Portsmouth v Blackpool Official Matchday Thread 20.02.21

If we have Ballard and Madine back we must have a decent chance, especially if Critchley plays 2 up front. Our recent record there is pretty good also. Whoever scores first wins, I'll go 0-2 to us.
 
We have shown ourselves to be highly unpredictable this season and certainly player availability is a significant factor in the outcome at Pompey so I will keep my powder dry until the team is announced.
 
I expect NC will go with Yates on his own up front. Hope I’m wrong.
The CB position is also a worry. Ballard better be ready - we can’t have Husband in there again.
 
tangerine_neil said:
I expect NC will go with Yates on his own up front. Hope I’m wrong.
The CB position is also a worry. Ballard better be ready - we can’t have Husband in there again.
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Hopefully he has learnt from his mistakes and sticks with the winning formula of two up top. Be rather stupid of him not to
 
He has to play two up front and go there with a plan to win. Aiming for a draw is a recipe for failure.

Of the two up front, ideally start with Madine and Yates, and finish with Simms and Yates if the Goal Machine runs out of puff following his injury.

In defence we need Ballard to start, with Husband at Left Back continuing his good partnership with Sullay.

In midfield I'd prefer Ward to Virtue, but the Coach loves Matty (from their halcyon days at Liverpool) and so I don't expect that will happen.

Score: 0-2
 
The main thing I absolutely do not want to see is Matty Virtue on the right wing again.

He isn't even in our best 3 central midfielders. He isn't a right winger. I thought it took him long enough to figure out Turton wasn't as good as Gabriel but half way through the season he seems to have got it.

Whilst he has a great finish on him, he just gives the ball away constantly.

Starting Virtue at right wing is severely limiting the team and putting it off balance.

Play Bez or Embleton. Not Virtue. Or if you're that desperate, play Gabriel ahead of Turton. But please no Matty right wing.
 
SeasideKurt said:
The main thing I absolutely do not want to see is Matty Virtue on the right wing again.

He isn't even in our best 3 central midfielders. He isn't a right winger. I thought it took him long enough to figure out Turton wasn't as good as Gabriel but half way through the season he seems to have got it.

Whilst he has a great finish on him, he just gives the ball away constantly.

Starting Virtue at right wing is severely limiting the team and putting it off balance.

Play Bez or Embleton. Not Virtue. Or if you're that desperate, play Gabriel ahead of Turton. But please no Matty right wing.
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Ive said this all along
 
I guess every game is a big one between now and the end of the season, but this one does feel very significant given that we have some catching up to do and it is against one of our play-off place rivals. We have a good record against the top placed teams in the league so we should have nothing to fear. If NC gets his formation right we are more than capable of getting a good result. A win and it would be 12 points out of 15 and we would be very much in the promotion mix...
 
I always feel most of these forecasts are a triumph of hope over reality. So far 5 wins ,2 draws,no defeats.
 
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Maxi
Gabriel
Ballard
Thorniley
Hubby
Embleton
Stewart
Virtue
Kaikai
Madine (Simms if still injured)
Yates

Simms, Turton, Garbutt, Mitchell, Dougall, Robson, Lubala

Settle for a 1-1 draw
 
Athers said:
Maxi
Gabriel
Ballard
Thorniley
Hubby
Embleton
Stewart
Virtue
Kaikai
Madine (Simms if still injured)
Yates

Simms, Turton, Garbutt, Mitchell, Dougall, Robson, Lubala

Settle for a 1-1 draw
Click to expand...
You think he will drop Dougall for an away match? I don't, especially with the defence weakened. More likely he will drop Virtue for Embleton
 
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Athers said:
Maxi
Gabriel
Ballard
Thorniley
Hubby
Embleton
Stewart
Virtue
Kaikai
Madine (Simms if still injured)
Yates

Simms, Turton, Garbutt, Mitchell, Dougall, Robson, Lubala

Settle for a 1-1 draw
Click to expand...
Really don’t understand the obsession with finding a place for Virtue I must miss what most others see. We’ve far, far better players than him. Dougall is twice the player and will surely certainly start tomorrow.
 
