Portsmouth FC vs Ipswich Town Preview & Matchday Thread

[Ando]

I agree Ando. I think Lambert HAD to make in game changes because Nsiala had already been booked early on and was apparently being targeted by Pompey , so was in danger if seeing s red card I believe. So PL has to bring him off. Tactical change . Understood that. He then had to get to half time , so when he brings Judge on ( was he the right player to bring in ? I don’t know) he had to change the formation. Then at half time he regroups and changes formation again . Again , I can accept that.

But before a ball was even kicked today , I’d question why Nsiala was picked in the first place ,( he’s been an absolute liability all season, IMO), and why in a back three? We really don’t seem to go too well with this formation.
Why not? Say
Woolfie .....Donacien.... Chambo .... Wilson

I suppose it comes down to whether or PL was going to change shape at half time anyway and decided to do it earlier coz Nsiala was walking a fine line, only PL knows. But if the formation was working he could have put Wilson on.

Certainly played more football than you ever have and ever will. I hope that answers your stupid question

That’s a bold statement as you don’t even know me. Did the ball still have stitches in it when you played?

[derick_ipsw]

I suppose it comes down to whether or PL was going to change shape at half time anyway and decided to do it earlier coz Nsiala was walking a fine line, only PL knows. But if the formation was working he could have put Wilson

That’s a bold statement as you don’t even know me. Did the ball still have stitches in it when you played?

It's did actually and when it got wet it was like heading concrete

[number 9]

Can we beat anyone FFS? It’s beginning to feel a lot like...last season! Can we have just a sprinkle of negativity on our Christmas cheer, Mr Lambert? I’ve got a suggestion for your NYRs resolution...WIN A FKN MATCH!

(Rant over)

[Ando]

That’s a bold statement as you don’t even know me. Did the ball still have stitches in it when you played?

It's did actually and when it got wet it was like heading concrete

[derick_ipsw]

I suppose it comes down to whether or PL was going to change shape at half time anyway and decided to do it earlier coz Nsiala was walking a fine line, only PL knows. But if the formation was working he could have put Wilson on.

That’s a bold statement as you don’t even know me. Did the ball still have stitches in it when you played?

[derick_ipsw]

That’s a bold statement as you don’t even know me. Did the ball still have stitches in it when you played?

[Ando]

This thread has got very confusing it looks like I have said Derick’s lines and he mine.

[ashfordblue]

I don't like saying this, BUT I think we are going down that slippery slope of losing matches for the foreseeable next few months, I wouldn't mind betting that by February we will be mid table position, these constant changes by PL are not working, You just cannot keep chopping and changing your squad, you have to wonder why his other managerial positions at Stoke, Villa, Wolves, all ended on a sour note, he needs a clear out in Jan window, and bring in a couple of decent defenders, and a striker that knows where the back of the net is, I just have to feel that this constant rotation is unsettling to squad players, they are not getting playing time to bond as a team, get rid of Nsiala he's bloody liability, Let Norris go, stick with Holy, So Paul stop tinkering and get a settled 16 man squad

[hallamblue]

This thread has got very confusing it looks like I have said Derick’s lines and he mine.

I wouldn’t bother to try and get into a conversation Ando, we all know it’s not worth it

[hallamblue]

I don't like saying this, BUT I think we are going down that slippery slope of losing matches for the foreseeable next few months, I wouldn't mind betting that by February we will be mid table position, these constant changes by PL are not working, You just cannot keep chopping and changing your squad, you have to wonder why his other managerial positions at Stoke, Villa, Wolves, all ended on a sour note, he needs a clear out in Jan window, and bring in a couple of decent defenders, and a striker that knows where the back of the net is, I just have to feel that this constant rotation is unsettling to squad players, they are not getting playing time to bond as a team, get rid of Nsiala he's bloody liability, Let Norris go, stick with Holy, So Paul stop tinkering and get a settled 16 man squad

Can’t really argue with those thoughts AB. I’ve always like Paul Lambert , but his match day decisions appear to be like he’s flailing the wind ( almost blind panic now) in search of that win and return to early season form.

This will be the best chance this Club has of an immediate promotion/ Lamberts tactics and squad management look to be the main reason we will now fail. Can Evans afford to wait ? I honestly don’t know . But something has to give . But I am starting to wonder if the players are losing faith in him , which is all very sad because since Lamberts been at the Club he’s fine so much good . But at the end of the day it’s a result “ industry “ now isn’t it!

[patthegimp]

I see some of us are starting to rely on Sears as the Messiah to lead us to the promised land. I seem to recall him being castigated for his inability to score by a lot of us. I think we are clutching at straws. Maybe resigning ourselves to a lengthy stay in Div. 3 is more realistic. I hope not but I am now resigned to that prospect. I am neither glass half full nor half empty but simply totally empty. In the classic words of Status Quo "Down down deeper and down" is where we are heading.

