TimRam

Hi, Pompey supporter with our take on lasts nights game. I think the weather made the game less of a spectacular affair but the players, from both teams, put on a really good display. I thought Derby adapted to the conditions better than Pompey where the conditions negated the effectiveness of our wingers Lane and, especially, Kamara. I suppose you could say the same for Blackett-Taylor & Mendez-Lang, both players I would have liked Pompey to have signed. I think Derby quite possibly had the greater attacking threat on the counter in the first half whereas ours was a little laboured due to not being able to adapt to the conditions. I read with interest of the disagreement with your managers choice of the tactics in the second half. However, without a wonder goal he may well have got it right. Closing players down in those conditions was risky as slipping on the surface could let players in. Portsmouth usually play a closing down game but not so much last night. I think overall a draw was a fair result last night which probably benefits us more than your lot. 
I think the controversial situations were fairly evenly spread out. There was a handball leading up to our equaliser and I think VAR might have ruled out our first goal. Handling the ball by the keeper is a sending off offence normally but I think the ref got it right by allowing for the conditions. I don't think it was a 'nailed on penalty' because I think our player was looking to go down anyway, but on another day it could be given.
I thought it was a proper game of football from two famous old clubs. It was good to see the ground full with a decent away following that made themselves heard, which is normally difficult at Fratton Park. The game, allowing for the conditions, was a good advert for League One where both teams look ready for the Championship. 

Pompey were on a decent home run and it took a very good goal to beat us. Well done Derby.

We have half a squad out of contract. Whether we go up or not, the team will be vastly, vastly different. The whole debate that this team will struggle is completely pointless. That's why I'm annoyed by it. Even Ipswich have brought in double figures this season, and that's after having an expensive, for League One standards, squad before they went up. 
Concentrate on going up, worry about the squad for next year when the hoards of inevitable transfers start happening later.

Their 1st? Might have been just offside but too close to call and the ref's assistant got it right in giving the benefit of any doubt to the attacking side. Handball for the 2nd by Raggett, definitely, although Collo's half hearted "challenge" didn't help. The ref taking account of the slippery pitch saved JW early doors and their player (Saydee?) when he took Sibs out 5 hours late. Their player was looking for the penalty, imo, he appeared to be going down of his own volition as soon as he felt contact. The ref didn't buy it. I have to admit I thought it was one and then, from the front on replay understood why it wasn't given. Another day, another ref and it, and the 2 red cards, would have been given. Swings and roundabouts. They had the lion's share of possession, we had more shots, same amount on target. The fox may have cost us a 3rd as we had numeric advantage and it was our speed merchants up there. Stopping play was the right decision imo. All in all, I view a draw as the right result.

Will we struggle next year? With this exact team, yes of course but it's going to be another big off season for recruitment, so I really don't think it's worth even mentioning until we know what league we are in.
On the game...
Thought it was a really exciting advert for League 1 (I wish all games were that standard) Two teams going for it, albeit with slightly different approaches. The quality on show was impressive considering the conditions and magnitude of the game.
We absolutely held our own, possibly conceded too much possession and territory in the second half but I don't think it was the wrong tactic given the circumstances.
Think the criticism of Wildsmith is unfair, tricky conditions and a couple of decent stops. Also responsible for points in the last few games. We look better with him in the sticks than Vickers for me.
We absolutely have to back it up now with a win against Wycombe, hopefully the walking wounded can get some rest and fitness back in their legs. Huge 4 games.
COYR

By any metric that was a good point away against the top team in this division. We didn’t look outclassed and it took a wonderstrike for them to get level. Yes we played well within ourselves second half and perhaps could have been a bit more attack minded but not many other teams have gone there and taken points recently so I’m happy.
It’s in our hands now. Bolton/Peterboro/Barnsley are going to drop points before the end of the season so keep the faith.

Pompey were on a decent home run and it took a very good goal to beat us. Well done Derby.

Pompey were on a decent home run and it took a very good goal to beat us. Well done Derby.

Pompey were on a decent home run and it took a very good goal to beat us. Well done Derby.

Pompey were on a decent home run and it took a very good goal to beat us. Well done Derby.

Team and fans did us proud last night. A great advertisement for League One. 

