Keep the faith we still can do it !

[wavy-blade]

Yes we should have won , but if we play like that our luck has to change , I was proud of the lads tonight , devastated at the result , but after the dust settles you look who we have got to play , and it's in our own hands , we're not out of it yet !!

 

[Stretch]

Before the game most of us would have taken a point. At 90 minutes I just sensed we would concede and end up [yet again] scratching our heads at how we hadn't won. Football is a cruel bitch sometimes.

Tonight's result will either spur our lads on to out football every opponent we face until the end of the season or will have knocked the stuffing out of them.

Barnsley will find out either way on Saturday.

 

[Davalon]

It's between a rock and a hard place for me.

Played ever so well this weekend and whilst it's incredibly frustrating to effectively drop 4 points based on the performances, I can't be critical based on the squad we have.

You can't help but feel our performances over the season as a whole mean we deserve to be a bit higher in the table, but realistically we have to concede that we lack the quality where it matters compared to the other top 6 teams.

I think Clarke and Sharp have done fantastically well this season as a whole, but in truth, would anyone think forward options of those two plus Donaldson would be anywhere near promotion material if they played for another club.

The positive is that tonight we're only a point off 6th which I would have snatched at Friday morning, not expecting the other results this weekend.

 

[Johnstreet John]

Its done one thing. Made me angrier than was before. The board showed zero ambition and less belief in Wilder and his team. They settled for survival when more was available. We can still do it, but with a snippet more from the board in January, we'd be home dry.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Its done one thing. Made me angrier than was before. The board showed zero ambition and less belief in Wilder and his team. They settled for survival when more was available. We can still do it, but with a snippet more from the board in January, we'd be home dry.

Not sure if your memory is playing tiricks.

We’ve just had one of the best transfer windows in our history.

Not sold any of our best players, which many insisted Brooks or Fleck would be gone.
And Wilder was fully suppporred and signed all his targets.

 

[pommpey]

We can do what? Another playoffs campaign?

Let's say we battle our way through two semis, against any one of three sides pretty much better equipped than us, and meet the resultant at Wembley, traditionally a final fence we habitually fall at even against an unfancied forth placed playoff candidate (like Wolves, fifteen years ago - yeah, I know it wasn't Wembley, yada-yada-yada ... )

We will need practically all of the squad to be replaced.

Out of the recent players:

Moore - third sub keeper
Blackman - second sub keeper
Baldock - nope
Basham - nope
O'Connell - possibly
Stearman - nope
Wright - possibly
Freeman - nope
Stevens - possibly
Fleck - yes
Evans - nope
Lundstram - nope
Holmes - nope
Duffy - nope
Coutts - possibly, injury permitting
Brooks - undecided, possibly
Sharp - nope
Clarke - nope
Donaldson - nope

To replace that, just to avoid relegation, you are talking many, many millions of dinaros. With HRH and KMc duking it out, I can't see either willingly shoving more cash the way of the first team (especially the case of McCabe, given he has so much in the club already)

The players above would struggle against the PL teams. Pace, fitness and sheer skill, vision, clinical finishing and tactical ability would doom us from day one. Measure us up now against the most abject PL side - West Brom - and tell me we'd get points from them. Rondon alone would tear our back three a new arsehole, and then imagine what Lukaku, Vardy ... even Watford or Bournemouth's attack would do to us without the nightmare scenario of us facing an onslaught of Kane/Son/Erikson/Dembele and Spurs's wingbacks or what Man City do with the likes of DeBruyne and Aguero


pommpey

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Not sure if your memory is playing tiricks.

We’ve just had one of the best transfer windows in our history.

Not sold any of our best players, which many insisted Brooks or Fleck would be gone.
And Wilder was fully suppporred and signed all his targets.

Yeah, right. Our budget is one of the lowest in the division and our signings reflected that. Wilder’s targets were restricted by the pitiful budget he was given.

 

[Bert]

Yeah, right. Our budget is one of the lowest in the division and our signings reflected that. Wilder’s targets were restricted by the pitiful budget he was given.