[JohnnyB]

Not a good result or performance today by all accounts. It’s certainly not all over as far as automatic promotion goes and we’ve got the opportunity over the next 6 games or so to take things by the scruff of the neck, play our best team and forge some results. What do you all think - is this the best 11?

Holy

Chambers Wilson Woolfenden

Donacien Skuse Downes Nolan Garbutt

Norwood Jackson

[derick_ipsw]

This thread has got very confusing it looks like I have said Derick’s lines and he mine.

I wouldn’t bother to try and get into a conversation Ando, we all know it’s not worth it

I agree i would not want to get in conversation with IT either Ando so we will carry on talking amongst ourselves without being so rudely interrupted.

[hallamblue]

oh Dear!

[hallamblue]

Not a good result or performance today by all accounts. It’s certainly not all over as far as automatic promotion goes and we’ve got the opportunity over the next 6 games or so to take things by the scruff of the neck, play our best team and forge some results. What do you all think - is this the best 11?

Holy

Chambers Wilson Woolfenden

Donacien Skuse Downes Nolan Garbutt

Norwood Jackson

I think if you asked 100 people , you’d probably get a 100 variations - which is why we’re all bad managers I guess !
But for me (assuming the strongest players are fit , which Bishop and Sears most certainly are not at the moment ), I’d go with the following......

..........................Holy...............................

Donacien...... Woolfie...... Chambers....... Garbutt

.........................Skuse............................

..........Downes ..................... Bishop........

........................... Sears........................

..........,,,,,,Jackson.................Norwood.........

[Ando]

Not a good result or performance today by all accounts. It’s certainly not all over as far as automatic promotion goes and we’ve got the opportunity over the next 6 games or so to take things by the scruff of the neck, play our best team and forge some results. What do you all think - is this the best 11?

Holy

Chambers Wilson Woolfenden

Donacien Skuse Downes Nolan Garbutt

Norwood Jackson

I think if you asked 100 people , you’d probably get a 100 variations - which is why we’re all bad managers I guess !
But for me (assuming the strongest players are fit , which Bishop and Sears most certainly are not at the moment ), I’d go with the following......

..........................Holy...............................

Donacien...... Woolfie...... Chambers....... Garbutt

.........................Skuse............................

..........Downes ..................... Bishop........

........................... Sears........................

..........,,,,,,Jackson.................Norwood.........

KVY ?

[hallamblue]

I’m assuming he’s out for 2-3 months . But if fit , yes he’d definitely be in at right back for sure

[arana peligrosa]

Managed to gain game highlights but it never offers enough to ascertain all relevant points of what occurred out there. Norris beaten from long range and a dismissal near the end that I didn't necessarily agree with. Don't know what formation Lambert started with but can only hope it were an offensive one given the need for points and where the team's at.

Wycombe and Peterborough drop points but the team is now in third position. In no way alarming but the early season promise has started to slide. Was always going to be a tough trip and a long way home for traveling fans although don't know how many we took over at time of writing. I don't think either Norris or Holy would have prevented their goal but statistics indicate we created enough possession to have perhaps taken something away.

There's a glut of games over the holiday period as always and opportunity to take a number of points to aid any promotion chance but I read again we were lackluster on occasion and didn't show enough desire to get a victory from today. Lambert once again comes in for some level of castigation, warranted or not the results don't seem to be going our way and it could become very easy to fall away from the position we're at and into mid-league obscurity in the weeks and months ahead.

[Magicmark]

I see some of us are starting to rely on Sears as the Messiah to lead us to the promised land. I seem to recall him being castigated for his inability to score by a lot of us. I think we are clutching at straws. Maybe resigning ourselves to a lengthy stay in Div. 3 is more realistic. I hope not but I am now resigned to that prospect. I am neither glass half full nor half empty but simply totally empty. In the classic words of Status Quo "Down down deeper and down" is where we are heading.

True Sears played 30 + games without scoring one season , he might be ok at this level but coming back from a long injury, I can't see him getting many,I'd rather have Murphy back.We've needed a good striker for years.

[Bluemike]

So with a point from our game in hand we'd go second and yet some are saying we've blown our chances, "mid table by February" etc etc, dear oh dear. It beggars belief

[Magicmark]

Bluemike our form has been pants for a while,things can only get better,fingers crossed.

[Bluemike]

It's not been great I agree and Lambert needs to sort himself out and quick, but its a bit of a over reaction for me, I never fsncied us yesterday, Gillingham and Lincoln need to be wins, I believe they will be, failure to deliver in those and yes I too will have my concerns.

