plymouthram

Speaking of fixtures, the Pompey game moving to the Tuesday gives the players an extra day to recover after playing Blackpool at home. I know its the same for Portsmouth but then we have a 8 day break before our next match due to Wycombe being in the EFL Trophy final. Where all the other promotion contenders barring Peterboro play on the Saturday after the Easter fixtures.

Having watched the match, Barnsley deserved nothing. They went 2-0 up took the foot off the gas started time wasting very early in the 2nd half. There was one incident where a Barnsley player went down off the ball feigning injury when they were 2-1 up. The Ref went over to him and basically pointed to his watch and miraculously the player sprung to his feet with not a limp in sight. Bolton battered them especially in the last 15 mins and the added 8 mins. Barnsley have Lincoln next who currently have gone the longest in League One since being beat (9 games). Also Barnsley's last 6 matches have them playing 4 away (Burton, Charlton, Stevenage and Blackpool).

Brizzle Rovers 0 Derby 1 92nd Own goal by Chris Martin

So according to this predicted list, Portsmouth are going to remain unbeaten in their last 10 games with Blackpool, Peterboro, Wycombe, Bolton and Lincoln to play away with home games against Burton, Barnsley, Derby, Shrewsbury and Wigan.

You forgot to mention their away fixture at Lincoln who currently have the lowest goals scored against them in the league at home (13).

You need to look at Bolton's remaining fixtures before predicting them to finish 2nd. I'm hoping they beat Barnsley Tuesday night or a draw. Then if we beat them at Pride Park and match Bolton and Barnsley's results we could then keep hold of 2nd spot.

There's going to be a lot of dropped points by the current top 7 teams in the run in, simply because they all have games against each other. E.G. POMPEY have Peterboro (a), Barnsley (h), Derby (h) and Bolton (a). DERBY; Bolton (h) and Pompey (a). BOLTON; Barnsley (a), Oxford (h), Derby (a), Stevenage (a), Pompey (h) and Peterboro (a). BARNSLEY; Bolton (h), Pompey (a) and Stevenage (a). PETERBORO; Stevenage (h), Pompey (h), Oxford (a) and Bolton (h). STEVENAGE; Peterboro (a), Bolton (h), Barnsley (h) and Oxford (a). OXFORD; Bolton (a), Peterboro (h) and Stevenage (h). Blackpool and Orient are still within range of getting a play-off place, so they could have a say on some games against the top 7. BLACKPOOL Have Pompey (h), Derby (a) and Barnsley (h). ORIENT; Derby (a), Peterboro (h) and Stevenage (a). LINCOLN in 10th place are not an easy team to beat or score against (only lost 10 and conceded the 2nd least goals with 32). They have Pompey (h), Barnsley (a) and Oxford (a).

It was easy on the eye today, but lets not get carried away, we played Port Vale who had lots of injuries and also sit in the bottom three and have'nt won since December in the league.

I think Louie has been an all rounder for the club, he's played left back, central midfield, attacking midfield and today left wingback. I just hope that was not a one off performance because it could be the best position for him. Well done lad, now that makes it hard for Warne to drop him next match.

I don't get it. Cory Smith was having a good game tonight and gets substituted. NML was not at the races tonight and could have done with a rest and stays on the park. We continue in this vein of form in our home games and we will fail to get 2nd place.

Top of the league Portsmouth away ? They have not impressed me this season, had a few dodgy penalty awards. Scored in Fergie time when you wonder where they found all them extra minutes added on. They had a bit of a wobble in Dec/Jan and I feel they will have another one. I just feel in front of their home fans the players will freeze when Derby play them.

I thought it was a close game, that was won by two good goals and agree with Warne that it should have been a draw. I was thinking before the match that this was probably our toughest fixture we have left to play.

GOAL DIFFERENCE Could be the a deciding factor, looking at the likes of the current top 4 teams. If Pompey have another wobble, even they could be looking at other teams goals for and against. Portsmouth have drawn almost a third of their games and if they continue in the same form they are looking at another 3 games being drawn, that does'nt improve your goal difference. They could easily lose a few with Blackpool, Peterboro and Bolton to play away and on top of that they still have Oxford, Barnsley and Derby at home. Derby have the easiest fixtures out of the top 6 teams, with only Bolton (h) and Pompey (a) left to play. I know we still have Blackpool to play, but that's at Pride Park and their home form is keeping their hopes alive for a late snatch for a play-off spot. Bolton and Barnsley game in hand is against each other, plus they have the most away games still to play. Bolton's last 4 matches in April are Bristol R (a), Pompey (h), Port Vale (h) and Peterboro (a). Barnsley Also have Blackpool (a), Stevenage (a) and Pompey (a). I still sticking by my last prediction, even though we lost in a closely contested match at Barnsley. In the top 2, which position depends on who wobbles, who has the least injuries to key players and who they have to play.