Change the record, the one you're playing is stuck.

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

We can do what? Another playoffs campaign?

Let's say we battle our way through two semis, against any one of three sides pretty much better equipped than us, and meet the resultant at Wembley, traditionally a final fence we habitually fall at even against an unfancied forth placed playoff candidate (like Wolves, fifteen years ago - yeah, I know it wasn't Wembley, yada-yada-yada ... )

We will need practically all of the squad to be replaced.

Out of the recent players:

Moore - third sub keeper
Blackman - second sub keeper
Baldock - nope
Basham - nope
O'Connell - possibly
Stearman - nope
Wright - possibly
Freeman - nope
Stevens - possibly
Fleck - yes
Evans - nope
Lundstram - nope
Holmes - nope
Duffy - nope
Coutts - possibly, injury permitting
Brooks - undecided, possibly
Sharp - nope
Clarke - nope
Donaldson - nope

To replace that, just to avoid relegation, you are talking many, many millions of dinaros. With HRH and KMc duking it out, I can't see either willingly shoving more cash the way of the first team (especially the case of McCabe, given he has so much in the club already)

The players above would struggle against the PL teams. Pace, fitness and sheer skill, vision, clinical finishing and tactical ability would doom us from day one. Measure us up now against the most abject PL side - West Brom - and tell me we'd get points from them. Rondon alone would tear our back three a new arsehole, and then imagine what Lukaku, Vardy ... even Watford or Bournemouth's attack would do to us without the nightmare scenario of us facing an onslaught of Kane/Son/Erikson/Dembele and Spurs's wingbacks or what Man City do with the likes of DeBruyne and Aguero


pommpey

Full of the joys of spring aren't you !?

May I ask which team you think is better , this one or the team that finished 2nd in 06 ?
Main thing we then got a great striker in Hulse and he would have prob kept us up, which we would of course need if we did go up now ( also also if stay down , more options really as Billy and Leon both done very well )

For me this team is equal if not better and has far more potential of a very promising future with an excellent manager and a good spine

We have no idea how some of the players may play if in the prem and the prem is not all spurs, man city etc
For me Geary was a good performer in the prem as was morgs, monty etc and many others who you would never of thought would of done a job there!

Its not all about skill , as CW says first you must win you battles and give 100% then go from there, Basham who isn't blessed with the most skill but he has been outstanding recently

It doesn't matter what the name is on the back of your shirt

For me to get to the play offs would be a excellent season and then go for broke , if we go up amazing and it would be a brilliant day at Wembley and a season at least in the prem with good knows how much cash won and with our management team we wouldn't crap the money away on overpaid shite

 

[finlaytheblade]

Come on Pompey wer e not that bad if we make it we like any promoted club would need strengthening.
Only 2clubs have rolled us over this season ( Fulham & wolves ) and the main difference was up front .W e compete in all other departments very well.
Looking again at last nights match Cardiff struggled against us all night and got an undeserved draw,I would say they would have as much strengthening to do as us.
The playoffs are still there and this team wouldn't lie down and die like all the others gave,Wilder would see to that.
Yes if we get there we can win them this time.The energy in that team is tremendous we would take some stopping if we made it.
Looking forward to a massive game (for both teams ) at Barnsley Saturday.

 

[Gavlar]

It's the hope that kills you............well that and the playoffs.

 

[FlamingLip]

We can do what? Another playoffs campaign?

Let's say we battle our way through two semis, against any one of three sides pretty much better equipped than us, and meet the resultant at Wembley, traditionally a final fence we habitually fall at even against an unfancied forth placed playoff candidate (like Wolves, fifteen years ago - yeah, I know it wasn't Wembley, yada-yada-yada ... )

We will need practically all of the squad to be replaced.

