plymouthram

Agree with this, I for one was critical about Collins, but he seems to be a lot fitter than the first 3 months of the season. Also don't like the back 5 system, even today's match showed gaps and players caught out of position. A better team than Fleetwood would have caused more problems and scored more goals. It's like Warne is trying to justify bringing in Bradley by fitting him in along the two centrehalfs who are head and shoulders above him in quality.

Went on the 2 Pompey forum sites, gosh they are downbeat. Lots of them stating that they won't finish in the top 2 for Automatic promotion. Also went on the Cheltenham forum and several used the word "Inmense" when talking about Curtis Davies.
POMPEY WE ARE COMING FOR YOU and so are Bolton and Peterboro and maybe even Barnsley.

Went on the 2 Pompey forum sites, gosh they are downbeat. Lots of them stating that they won't finish in the top 2 for Automatic promotion. Also went on the Cheltenham forum and several used the word "Inmense" when talking about Curtis Davies.
POMPEY WE ARE COMING FOR YOU and so are Bolton and Peterboro and maybe even Barnsley.

Went on the 2 Pompey forum sites, gosh they are downbeat. Lots of them stating that they won't finish in the top 2 for Automatic promotion. Also went on the Cheltenham forum and several used the word "Inmense" when talking about Curtis Davies.
POMPEY WE ARE COMING FOR YOU and so are Bolton and Peterboro and maybe even Barnsley.

Went on the 2 Pompey forum sites, gosh they are downbeat. Lots of them stating that they won't finish in the top 2 for Automatic promotion. Also went on the Cheltenham forum and several used the word "Inmense" when talking about Curtis Davies.
POMPEY WE ARE COMING FOR YOU and so are Bolton and Peterboro and maybe even Barnsley.

January is an opportunity to gain ground in the promotion race, but so is February, March & April. Agree with Jourdan, one game at a time. But what ever happens, we must stay in contention and be in the mix all through the remaining games. Of course, this transfer window would make a difference to the top 7 teams who currently have the best chance of getting promotion. I can not see beyond the current top 7 teams grabbing the 3 promotion slots.
So I'm looking at the business end of the season, March and April. I'm also looking at the current top 6 that who are in the best position to grab an automatic promotion slot. Going by all teams current League position, Barnsley have the easiest fixtures to play with 11 games out of their remaining 22 to play against teams in the bottom half of the table and in the last 2 months only face Bolton and Portsmouth from the current top 7. But we know it does'nt work in your favour playing teams below you each match and thinking it's going to be 3 pts every time.
March and April is interesting though, Portsmouth have 5 fixtures against the current top 7 teams and only 4 against bottom half teams. Bolton in the last 2 months have 6 fixtures against the current top 7 teams. Peterboro have only 4 fixtures against the top 7 and their last 3 matches of the season is Oxford (a), Bristol R (a) and Bolton (h). Derby only have Bolton (h) and Portsmouth (a) to play in the last 2 months of the season.
If my head was to rule me, I would state Bolton will win the league and 2nd spot would be between Portsmouth, Peterboro and Derby. Stevenage with their style of football will see them drop away(running out of steam). Oxford with a recent change of manager seem to be on a bit of a wobble and best hope is hanging on to a top 6 spot. Barnsley's current form is'nt outstanding, drawing against lower placed teams and all their recent wins have been by the odd goal and have not been dominating. But having stated that, the Tykes could come good and surprise us.
So for now, it's one game at a time, no major injuries, a good transfer window and we will see in the last 11 games of the season if we can do it.

TJJ is a talented young player who is rebuilding his career. Yes, he gets bundled over. Yes, he’s had a poor injury record. But so has Waghorn, Washington etc and they’re not going to get any better as players whereas this guy will.
He fashions chances with his touch and awareness. We haven’t seen him start, yet he’s already scored a couple and had other efforts well saved like on Saturday (he looked devastated not to score).
In a squad devoid of good finishers, he is a valuable asset. He’s exactly the type of ‘gamble’ we should take.

I think we need a good transfer window, meaning don't loose Bird or Cashin and bringing in a striker (or two) and a midfielder with a good engine (box to box). Then perhaps we can go on and win another 8 matches out of 9 to get in the top 2 (I don't want play-offs).

We've got more points at this stage of the season than last season. If we stick to 4 at the back and Warne does'nt switch back to 3 like last season then I would predict, we will concede the least goals in League One at the end of the season (that's providing we hang on to Cashin, even if it's a loan until the end of the season). MR WARNE PLEASE READ, LEAVE THE DEFENCE ALONE, DO NOT TINKER WITH A BACK THREE.

We've got more points at this stage of the season than last season. If we stick to 4 at the back and Warne does'nt switch back to 3 like last season then I would predict, we will concede the least goals in League One at the end of the season (that's providing we hang on to Cashin, even if it's a loan until the end of the season). MR WARNE PLEASE READ, LEAVE THE DEFENCE ALONE, DO NOT TINKER WITH A BACK THREE.

