Prediction v Pompey

[Diggerthedog]

We have gone down the route of signing journeymen no other teams want, should of signed some non league players they might have put a bit of effort in.

[Richie]

They were better than us across the park, no complaints with the scoreline.

Midfield two offered nothing, Boucard had a bad match with his touch letting him down quite a few times, whereas Richards was invisible. No way can we play them 2 alone in centre mid. McClure could have helped by dropping back but like Richards he wasn't noticeable.

Jodi looked a threat when he had the ball to run with but that's about it

[A S dagger97]

OK expected to lose today but after that performance there's not a lot to be excited abaout this season

[SteveW]

Oh woe woe, we lost, shit team, relegation, sack the manager etc etc.

[DaggerSince92]

Disappointing goals to give away but we were outclassed yesterday. Don't like to be overly critical of players after the first game, but Richards looked completely off the pace yesterday. I'm hoping he's just not match fit, and the level of his performance will improve in the next few games.

The only bright spark yesterday was Jones, impressed me massively with the defensive side of his game, and his ability to go down the right as well as cut in on his left.

[shoreyda2nd]

I'm not overly concerned. We need some legs in midfield but hopefully Raymond can bring that, with McClure dropping a bit deeper whilst we're getting overrun.

Nyron and Partridge didn't let us down despite some nervy moments. The goals were silly errors, not the result of Pompey's league 1 players carving us to pieces.

One bad result but it's a game we'd expect to lose, so good get those errors out of the system. Andre tried to get us going in possession but when he's miscontrolling the ball you know it's a bad day at the office.

We move on, Charlton Tuesday then Orient Saturday.

[Alan]

Cannot believe this board at times. So people have turned on Matt Richards after one game and are saying he can't run, should have signed a hungry non-league player etc. well I didn't hear a single person say we shouldn't sign him when he was a trialist, quite the opposite.

As to Kane Ferdinand, perhaps the manager didn't want him for the whole season, but as short term cover whilst we have Labadie suspended? He did nothing in the games that I saw that would have made me want to sign him.

Deep breaths everyone, we went away to a team with resources we can only dream of and got thumped. It will happens from time tom time.

[Dagdale]

Know playing on the South coast on opening day to a club with high expectations and new manager would be hard for us but just really disappointed the way we gave way in the second half to some terrible defending and on a game where did we give their keeper a job to do? The way that Bennett ploughed from left across to our middle and even had a few seconds to tee up that great second goal left me haunted on the journey back. I suppose just as well we got this one out of the way as quick as possible. Think Paul Cook will do exceedingly well down South here stewards telling me beforehand heavy rucksack training with players and drilling them firmly. On a footnote even though we always seem to come a cropper here three times now great rapport with the pompey boys pre match drink and a great crowd to mix with, super atmosphere stadium side, and proud of the great turnout by daggers, probably best since Barnet at Underhill on their last season there.

[NickMurphy]

Not begrudging the fact we lost or deserved to lose - I'd just like to see us give it a go going forward against Pompey, even for just a five minute spell. We didn't do that at all yesterday or in our first game at Fratton Park (through no fault of Curo who had no service all day), the only player to come out with any conceivable credit from that 2nd half in particular was Jones, no wonder he's got scouts swarming around him.

[stanton101]

As said previously, we were outplayed by a side who will undoubtedly be there or there abouts at the end of the season. It would have been nice to come away with something, but it wasn't to be. Our budget simply doesn't allow us to compete with the likes of pompey. If I have one gripe about yesterday it's our continuation to punt the high ball up to JC , the bloke marking him was 6ft 5 and on a very hot day it was inevitable that the ball was going to come straight back at us and as a result our midfield was always under pressure. Come on Wayne, it ain't rocket science, keep it on the deck.

[leewilson]

Cannot believe this board at times. So people have turned on Matt Richards after one game and are saying he can't run, should have signed a hungry non-league player etc. well I didn't hear a single person say we shouldn't sign him when he was a trialist, quite the opposite.

As to Kane Ferdinand, perhaps the manager didn't want him for the whole season, but as short term cover whilst we have Labadie suspended? He did nothing in the games that I saw that would have made me want to sign him.

Deep breaths everyone, we went away to a team with resources we can only dream of and got thumped. It will happens from time tom time.

Well done Alan for a bit of realism. I actually thought Wayne did very well yesterday. He set out a positive side with two strikers (McClure) dropping in and whilst at times we did get a bit exposed in the middle, the players worked extremely hard to keep their shape and restrict Portsmouth to just one shot on target in the first half.

Nosworthy and Partridge were excellent in defence during the first period. Their positioning for crosses was outstanding and they gave Portsmouth nothing simple. At times, Nosworthy needs to be a little quicker releasing the ball. However, this is a guy who has probably played the ball out from the back for most of his life. I imagine we don't show for it as effectively as some other teams he played for and therefore he is left holding onto it for longer than he wishes.

2nd half, Wayne did the right thing by putting an extra midfielder on to give us that protection. It would have allowed us later on in the match to take off Richards, and put on Doidge to give it a go. However, we let outselves down with two bad team moments. One from a corner, the other from a throw in. The 3rd goal was a good hit and the heads had gone down by then.

However, a bit of realism people. The players they had out there were far greater in experience than ours. They also quite simply had better players. We didn't disgrace ourselves, we just conceded 1-2 disappointing goals. The players will be better for that experience. It will have shown them the standards of a top team in this league and we weren't a million miles away.

As for Richards, anyone criticising him can do one. He was rushed back in for a very tough match after missing the final few pre season games. He probably wasn't completely fit but we're a bit short in that area at the moment and I'm sure Wayne was counting on his experience to help get him through the match. Whilst I'm sure he has better performances in him, he was hardly terrible yesterday in an outnumbered midfield. On the ball in particular, he linked up quite nicely. Off the ball, we quite simply need a third player in there. Boucaud wasn't much better either yesterday but because we have all seen how he 'can' play, there's not much criticism for him. Richards will be fine. Some people need to calm down a bit and remember this is one match against a probable top 3 side. It will not define our season.

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

For what it's worth at least Wayne in his interview after commented on the mattes that appear to have caused the post match posters some concern, so it's not as if he is in anyway deluded.

We met a very good team yesterday and altho we never looked like winning Mark was hardly scrambling around his goal all afternoon.

Once again we did ourselves ,if you take away the first two goals . The first came from another cheap corner and how dreadful does the second look.

We gave the ball away far to often and to me did not get the ball out to Hemmings or Jones like we should have done . The Cureton half chance,the great effort by Jones and Hemmings effort just after they scored lead me to think that we did not use the pitch as well as Pompey did.

To go in nil nil at half time with your goalkeeper hardly being overworked despite the possession they had perhaps made everybody a little bit over opptomistic.

Goals change games and result change opinions,if we had held out nil nil or nicked a goal without gifting the two we did then would be celebrating a great result.

Frustration is my sense of feeling at the end of it all and I think a feeling shared by many more.

As for Richards well he did disappoint but I am reliably informed he did not train all week owing to a toe becoming infected requiring medication, so it's perhaps The end of the day a bit harsh to judge him on yesterday. That said I want to see a lot better then I saw yesterday to convince me that he was worth dumping Luke HOWELL for.

It should therefore in fairness perhaps give consideration to the mini injury crisis we have, only six subs were named so perhaps options were limited as to how we lined up. That can only happen at the Daggers but is a fact that can not be escaped.

All in all frustrated but we all know we are far better then that, if we are not then we are in trouble.