Out of the recent players:

Moore - third sub keeper
Blackman - second sub keeper
Baldock - nope
Basham - nope
O'Connell - possibly
Stearman - nope
Wright - possibly
Freeman - nope
Stevens - possibly
Fleck - yes
Evans - nope
Lundstram - nope
Holmes - nope
Duffy - nope
Coutts - possibly, injury permitting
Brooks - undecided, possibly
Sharp - nope
Clarke - nope
Donaldson - nope

To replace that, just to avoid relegation, you are talking many, many millions of dinaros. With HRH and KMc duking it out, I can't see either willingly shoving more cash the way of the first team (especially the case of McCabe, given he has so much in the club already)

The players above would struggle against the PL teams. Pace, fitness and sheer skill, vision, clinical finishing and tactical ability would doom us from day one. Measure us up now against the most abject PL side - West Brom - and tell me we'd get points from them. Rondon alone would tear our back three a new arsehole, and then imagine what Lukaku, Vardy ... even Watford or Bournemouth's attack would do to us without the nightmare scenario of us facing an onslaught of Kane/Son/Erikson/Dembele and Spurs's wingbacks or what Man City do with the likes of DeBruyne and Aguero


pommpey

Allllll that aside, and even regardless of what actually happens in the playoff, I'd love the team to clinch 6th as that itself would be a brilliant achievement. Wilder et all would deserve every last bit of credit.

 

[pommpey]

Full of the joys of spring aren't you !?

Okay ...

For me Geary was a good performer in the prem as was morgs, monty etc and many others who you would never of thought would of done a job there!

We were relegated

Its not all about skill , as CW says first you must win you battles and give 100% then go from there, Basham who isn't blessed with the most skill but he has been outstanding recently

It is about skill. More to the point about skill putting the ball in the back of the net and defending a lead. The last two games have shown us lacking both. Imagine that against Bournemouth, for example. They have played some pretty impressive games this season and have some good players, targeted and bought for the purpose of PL survival.

It doesn't matter what the name is on the back of your shirt

If we signed Mohammad Salah, Kevin De Breuyne and Kyle Walker tomorrow, I think you'd change your views on that

For me to get to the play offs would be a excellent season and then go for broke , if we go up amazing and it would be a brilliant day at Wembley and a season at least in the prem with good knows how much cash won and with our management team we wouldn't crap the money away on overpaid shite

I'm not following you there. Are you advocating a nice day out in West London, a swift sojourn up a division for shits and giggles or being satisfied with (what is to me) an outstanding achievement by Wilder and the chaps and progressively push on, or a bit of all three?

pommpey

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Its going to be a very very interesting last 6 games,even exciting.

 

[Paisley Blade]

We can do what? Another playoffs campaign?

Let's say we battle our way through two semis, against any one of three sides pretty much better equipped than us, and meet the resultant at Wembley, traditionally a final fence we habitually fall at even against an unfancied forth placed playoff candidate (like Wolves, fifteen years ago - yeah, I know it wasn't Wembley, yada-yada-yada ... )

We will need practically all of the squad to be replaced.

Out of the recent players:

Moore - third sub keeper
Blackman - second sub keeper
Baldock - nope
Basham - nope
O'Connell - possibly
Stearman - nope
Wright - possibly
Freeman - nope
Stevens - possibly
Fleck - yes
Evans - nope
Lundstram - nope
Holmes - nope
Duffy - nope
Coutts - possibly, injury permitting
Brooks - undecided, possibly
Sharp - nope
Clarke - nope
Donaldson - nope

To replace that, just to avoid relegation, you are talking many, many millions of dinaros. With HRH and KMc duking it out, I can't see either willingly shoving more cash the way of the first team (especially the case of McCabe, given he has so much in the club already)

The players above would struggle against the PL teams. Pace, fitness and sheer skill, vision, clinical finishing and tactical ability would doom us from day one. Measure us up now against the most abject PL side - West Brom - and tell me we'd get points from them. Rondon alone would tear our back three a new arsehole, and then imagine what Lukaku, Vardy ... even Watford or Bournemouth's attack would do to us without the nightmare scenario of us facing an onslaught of Kane/Son/Erikson/Dembele and Spurs's wingbacks or what Man City do with the likes of DeBruyne and Aguero


pommpey

 

[GrayBlade]

I feel more optimistic about us getting into the playoffs after last night’s performance than I did before it. We could be the team coming into form at just the right time.