Expecting a defeat tomorrow if I’m being honest. We’re still short of key men and those who are back are short of fitness. Portsmouth are a fit squad who will be playing for Jackett and unlike us they like to shoot from distance and that means however good we’ve been defensively at times it won’t be all that useful tomorrow. It’s a long long trip too which never helps. I’d take a draw right now. If we do lose it’s not the end of world. Still loads of football to be played.
 
LA1 Seasider said:
Expecting a defeat tomorrow if I’m being honest. We’re still short of key men and those who are back are short of fitness. Portsmouth are a fit squad who will be playing for Jackett and unlike us they like to shoot from distance and that means however good we’ve been defensively at times it won’t be all that useful tomorrow. It’s a long long trip too which never helps. I’d take a draw right now. If we do lose it’s not the end of world. Still loads of football to be played.
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That’s where I’m at as well.
Also reckon we will be playing some weird formation with more bodies in midfield and Yates on his own.
 
Really interested to see the lineup today, I can see it being a controversial one but I don't think Critchley will have much choice in changing it around!
 
If my memory serves me correctly, they gave us a tough test at Bloomfield Road, and it was really TJH who was the key to opening them up. They weathered the storm of our attacks and broke forward when possible.

I honestly feel they will expect us to play the same game, defend, break and try to snatch a goal. I feel if we were to attack them from the off it would probably unsettle them as they would not be set up for that kind of game, certainly not in the first half, and we will have to keep a close eye on both Clarke-Harris and Marquis who have 29 goals between them.

We managed to beat the unbeatable Posh on their ground, so why can't we be Pompey's Vesuvius?

But, who knows how our coach thinks?
 
If it’s 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 let’s not go into meltdown, lots predicting a defeat so don’t blame Critch if he tries to shore up the midfield. Let’s face it we were not world beating playing 442 tother night.
 
Athers said:
Maxi
Gabriel
Ballard
Thorniley
Hubby
Embleton
Stewart
Virtue
Kaikai
Madine (Simms if still injured)
Yates

Simms, Turton, Garbutt, Mitchell, Dougall, Robson, Lubala

Settle for a 1-1 draw
Click to expand...

Leaving Dougall out of the midfield? Are you mad?
 
They're currently sat in fourth place, I'm really not feeling the overwhelming confidence that appears to be emanating on this thread.

2-0 defeat, Lil Phil saying I told you so & '62 years being in his element.
 
Be interesting to Ballard play RCB alongside Thorniley. Needs a big performance from DB and his partner if we are getting anything.

Is Madine back? If so that helps, if not I fear a defeat.

Max
Gabby
Ballard
Thorn
Hubby

Dougall
Stewart and/or Ward (RW) Ward because of limited options

Kai
Yates
God knows if no Madine

The front 5 has certain names to it like Yates, but really the rest, it's a case of whoever, harsh on KK I know, but there isn't play X in position A choices with certainty.
 
We played 433 in the reverse fixture and imo it was one of our best performances this season.

I don't doubt the effectiveness of 442 and the success we've had from using it. My point is that if the line up is released and Yates is on his own, I won't be immediately labelling it as a tactical faux pas from Critch.
 
Curryman said:
If my memory serves me correctly, they gave us a tough test at Bloomfield Road, and it was really TJH who was the key to opening them up. They weathered the storm of our attacks and broke forward when possible.

I honestly feel they will expect us to play the same game, defend, break and try to snatch a goal. I feel if we were to attack them from the off it would probably unsettle them as they would not be set up for that kind of game, certainly not in the first half, and we will have to keep a close eye on both Clarke-Harris and Marquis who have 29 goals between them.

We managed to beat the unbeatable Posh on their ground, so why can't we be Pompey's Vesuvius?

But, who knows how our coach thinks?
Click to expand...
It will be difficult to keep a close eye on Clarke-Harris as he's playing over a 100 miles away for Peterborough!
 
Really tough game today, I hope they are a bit rudderless at the moment.
 
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