And lets not forget we played most of the 2nd half with 10 men and only lost 2-1.

His team Olimpija Ljubljana won the league last season and he is the current club captain. Will be 26 in April, made his debut for his national side when he was 23. Slovenia have qualified for Euro 2024 having only lost 2 qualfiying matches. Some one to look out for on the TV during the summer.

CORRECT, They have Blackpool (A)8th; Barnsley (A)4th; Oxford (H)5th; Derby (A)2nd; Stevenage (A)7th; Pompey (H); Peterboro (A)6th and still have to travel to Bristol Rovers who currently are in the top half of the table.

Hope your right with the assumption that mid-table teams are thinking about their holidays, Rams have Bristol Rovers (A), Northampton (A), Wycombe (A), Cambridge (A) and Reading (H) to play from mid-table. Perhaps Paul Warne should drop some holiday magazines in their dressing room prior to kick off.

Most loaned out youngsters from the top tier teams mainly go to a championship side with good facilities/coaches. The training facilities at Derby (Moor Farm) are a damn sight better than any team in the National league, come to think of it most of the teams in the Championship and a few in the top tier. I not going to state our coaches are the best, but I will stick my neck out and say they are better than Gateshead's. And last fact; so far Brown has played in 4 games for Gateshead amounting to a grand total of 51 mins of football, thats really not going to aid his development.

I agree with what you state, but the loans we brought in have been, in general good and have gone on to be better. But these loans have come from established solid premiership clubs. So we have'nt been getting cast-offs, more of a player they wanted to test in another league before stepping up into their parent clubs 1st team. E.G. Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, Harry Wilson etc

Dean Sturridge was sent to Torquay for his attitude/behaviour with the Rams staff and players. He played 10 times and scored 5 times, he was then swiftly called back. He had already played for the Rams making his debut in 1992 going to Torquay in 1994. Beckham only made 5 apps for Preston scoring 2 in 1994. Becks had signed for United in 1991 and made his 1st team apps in 1992. So both were already recognised quality players, the reasons behind a club doing that I don't have the answer. Perhaps they wanted to toughen them up in a less quality environment.

I was referring to Dajaune Brown who is under contract until June 2026, so that suggests he's rated by someone at the club. But I think in my opinion sending out a talented youngster on loan to a lesser club is'nt going to make him improve. If anything they go backwards in their development due to being with an inferior club with no where near the same facilities as his parent club.

I don't get it !!!! They state that sending a player out on loan to help develop him and get more game time. Lets look at the facts, staying at Derby with better coaches, better training facilities, training with better players and playing with better players, surely this would enhance his career. We had good promising kids at Derby in the past and they go out on loan to a lower league team and their career nosedives. E.G. Jack Stretton to name one that happened recently.

Best time to go top of the league this season would be at teatime after winning at Fratton park on April 1st.

I was dreading this match, no Collins, Stevenage in your face thug football. But having watched it in the East stand and also looked at the highlights, some observations I noticed. First thing to mention, was Steve Evans pre-match moan, that playing in front of a 27-28k crowd that the fans might sway the ref. That's his game plan (reverse psychology), trying to get the ref on his teams side. Then throughout the game, he had his subs warming up down the sideline all through the game (most times 3 or more) and they were bickering at the ref in some of his decisions down that line (more Fatboy Evans cheating tactics). Out of the top 7 teams currently battling it out for some form of promotion, Stevenage have only scored 46 goals and all their chances against us came from throw ins, corners and free kicks. Not a footballing team, not a nice man, I remember him years ago when he was Boston manager calling Nigel Clough's Burton Albion " A pub team".

I would be surprised if Waggy and Wash play a game this month. It was recently revealed that we were in for Harry Leonard from Blackburn and their manager pulled the plug on the deal in the eleventh hour. That's why we did'nt get any strikers in. But why go for a 20yr old from Blackburn who has scored 3 goals in 22 apps and send Dajaune Brown out on loan, only a couple of years younger with possibly better potential. Warne knew he had Waggy and Wash out and then during the Reading game John-Jules gets injured and with 8 days prior to the window shutting, he should have had a plan B for incoming strikers.