Wonder if the ref took the weather into account? 🤔 
Im probably giving him too much credit 🤣 

The story so far: Portsmouth 25 league wins (14 of them by the odd goal), Derby also 25. Portsmouth scored 66 goals (lowest out of the top 5 teams), Derby 70 (only bettered by Bolton & Peterboro). Portsmouth have put away 9 pens out of their 66 goals, Derby only 5 pens. Portsmouth conceded 33 goals, Derby 35 conceded.
After this clash Portsmouth have Shrewsbury (h) currently 18th, Bolton (a) 3rd, Barnsley (h) 5th, Wigan (h) 12th and Lincoln (a) in 6th. Derby; Wycombe (a) 13th, Orient (h) 10th, Cambridge (a) 19th and Carlisle (h) 24th.
Derby need 5 more points to beat their club record of 85 points in a season. Also one more away win would be a new club record. A little harder to achieve is getting 4 wins out of our 5 remaining games to beat our current best which is 28 wins in a season.

Brazil 1 Nuts 0.

Pull up a chair, this will be a long one.
Me and my wife Leanne have been together 8 years and 5 months, we have been trying for a baby for around 6/7 years. Nothing happened. Leanne has been desperate for our own little baby and seeing friends around us start families has been hard for her.
It’s been hard for myself as I later found out it was probably my fault following a sperm test.
Just before Covid we went to explore IVF options where I was given a sperm test, the results were basically I have swimmers, just not enough to put me in the “normal” range. Not impossible I could get Leanne pregnant, just harder than it would be for others.
Covid landed, lockdown, all non essential treatment and hospital appointments were cancelled, so our doctors asked us to come back once life returned to normal.
Fast forward to August 2023, we returned to the doctors knowing the clock was ticking, Leanne turns 40 this year and would already be classified as a “geriatric”, whilst myself a slightly younger Des O’Connor.
Anyway, they started testing Leanne, she was all clear, I was given another tube to fill and arrange an appointment with the hospital. Contacting them I was told there is such a backlog, we would be waiting until the new year, side note, we’re almost April and I’m still yet to receive a call back.
As I have mentioned elsewhere, October 27th our great nephews moved in with us under an emergency kinship fostering placement, since then we have been undergoing various assessments and training.
We go to the fostering panel to be confirmed foster parents on April 11th.
We was also willing to go down the SGO (Special guardianship order) route which would see them stay with us until they were 18.
Now, this is an important bit. We live in a small 2 bedroom house, me and Leanne looked at it and said maybe this is our calling, maybe we just weren’t meant to have our own and threw ourselves into the boys creating a special bond.
Monday 12th February, 2024, Leanne woke me up in tears saying we need to talk. My eyes had barely adjusted to the daylight before a positive pregnancy test was thrust into my face.
What. The. f***.
We quickly went to Morrison’s to buy another one, just to double check, this time a digital one. Both ClearBlue so super accurate.
The pregnancy was confirmed, 2-3 weeks it said.
We hadn’t bothered to be “careful” as we figured it was never going to happen naturally, but it had so now we was left with a huge dilemma. The boys were meant to be our future now. But it’s a 2 bedroom house.
It completely took the shine off what should have been the happiest time of our lives, Leanne’s family were also not fully invested into the joy with concern over what would happen to the boys.
After a few emotional discussions into the early mornings, exploring all possibilities, we ultimately decided to let social services know that we cannot be considered as long term placement if needed.
At this point and to this day, their mum is still waiting on her assessment to see if they can ever be returned.
We could not abort, we could not move as we have a small amount of debt that would prevent us getting a new mortgage for a much larger house.
March 9th, we visited the midwife who dated the pregnancy from Leanne’s last recorded period December 18th. A 12 week scan was booked for 21st March however she was told that she would be 13 weeks by then.
Sickness, tender breasts, the lot, this was all very real.
The wait for the 21st March seemed like forever.
The weekend prior, Leanne had very very light spotting and discharge which freaked us both out, quick call to the midwife and told not to worry, just come in if it’s heavy bleeding and she’s in pain.
On the 20th, I had a tattoo appointment, super excited and determined to bring some positivity to a stressed out wife, I get “Daddy” inked on my neck, at the neckline of a t shirt.  I was uncontrollably excited by this point.
Next morning we go in, soon called into the Ultrasound room, I bounce in rubbing my hands joking just the one please.
