pommpey
THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
- Banned
- #1
Another fantastic win for us on the road. Although PNE put us to the test for much of the game, it was so pleasing to see us resolute and strong in defence and not allowing them much traction, even though they had the lions share of chances. Our setup looked a bit iffy if anything and we appeared to be a bit wanting in the middle of the park. PNE definitely bossed us but not in any productive way. Berge and Norwood still managed to disrupt their pattern and get N'Daiye involved and not concede too much. Our first goal cam out of nowhere - a typical Illiman show of capability with firstly him robbing Whiteman blind then running on with them too afraid to get a Basham in and he knocks another one in off the upright.
Second half I was expecting PNE to come right at us and yes, they still pressed and dominated somewhat but failed to get anywhere. They have the mark of a mid table set of triers but with zero end result. I watched on my recently set up Firestick (cheers Ainsley) which I cannot recommend enough and even the PNE commentators were a bit biasedly bemused how they came away from the game with nowt, having put so much in. Truth was, we are at such a stage now we take any punches on the forearms and gloves and manage to wait for the opposition to tire or drop its guard. So it was with the second, Berge showing great composure and McBurnie just doing the shitliners job. Job done.
Two home games after the international break and no reasons why we should either change a winning formula even with players returning from injury but we must rotate when ahead, especially with a game changer like Khadra, who can unlock more goals.
Foderingham 7/10: Would have been 5.5/10 given he had nowt much to do (their shots on target were either high, wide and handsome or blocked but pulled off a worldie late on to his left
Baldock 7/10: Good industry from him now that Anel drops right into a kind of 'behind the RWB' role, pushing him further up the pitch. He managed to threaten more today even with his saucepan full of Fernandez who in truth faded out during the second half and was subbed
Anel 7/10: Another solid performance and uncharacteristically one without a goal! Picked up a daft yellow
Egan: 7.5/10: Coming back into form I though. Pretty solid today with headers and blocks aplenty and some sound jockeying
Basham 6.5/10: A better second half than the first again for Bash. uncharacteristically sloppy with passing at times but in the second half grew more into the unfavoured LCB billet
RND 8.5/10: Again a towering match for him. He's gained mass, presence and confidence in equal measures and did a good shift today
Berge 7/10: Again, large periods in the game where he seemed like he was sat in trap six curling out a log and at other his usual, pleasing, playmaking self. If we had 90 minutes of the latter, we'd win every game 8-0
Norwood 8/10: Good game for him. Some very intelligent - forward - passes into space which put players in or turned PNE on their heels and some tough, dogged tackling in midfield. ANother daft yellow card though
N'Daiye: 7/10: Superb run through their backline to score but was for much of the time bag carrying and trying to set up chances, sometimes a bit clumsily. Still a reyt player.
McBurnie 7/10: Denied a lot of action because we sat so deep to cushion PNEs advances but was johnny on the spot with a brilliant centre forwards goal
Brewster 6/10: Not really at the game today, sadly
Doyle 7/10: Good few minutes from him. Got stuck in straight away and did a lot of tracking and blocking off of passing channels
Sharp 6/10: Great to see him back but by then we were managing the win and not looking at him for outcomes
McAtee 5/10: Not on for long
HJ&SMcC 9/10: Another valuable, hard-won three points from them. Needs focus not during this break to come back for the two home games in front of big crowds to keep our excellent momentum going. They are two games we MUST win to ensure we are very much in the bag into the WC break and into next year if we are to suffer a three/four game barren spell.
Fans 10/10: Fucking ace!
pommpey
Second half I was expecting PNE to come right at us and yes, they still pressed and dominated somewhat but failed to get anywhere. They have the mark of a mid table set of triers but with zero end result. I watched on my recently set up Firestick (cheers Ainsley) which I cannot recommend enough and even the PNE commentators were a bit biasedly bemused how they came away from the game with nowt, having put so much in. Truth was, we are at such a stage now we take any punches on the forearms and gloves and manage to wait for the opposition to tire or drop its guard. So it was with the second, Berge showing great composure and McBurnie just doing the shitliners job. Job done.
Two home games after the international break and no reasons why we should either change a winning formula even with players returning from injury but we must rotate when ahead, especially with a game changer like Khadra, who can unlock more goals.
Foderingham 7/10: Would have been 5.5/10 given he had nowt much to do (their shots on target were either high, wide and handsome or blocked but pulled off a worldie late on to his left
Baldock 7/10: Good industry from him now that Anel drops right into a kind of 'behind the RWB' role, pushing him further up the pitch. He managed to threaten more today even with his saucepan full of Fernandez who in truth faded out during the second half and was subbed
Anel 7/10: Another solid performance and uncharacteristically one without a goal! Picked up a daft yellow
Egan: 7.5/10: Coming back into form I though. Pretty solid today with headers and blocks aplenty and some sound jockeying
Basham 6.5/10: A better second half than the first again for Bash. uncharacteristically sloppy with passing at times but in the second half grew more into the unfavoured LCB billet
RND 8.5/10: Again a towering match for him. He's gained mass, presence and confidence in equal measures and did a good shift today
Berge 7/10: Again, large periods in the game where he seemed like he was sat in trap six curling out a log and at other his usual, pleasing, playmaking self. If we had 90 minutes of the latter, we'd win every game 8-0
Norwood 8/10: Good game for him. Some very intelligent - forward - passes into space which put players in or turned PNE on their heels and some tough, dogged tackling in midfield. ANother daft yellow card though
N'Daiye: 7/10: Superb run through their backline to score but was for much of the time bag carrying and trying to set up chances, sometimes a bit clumsily. Still a reyt player.
McBurnie 7/10: Denied a lot of action because we sat so deep to cushion PNEs advances but was johnny on the spot with a brilliant centre forwards goal
Brewster 6/10: Not really at the game today, sadly
Doyle 7/10: Good few minutes from him. Got stuck in straight away and did a lot of tracking and blocking off of passing channels
Sharp 6/10: Great to see him back but by then we were managing the win and not looking at him for outcomes
McAtee 5/10: Not on for long
HJ&SMcC 9/10: Another valuable, hard-won three points from them. Needs focus not during this break to come back for the two home games in front of big crowds to keep our excellent momentum going. They are two games we MUST win to ensure we are very much in the bag into the WC break and into next year if we are to suffer a three/four game barren spell.
Fans 10/10: Fucking ace!
pommpey
Morrison on our game - to hear ' GOAL' proclaimed with such abject misery, I was in ZERO doubt who'd scored.