[bluejacko]

So with a point from our game in hand we'd go second and yet some are saying we've blown our chances, "mid table by February" etc etc, dear oh dear. It beggars belief

You know yourselves Mike we are not playing well at all! Awhile ago with the games in hand we could have gone top,now it’s back to going second. Not a disaster I admit but we are getting outplayed by teams that play the same players/system every week and the longer PL tinkers about we WILL start to lose ground.

[Bluemike]

I agree, just posted above. He is getting it wrong but I still think it will be sorted, the long blip looks worse than it actually is due to the c*ck ups in the Wycombe and Blackpool games which cost us Four points, we actually played well in those games, just as we did for 70 mins against Bristol Rovers.

[Marvinbay1973]

Interesting listening to the phone in after the game
Mick Mills want's a consistent team 4-4-2 and believes we should get Tommy Smith back. Thinks we should play Freddie when he is fit and if played in his best position will get 10 goals by the end of the season.

[Tangfastic]

Interesting listening to the phone in after the game
Mick Mills want's a consistent team 4-4-2 and believes we should get Tommy Smith back. Thinks we should play Freddie when he is fit and if played in his best position will get 10 goals by the end of the season.

Well maybe Smith and Freddie might make a difference, but it feels like a bit of desperation that we’re pinning our hopes on Freddie and Smith. We’ve got a massive squad already. I think Freddie will add something, but I can’t see him as a “saviour”.
It’s up to Lambert to make the most of an already bloated squad - and he’s not doing it.
I do tend to think this rotation argument is becoming a stubborn Mick-like thing ie the more the fans moan about it, the more I’ll do it. I mean, the selection of Toto yesterday was unnecessary and screwed us up. We could have put Skuse as a CB instead of Toto and if we needed to change formation he could have gone into midfield for a 4-4-2. It forced us into using two substitutions to get the right formation. why drop Donacien in the first place - he’s been hardly used early in the season, but come in and done well - let the lad develop his game. And Jackson didn’t deserve to lose his place.

I just think Lambert’s backing himself into a corner whereby to acknowledge we need to have a settled side would make him lose face.

[Tangfastic]

I agree, just posted above. He is getting it wrong but I still think it will be sorted, the long blip looks worse than it actually is due to the c*ck ups in the Wycombe and Blackpool games which cost us Four points, we actually played well in those games, just as we did for 70 mins against Bristol Rovers.

Bloody hell, Mike, you’re never going to forget about those four lost points!!!

I thought the Blackpool game was a fair result and if we’d have been given that disallowed goal against Wycombe, there’s no guarantee we would have won it. We’ve blown slender leads before.

TBH, after 20 games with the way we’ve played - I think we’re pretty fortunate to even be in third place. We really haven’t been playing consistently good football all season. It’s just disappointing we haven’t built on our good start to the season and I’m still waiting for the extra gears - if we have them - to kick in.

[hallamblue]

Freddie played in his correct position could actually be our saviour, he’s done it before, when both McGoldrick and Murphy were out injured . Freddie played centrally and scored goals for fun. McCarthy f*cked him up after that by playing him as a winger! Some players have a niche position (Judge #10, Sears central striker, T. Smith left side of CB).

The top clubs have their best players in their best positions. None of this chopping and changing around to shoe horn in one specific player. There was a time when players only had “ one position “. The modern game , with its ultra tactical , often ultra defensive approach has killed that off IMO, and the game we see these days is not necessarily a better version.


Out if this large squad Lambert has the tools by and large to reignite our season. The problem is Lamberts past recent history suggests he will fail to take that route. I Expect more sweeping changes on Boxing Day.

[mugen1]

TBH, after 20 games with the way we’ve played - I think we’re pretty fortunate to even be in third place. We really haven’t been playing consistently good football all season. It’s just disappointing we haven’t built on our good start to the season and I’m still waiting for the extra gears - if we have them - to kick in.

Agree with most of that. Our league position flatters us IMHO. As for extra gears, we don't have them. If we did we should have seen them by now, as I can't see what the hell they are being saved for

[Charnwood]

Just catching up after yesterday’s disappointing result which if I’m honest comes as no surprise.
As you’ll know I’m in the camp with those worried that PL appears not to know his preferred starting line up, which is never a good sign thus far into the season.
My other worry is our dreadful home form which ranks us well down the bottom of the “home” league table, maybe as low as 16th which never boded well for a team looking for promotion and needs fixing urgently.
In the past when I’ve expressed concern I’ve been told there’s nothing to worry about etc etc,
Well guys should I still have nothing to worry about, or could we be following Sunderland’s League 1 experience?