Monitor boots up, Leanne laid back with the biggest smile on her face unable to see the monitor.
I look up and the gestation sac is empty.
All life inside me just melted.
The midwife asked when we last took a pregnancy test, to which Leanne responded and was then asked if she would be happy to have an internal scan.
Whilst the midwife left the room I was in a daze, taking pictures of the screens.
Internal scan complete, we was simply told to get ourselves ready and we will be shown to the counselling room.
Both in tears, we was led away and left to sit in this room for half hour or so before another midwife appeared giving us 3 options.
Let it come out naturally.
Take medication to force it out which can be super painful.
Or surgery, which is a vacuum basically which sucks it out.
Period of silence followed and we was shown out the side door, absolutely devastated.
We sat in the car park at a complete loss. I had the announcement board ready to go, bought the little lamb rattle, we had it all planned and it was over.
After an hour we went home, packed our bags and basically ran away for the weekend leaving the boys with their Nan. We couldn’t face being “parents” surrounded by toys at this time.
Work were great, signed us both off with paid leave.
The weekend was spent crying, drinking, walking, crying.
We returned Monday, still an emotional mess but able to function at least.
The hospital rang asking if we had made a decision, on Tuesday Leanne booked the surgery for the Wednesday. That Tuesday night went to visit a friend who was questioning the dates, could they be wrong, is it earlier than we think, ask for a second scan to confirm.
On looking at the scan, the gestation sac was 1D 25mm, 2D 29mm and 3D 29mm. I’m googling sac sizes at 1am and see that is 8 weeks. 5 weeks earlier than what we was told.
Leanne’s now questioning if she forgot to record a period I said look, we’ll ask for a confirmation scan to be sure.
That morning, we go into SDEC (Same day emergency care), nurse calls us in, Leanne breaks down so I take over asking for a confirmation scan. They were great and said of course, booking us in for April 2nd.
I would have declined the 1st for obvious reasons.
We’re sat here now 99% believing we’ve lost the baby, however we need that 1% of doubt clearing away with this confirmation scan on Tuesday. Even a scan at an earlier date should have shown more than just the gestation sac and yolk sac.
I’m back to work on Monday, needing some normality back in my life, although Tuesday after the scan won’t be much fun.
This week that’s just gone, Wednesday 27th, the Boys mum had her assessment heard at panel, we’re now just waiting to hear from the social services to see how that went and would they be returned or not.
We have some difficult decisions ahead if she doesn’t, as now Leanne’s “oven has been warmed”, we’re desperate more than ever for our own little baby, yet fully aware Leanne turns 40 in a couple of months and I’m 42 myself.
It really needs to happen now, or not at all. Seeing Cameron Diaz having her second at 51 years old the other week, not sure how I feel as the old you get the more our bodies begin to tire and develop issues where running after children becomes more difficult.
All family options for the boys have been exhausted, so it’s either us, their mum or adoption. Being 2 and 3 they are the prime age to be adopted yet we would never see them again and that would f’in hurt, especially if me and Leanne are not successful in having our own.
I'm sharing this as men don't like to talk and when 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, many men will have been in similar situations and struggle in silence. Whilst the woman will ultimately bare the most pain and need the most support, it still f'in hurts....a lot.
So yeah, coming on here reading how Paul Warne is a terrible football manager, being 2nd is pure luck and all the rest of the negative hyperbole just hasn’t been at the top of the list to absorb. 
More to life than football has never been more true.
You know the old saying though, behind every successful forum owner, behind him is a team of amazing moderators. Big thanks to them for carrying the load whilst I spend time supporting the wife.

Hang it in the Louvre

Great result and vital 3 points given results elsewhere and our injury problems.
Nelson, Cash, Smith, Adams NML and CBT were the standout players.
Not going to go into the performance too much as it’s solely about those 3 points. Needless to say we played ok, but can play better.
Happy days!

10 points clear of 4th as it stands. We've not been fantastic recently, but below us it seems nobody wants to go up at all.

Hopefully he's had a swig of this at half time

Mines nearly dry. Maybe stop the spin?

Mines nearly dry. Maybe stop the spin?

Mines nearly dry. Maybe stop the spin?