And Derby County U21s to win the EFL Trophy

Passing out from the back. Slick one or two touch passing and quick movement up front. And playing 4 at the back Mr Warne, I'm slightly more impressed. I could be convinced to become "PRO WARNE". Keep it up and don't tinker with 3 at the back like last season when we fell away.

But look at the top 7 teams, there's a gap opening up, 8th and 9th placed teams have played 2 more games than Barnsley. It's currently looking like a 7 horse race for 3 teams to grab promotion.

And Derby County U21s to win the EFL Trophy

Hey I was only playing, fair play to Warne and the players, they are doing the business.
If we can beat Oxford then the game against Peterborough is bloody huge!!
It would make Warnes negotiating position a little easier when convincing potential signings to join.

And Derby County U21s to win the EFL Trophy

And Derby County U21s to win the EFL Trophy

Good away win at a good opponent who were made to look very ordinary indeed.
I would agree with those who say it was overall the best display of the season..only Barnsley at home would be comparable but we played better stuff today. Some good one touch moves opened them up & we pressed the life out of them without the ball. Really should have been further ahead but Barkhuizen missed a sitter early in second half that would have been a fairer scoreline at that stage. Nelson, Nyambe & Cashin were all absolute class but everyone worked hard 
Bit nervy late on & was surprised by how late subs were but they never really looked like breaking through. Massive couple of games coming up & we should believe we're capable of winning both. COYR 💪🐏

Back home after a very satisfying performance, just lacking the goals we deserved.  Sat with the home fans who were very impressed with how we played, less so with Wigan who were a shadow of the team who played at Pride Park. Looking forward to Oxford and nothing to fear if we can reproduce the performance, desire and hard work of today.

First hour was as good was we’ve been this season I think, lovely slick passing, creating chances, solid at the back, playing in their half. Controlling the game. Was excellent. Only issue was not scoring a second 
that made the last half hour a bit more nervous than needed to be. 
 
Cashin was brilliant, Wilson as well. No one had a poor game.
Looked like a side that will challenge for promotion I thought today.

Feeling all cherried up mate.  All cherried up.
xxx
🐏🍻
 

Stats will state that most goals are scored between the 1st minute and the 90th minute. Some stone wall penalties that certain teams have not received and others have is also down to luck (the refs view does make a difference). Fitness levels do not determine a team losing or winning a game in the dying minutes of a match, it's down to game managerment and seeing out the game. It could also be down to luck (not Look?) that a decision goes against you. The Wycombe penalty was given and more stonewall incidents have gone against Derby in other matches. 
I am hoping that luck levels out for all teams and the eventual 2 teams clinching automatic promotion have deserved it over the 46 matches. As for the play-off winners, that could be determined on luck, based on several elements. take last season, just look at the highlights of Derby's match against Sheff Weds. The penalty given, not a lot of contact but given. The red card for Curtis Davies given, when he was'nt even the last man (cover by Cashin). If this game had finished a draw would the outcome of the play-off winners have changed?.
My conculsion is: luck plays a bigger part of a League one team more so than a Championship or Premiership team and thats down to the standard of referee's at this level. If it all levels out for the 2nd half of the season, I believe Portsmouth's lead will be reduced. Another factor would also boil down to the January window, using Ipswich as an example who pushed on to gain promotion and are now benefiting from that.

Talking of late comebacks, Portsmouth have done it this season a few times. In their 1st match back in August they drew 1-1 at home to Bristol Rovers with Yengi scoring in the 93rd minute. Bishop scored a 95th minute equaliser at Pride Park. Against Wycombe at home they won 2-1 with Shaughnessy scoring in the 98th minute. Then another home against Carlisle winning 1-0 Shaughnessy scores in the 93rd.
Half of their 14 wins have been by the odd goal, lady luck seems to have been on their side so far this season. I don't want forum members reminding me that they were the better team at Pride Park that day, yes they was but Derby were poor back in September. Lets hope their luck and odd goal win dry up and (Derby) "We are coming for you Pompey" does happen.

Every team needs a slice of luck, so far this season, Portsmouth have had bags of it. They are bottom of the list for conceding pens, top of the list for scoring late goals that alter the result. Lets hope their luck dries up and ours gets better. If Cashin goes in January, lets hope it's a loan back until the end of the season. Bird will be very hard to replace, so lets hope the powers to be at Derby ask for big money for him. Grinding out results seems to be happening in recent games, barring the Wycombe match, lets keep it up, getting results when not playing at your best is a good sign. And lastly Mr Warne, please bin the 3 at the back, we've looked vulnerable in defence and against the better sides we will get punished.

I know we are still 8 points behind Pompey, but i was looking at the remaining fixtures tonight. Pompey still have to play Stevenage (H), Oxford (H & A),Blackpool (A), Peterboro (A), Barnsley (H), Derby (H), Shrewsbury (H) Bolton (A) and Lincoln (A). And most of these games are in the last 2 months of the season.
Even though, currently they have only lost one game, 4-0 at home to Blackpool, they have won a big amount of their games by the odd goal and maybe are due a bad run of form. Perhaps B4 was right and we will be coming for you Pompey.  COYR