh! And I don’t expect Argyle to win every game until we’re safe but I appreciate we would need to because other teams are winning too many times for us to assume we will be safe until it actually happens.

It doesn't matter if we are bottom for the next two months. What matters is the gap between us and 20th position, and that we keep narrowing it.

The fact is that Argyle are now within 3 points of Doncaster who are 18th. That isn't a bad position to be in. They can't all keep winning and getting away from us the way one side in form (e.g. Oldham) can.

It is much healthier to have a relegation peloton, rather than have to chase one team. There is much more likely a few stragglers that are going to drop.

I personally think AFC Wimbledon, Northampton and Bury are poorer sides than us. Oldham only work on Eoin Doyle's goals, so when he loses form they will drop back into the mire. Bristol Rovers are plummeting, Rochdale, Gillingham and Doncaster are ordinary.

I honestly think by April we will be above the lot of them and in 12th - 16th position.

In this context, do we really need to hear such endless negativity and sniping about the manager if we fail to win the next game?

In the league, we have won 3, drawn 3 and lost 2 in the last 8. If we maintain that form it will be worth another 40+ points.

Rather than think how are Argyle going to do it, wonder how Rochdale, Bury, Gillingham, Doncaster, Northampton, Wimbledon and Bristol Rovers are going to find that form. They are all well within our sights now.

Only you could suggest being 2nd bottom isn't a bad position to be in. Unbelievable. You should get a job as a spin doctor for the Tories.

 

[moles40]

Big price for Argyle to win away again. :grin:

Hope we don’t do what we did last year.Throw away the lead after going so defensive after scoring and lucky we held on to a point in the end