pommpey
THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
- Banned
- #1
Tidy little ground and decent set of fans at the Silverlake tonight. We seemed to bring about three to four hundred, no segregation, so red and white dotted about the stands. I sat in what is their main stand behind one of their goals - the other end has some funky new development bar/restaurant overlooking it.
Pre-match I saw Tufty and received a nod in exchange for my idolatry thumbs up. The warm up showed us Jamal Blackman and he seemed very agile and got down to the shots fired at him by Eastwood et al. He seemed dodgy in places on the crosses ... hmmm.
The game kicked off and I soon realised my vantage point aligned the crossbar with the pitch 'horizon' so I moved to the back of the stand near the Eastleigh massive.
The start line up has been covered, and we commenced the game with pretty solid 'formula football', retaining possession and allowing the Spitfires to chase us about the pitch. Carruthers seemed a bit unsure at times and squandered possession, but to be honest, we controlled the pitch, firstly feeding the ball infield and then quickly spraying it to the opposite wings, but not in a 'hoof and hope' manner. Bennett did a lot of tracking and pushing out on the right and Stevens similarly on the left which led to his goal, well taken as it was and really from an unexpected scorer although Pompey have been rueing his loss for just that quality. Soon after in between me chatting to a S24SU postee, I just caught Lafferty crack in goal number two, another finely hit strike giving their keeper no chance.
Duffy chased in midfield and pulled up - seemingly either a calf pull or a hamstring, and was replaced by Matt Done in the number ten role.
Eastleigh then took advantage of us taking the foot off the gas and pressed us into the penalty area, Stearman misplaced possession and the ball broke free for them to poke past an indecisive Blackman. So far he had had little to do so really, I can't blame him.
After half time the lineup was
Blackman
Brayford Wright O'Connell
Freeman Coutts Lundstram Thomas
Brooks
Done Clarke
Which seemed like Wilder was putting his A Team Attack out with the B Team Mid and Defence in the first half and this, if anything, was the opposite.
We played about 80% of this half in their half with about 75% of the possession still playing the same well worked possession, patience football but with the bite and harry to regain possession which is all Wilder. Brayford had a fucking great outing winning much of what was lofted and then going on the attack into a pseudo-inside right role. On the other side, O'Connell and Thomas both pushed on positively allowing Coutts and Lundstram to do the heavy lifting in midfield. Done's goal was 'drops-to-feet-opportunist-stuff' thanks to some good work out wide but I am fucking bowled over by the lad Brooks. He really is as good as they say. Okay, he wasn't against Man City tonight but watching him he coasts through the game, possesses, lays off, makes a move and receives. He drops the shoulder and drifts past opposition defenders. He creates menace and has players standing off him because they don't want to be left trailing. If we sell this lad it will be a fucking travesty. Late on, he danced round three players and hit a curling shot to the top corner which their keeper saved well.
Late on we lost concentration as Thomas lay injured out of play (he's okay) and allowed them another goal but we dominated, despite the score.
No marks out of ten. We will do okay this coming season. We won't be relegated but we need to progressively reinforce and retain talent to have any chance of challenging the playoffs or automatic. Some areas Eastleigh - who played as well as a Div One side tonight and have some credible players in their squad - managed to expose were in areas behind the pushing wingbacks but I am confident Wilder recognises that and has a plan for it. A good night away from the locality in blustery, almost November conditions for the RAWWs to get used to and get over. Roll on next week.
pommpey
Pre-match I saw Tufty and received a nod in exchange for my idolatry thumbs up. The warm up showed us Jamal Blackman and he seemed very agile and got down to the shots fired at him by Eastwood et al. He seemed dodgy in places on the crosses ... hmmm.
The game kicked off and I soon realised my vantage point aligned the crossbar with the pitch 'horizon' so I moved to the back of the stand near the Eastleigh massive.
The start line up has been covered, and we commenced the game with pretty solid 'formula football', retaining possession and allowing the Spitfires to chase us about the pitch. Carruthers seemed a bit unsure at times and squandered possession, but to be honest, we controlled the pitch, firstly feeding the ball infield and then quickly spraying it to the opposite wings, but not in a 'hoof and hope' manner. Bennett did a lot of tracking and pushing out on the right and Stevens similarly on the left which led to his goal, well taken as it was and really from an unexpected scorer although Pompey have been rueing his loss for just that quality. Soon after in between me chatting to a S24SU postee, I just caught Lafferty crack in goal number two, another finely hit strike giving their keeper no chance.
Duffy chased in midfield and pulled up - seemingly either a calf pull or a hamstring, and was replaced by Matt Done in the number ten role.
Eastleigh then took advantage of us taking the foot off the gas and pressed us into the penalty area, Stearman misplaced possession and the ball broke free for them to poke past an indecisive Blackman. So far he had had little to do so really, I can't blame him.
After half time the lineup was
Blackman
Brayford Wright O'Connell
Freeman Coutts Lundstram Thomas
Brooks
Done Clarke
Which seemed like Wilder was putting his A Team Attack out with the B Team Mid and Defence in the first half and this, if anything, was the opposite.
We played about 80% of this half in their half with about 75% of the possession still playing the same well worked possession, patience football but with the bite and harry to regain possession which is all Wilder. Brayford had a fucking great outing winning much of what was lofted and then going on the attack into a pseudo-inside right role. On the other side, O'Connell and Thomas both pushed on positively allowing Coutts and Lundstram to do the heavy lifting in midfield. Done's goal was 'drops-to-feet-opportunist-stuff' thanks to some good work out wide but I am fucking bowled over by the lad Brooks. He really is as good as they say. Okay, he wasn't against Man City tonight but watching him he coasts through the game, possesses, lays off, makes a move and receives. He drops the shoulder and drifts past opposition defenders. He creates menace and has players standing off him because they don't want to be left trailing. If we sell this lad it will be a fucking travesty. Late on, he danced round three players and hit a curling shot to the top corner which their keeper saved well.
Late on we lost concentration as Thomas lay injured out of play (he's okay) and allowed them another goal but we dominated, despite the score.
No marks out of ten. We will do okay this coming season. We won't be relegated but we need to progressively reinforce and retain talent to have any chance of challenging the playoffs or automatic. Some areas Eastleigh - who played as well as a Div One side tonight and have some credible players in their squad - managed to expose were in areas behind the pushing wingbacks but I am confident Wilder recognises that and has a plan for it. A good night away from the locality in blustery, almost November conditions for the RAWWs to get used to and get over. Roll on next week.
pommpey
