FA CUP

[KES80]

I will take a more conservative approach and suggest we don't flood forward at all in this game, unless we are one behind with five minutes remaining.
Man for man they are obviously faster, fitter and stronger, so we can't hope to flood forward and back at the same rate as them cos we would be flat on our backs knackered after half an hour.
Similar approach to Vale required, using the pace of Loza, Power and King to link up in small number forays when we can without leaving ourselves  badly outnumbered in midfield or badly exposed at the back.

[dillydilly]

Ed, have to say that’s almost exactly what I said, and I agree that my flood forward, or your trios won’t be often or regular, just whenever possible.  Just watching a bit of Morecambe vs Solihull, and The Moors are still nippy, quick, and slippery enough to worry the league side, 2-2 at the moment.

[dillydilly]

Didn’t mean Ed - meant KES, (predictive text)...   Can’t we put a bid in for that Solihull nipsters, Archer - he frightens the life out of Morecambe’s big links at the back !

[Mallard]

Well not the result or the performance many hoped for but maybe what some expected. 

Been a while since we reached the 2nd round of the FA Cup and no reason to think now we won’t have a few return visits over the next few years.

The Club has come a long way since they kicked of their first season down at UCL level.  So today should be kept in context with where we have come from.

Tuesday night it’s back to the bread and butter stuff of League points.  We have bounced back before from a dicking and I’m sure IC will put this one down to experience and move on.   Sometimes even with a free hit you can come unstuck.

Good experience for some the younger players

[KES80]

A spanking....but not humiliation.
A couple of crackers from Pompey...but 2 poor goals conceded from....yep you guessed it, corners.
The first one really was a terrible time to concede.
Much higher class opposition, but similar lessons, it seemed to me.

Let's hope for a reaction !

[Realist]

Forgetting the competition for a moment, at the end of the day the issue of conceding corners will not go away, we seem to have the height, but not the ability to contest these. It looks to a technique and timing thing not a positional problem. I enjoyed the game, and I like the keeper Mair, he made some fine saves in open play and has made himself wide on the ground frequently in recent games. I suspect he is going to have to change his plan and get out and punch / catch some of these corners until the defence organise a method to reduce the free headers on offer. The game started with a free header and ended in exactly the same way with the ball just missing the target.

Good level to play for the club after beating Port Vale. Gash, despite the hair which we will have to learn to like! is very good news.

[kenny r]

But you have picked 12 players!

[gs50]

In my opinion goalkeepers need to start attacking corners and not standing on goalline.

[Mallard]

Great to see Non League Chorley went to London Road and beat Posh 2-1

[Blue_and_Gold]

Great to see Non League Chorley went to London Road and beat Posh 2-1

Result of the day.

How much did they earn with that performance and result?

[Mallard]

Guess it depends who they pull out of the pot for the next round.  Live Saturday/Sunday spot could be worth a mint to a Non League Club

[TonyM]

Well not the result or the performance many hoped for but maybe what some expected. 

Spot on. 

Positives to take away from the cup run - cash (always welcome but particularly in these times although considerably less than would have been the case for a similar run in previous years), great result at Port Vale that IC can point back to, chance for some of the younger players to see the levels required (lets be honest, Portsmouth looked like they still had a few more gears if necessary).  Negatives - crowds unable to be involved, could argue that existing problems within the squad were laid bare but we won't be coming up against that standard every week so should maybe temper any criticism.

[jackdaw]

gs50 At last someone on the same wavelength, keeper 6ft 5ins should be commanding the penalty area let alone 6 yd box, no better than previous
keeper good shot stopper but must be more aggressive in the box and actually want the ball. Shot stoppers you can go over the park and watch kids
doing that. Why on earth premiership keepers need a coach is beyond me they have in lots of cases been with the club since they were 8 years old.
Sorry if I have upset anyone . 

[dillydilly]

I thought there was a big lesson to be learned from the Chorley performance.  I watched the game, and they were every bit as good as P’bro, after a lot of defending in the first half.  They picked a team that was capable of spending almost half the game in the opponent’s half, then defending with 9 or 10, when necessary, obviously not only defenders.  That meant P’boro attacked them far less than Portsmouth did us.  Worried that Mair makes great saves but is nowhere on corners and crosses.  And King must start, home or away.  IMHO....  Stay safe.......

[KES80]

Yes agreed, Mair a great shot stopper but can't rely on the defence to clear balls which he could and should come for....same applies sometimes to rushing out of the box when we have been done for pace.
He has to learn that he has to take up the slack when he has defenders in front of him who are doing their utmost but when it comes down to it are still part timers against full time pros.


Re Pboro Dilly, the major diff was that Pboro were very poor on the day and Portsmouth right on it.