The question as to whether or not we’ll be good enough to win the playoffs IF we get into them and how many of the team will be good enough IF we were to win them is totally irrelevant at this stage and not worth the time wasted debating it.

 

[Paisley Blade]

ooops .... meant to say , surprised Pommpey has Stevens being a possible Premier League standard player and Baldock not. Personally I'd have that the other way around.

 

[loyalblade95]

I don't think any of our players can look at their performance and say they didn't play well they all put a real shift in and worked hard well done lads was talking to a few fans in the train station after and we all said the same thing if there was one team we could have afforded a draw against it was Cardiff, now onto Barnsley and then Middlesbrough

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

Okay ...



We were relegated

only just ! and didn't disgrace oursleves at all -apart from NW appalling away tactics , CW wouldnt have the same mindset

It is about skill. More to the point about skill putting the ball in the back of the net and defending a lead. The last two games have shown us lacking both. Imagine that against Bournemouth, for example. They have played some pretty impressive games this season and have some good players, targeted and bought for the purpose of PL survival.

i agree , which is why i said we need more upfront (and def more goals from midfield /wingbacks) we are not far off


If we signed Mohammad Salah, Kevin De Breuyne and Kyle Walker tomorrow, I think you'd change your views on that

I expect more gems to be found by CW and co , a name on a shirt means F all -also the players you mention are irrelevant to a tea of our budget /size


I'm not following you there. Are you advocating a nice day out in West London, a swift sojourn up a division for shits and giggles or being satisfied with (what is to me) an outstanding achievement by Wilder and the chaps and progressively push on, or a bit of all three?

all 3 i would say !! and who knows with this manager that we have , we may stay there for a while atleast !

pommpey

 

[Booker4]

Its done one thing. Made me angrier than was before. The board showed zero ambition and less belief in Wilder and his team. They settled for survival when more was available. We can still do it, but with a snippet more from the board in January, we'd be home dry.

I know where you're coming from and I said that when it came out that Wilder could only afford 1 permanent signing and three loans. But then it went the other way round and we signed Evans, Leonard and Holmes on permanents and Wilson on loan. It wasn't extravagant spending but we did give Wilder 2 million to spend and it was more than many other teams spent in the league and I believe Leonard and Evans will prove to be crucial players over the forthcoming years and Holmes could well do so too. Wilson hasn't come off but three out of 4 I reckon is decent.

 

[Maidenhead]

Its done one thing. Made me angrier than was before. The board showed zero ambition and less belief in Wilder and his team. They settled for survival when more was available. We can still do it, but with a snippet more from the board in January, we'd be home dry.

Here we go again.

Will some tight fisted bastard please put his hand in his pocket to try and bring me some happiness.

PLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEEEE

 

[Booker4]

Yes we should have won , but if we play like that our luck has to change , I was proud of the lads tonight , devastated at the result , but after the dust settles you look who we have got to play , and it's in our own hands , we're not out of it yet !!

I agree and I for one am so proud of how well we are playing at the minute. I think our fans just need to remember how far we've come over this season and not be critical that we're just not quite as good as the top 5 or 6 but yet we have out played or been the equal of Wolves, Cardiff, Bristol, Derby, Villa, Boro and Leeds.

The lack of clinical finishing is what you usually pay your top dollar for and this summer we need two forwards to at the very least push Sharp and Clarke and I think we'll be right up there next season in what I think will be a weaker Championship.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I agree and I for one am so proud of how well we are playing at the minute. I think our fans just need to remember how far we've come over this season and not be critical that we're just not quite as good as the top 5 or 6 but yet we have out played or been the equal of Wolves, Cardiff, Bristol, Derby, Villa, Boro and Leeds.

The lack of clinical finishing is what you usually pay your top dollar for and this summer we need two forwards to at the very least push Sharp and Clarke and I think we'll be right up there next season in what I think will be a weaker Championship.

Given it up have you ! .1 point off with six to go ,amazing

 

[Booker4]

Given it up have you ! .1 point off with six to go ,amazing

Definitely not given it up. I'm saying that the top 5 or 6 have spent millions on players like Assombalonga, Bamford, Vydra, Madine, Zohore, Mitrovic, Wolves whole squad etc etc. We really have no right to be up there and yet are up there on merit because Wilder has got this team giving everything and we've got some quality players too as we know. We'll fight till the end but also can't help thinking that physiologically its a huge blow to concede last night and have two points snatched away from us.

 

[Trafford]

Yes we should have won , but if we play like that our luck has to change , I was proud of the lads tonight , devastated at the result , but after the dust settles you look who we have got to play , and it's in our own hands , we're not out of it yet !!

I agree with all of that apart from the reference to luck - we weren't "unlucky" last night, other than the penalty decision, we just didn't take our chances or make the right decisions. In fact we were arguably lucky given how we scored but it certainly didn't feel like that.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Yeah, right. Our budget is one of the lowest in the division and our signings reflected that. Wilder’s targets were restricted by the pitiful budget he was given.

True, but that wasn’t the question.

The fact is we HAVE just had our best January transfer window ever.

Many said our best players would be sold.....but we kept them all.
And Wilder had 4 targets and we managed to bring in all 4, Evans, Holmes, Leonard and Wilson.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Out of the recent players:

Moore - third sub keeper
Blackman - second sub keeper
Baldock - nope
Basham - nope
O'Connell - possibly
Stearman - nope
Wright - possibly
Freeman - nope
Stevens - possibly
Fleck - yes
Evans - nope
Lundstram - nope
Holmes - nope
Duffy - nope
Coutts - possibly, injury permitting
Brooks - undecided, possibly
Sharp - nope
Clarke - nope
Donaldson - nope

Complete cobblers I'm afraid.

If that many players would need replacing then we wouldn't be anywhere near the play offs in the first place.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[LS16Blade]

Given that we are into the last 6 games of the season, it is quite remarkable just how many fixtures between sides in the top 10 remain to be played.

Derby v Middlesbrough
Derby v Cardiff
Wolves v Derby
Villa v Derby
Middlesbrough v Bristol City
Middlesbrough v Millwall
United v Middlesbrough
United v Millwall
Millwall v Bristol City
Millwall v Fulham
Millwall v Villa
United v PNE
Bristol City v United

On the face of it, Millwall have a really tough run-in with 5 games against contenders albeit they are the form team according to recent results. Middlesbrough's fixtures and particularly Derby's fixtures, meanwhile, are barely any less challenging. The breathing space that Derby gained at PNE and the game in hand they hold, might just prove enough to see them over the line.

Bristol City's fixtures are only marginally less testing and, frankly, I regard them as the weakest side in the top 10. Their results since January are no accident.

PNE appear to have the most favourable run-in and may fancy themselves to come through on the rails. Their recent form has been patchy, though.

I believe it's there for us to grab. Our 3 remaining away games should all be viewed as very winnable, and whilst the home games are all crunch fixtures, we have one of the strongest home records in the division. Even in our few home defeats, we have invariably, the madness of the Fulham match aside, controlled the games. And Boro, Millwall and PNE aren't going to turn up and replicate how Fulham played. All 3 will turn up and play a version of what Cardiff do, albeit, as the table shows, a less effective version. We should be ready to cope with that.

With all the teams at the top taking points off each other, I fancy that 12 points from 18 would see us in the top 6. Indeed, it might only require another 10 points.

 

[pommpey]

Complete cobblers I'm afraid.

If that many players would need replacing then we wouldn't be anywhere near the play offs in the first place.

There's a distinct difference between striving to maintain contact with the top six of the Championship and remaining in the Premier League.

You do remember what happened twelve years ago, yeah?

pommpey