Carnero

That Kamara is some player. Has he been this good all season? Looks championship ready to me. 
Sibley did a really good job containing him (as much as possible). 
 
Barring the goal of course… but hats off to young Louis and CBT doing his some defensive work too. 
Lets hope we can repeat this score line. 

Just my observation on some Sibley bashing I've seen, and especially wrt the goal.....
Kamara is the form winger in the division at the minute and overall I think it was a fairly even battle between them, not bad for a full time left back, but a makeshift one, come on, give him some credit!
I'd argue that for the goal he'd held his line and anticipated Kamara running behind into an offside position...... if Cashin hadn't have been quite so tight Bishop may not have flicked the ball past him, or he could have intercepted it, if Nelson wasn't too deep Kamara would definitely have been offside instead of one of those VAR questionable ones, why was Nelson so deep I hear no one asking as it's easier to Sibley bash for 'losing his man', which I think is a tad unfair.....
Just my opinion.
 

I would have come on last night but I'd had a few 'settlers' before the game and followed up with a couple of glasses of wine when I get in to decompress  - so was less capable of typing than usual.
Proper game of football last night - not sure whether the conditions were a leveller or just added to the spectacle - but suspect both sides were happy with the draw, whilst wondering what might have been.
I thought you were set up really well (credit to both Warne and the players for executing) - you looked better than any of the other top sides who we've hosted this season.  I genuinely hope we both make it up via the automatics.
Take care of yourselves, Rams.  Hopefully see you all next season in the league above.

Some noticeably absent posters on this thread since last night  😉

Four things I took from Tuesday’s cracking night at Fratton Park 
I appreciated the atmosphere generated there back in the day but Derby lost heavily that day and were never in it and our away end was fairly quiet. Last night’s atmosphere around three sides of the ground was rocking 👏 Pompey fans ✊ 
The away end last night was full on it was an amazing experience to be in it and singing my lungs out with every other travelling Ram 🎶The Rams are going up Ole ole 🎶 has been with me all day 👏🎶🚗🐏
Paul Warne and his coaching staff had Rams set up splendidly and the plan was executed almost to perfection. JW in that false 7 position was ‘suits you!’ CBT was outstanding and together I think they can carry us over the final stretch. Collo coming back for 90 mins of that quality too Wow! 
Two Giants of the EFL went head to head and it was a fabulous game of football. I hope we both go up. That’s some special sets of fans. 
post script. That was the mangiest 🦊 I’ve ever seen 😊
 

Forget young player, isn't Cashin one of the highest rated defenders of any age in League One? 

Lots of questions there! 
Yes, a bit weaker, as you say, it's about the amount of money available.  Despite some opposition fans' views, we have spent virtually no money on our team, instead picking up players with something to prove, often following injury. This has worked better for some than others, and is partly the reason for our lengthy injury list again now.
We've bought a mix of players to get us out of League One, and a few with potential to deliver in the Championship - Ward, Wilson, Blackett Taylor, Adams (if we can persuade him to stay as only on loan). 
I think our current squad would have been top six last year but possibly not top two. We've definitely strengthened in some key areas for the type of football Warne wants us to play.
Like you, though, we would have to strengthen big time if we went up - and let some of our older players go. Luckily, most are out of contract anyway.
I always felt we would play football against you, regardless of conditions,  because you do too. It's the teams who set up to spoil the game we struggle against at times.
So, to answer your final question, I do think teams are playing up against us, home and away. We are a big club with a proud history like yourselves and for some teams they could only have dreamed of playing us even a few seasons ago. We also have a stadium those fans love to come to, but we have seen some awful gamesmanship by some teams against us, that completely spoils the match as a spectacle. Give me a good, honest, end to end competition against you or Blackpool anyday, even with the threat of us losing, than watch the Shrewsburys, Wycombes, of this league. 

I agree with your assessment of the game, apart from regarding Wildsmith's handball. It's only a red card if he's denied a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity, which it wasn't because he caught the ball well inside the penalty area, with Nelson between him and Bishop and more Derby players than Pompey around. I think the ref judged that correctly.
Hopefully see you next season in the Championship!

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. 

As far as I know a goalkeeper handling the ball outside the penalty area is  absolutely no different to any other outfield player handling outside the area.Its just handball! I don't think there's specific rules for goalkeepers.

Cheers. I'm sure all Derby fans winced when it happened, because we've seen Wildsmith get sent off in a key promotion battle at Bolton this season for merely chesting the ball outside his area!
Despite the various claims over offsides, hand-balls etc, I think the officials did a decent job on a difficult night and the result was a fair one.

1Wildsmith 5.5
2Wilson 7
35Nelson 6
6Cashin 7
17Sibley 7
23Ward 8
16Thompson 6.5
12Smith 7
4Hourihane 6
32Adams 7.5
27Blackett-Taylor 7.5
14Washington 6
11Méndez-Laing 6
9Collins 7.5
10Waghorn 6

Looks like there's a leak in the sausage dam.
That, or your sausage simply isn't long enough!

I'm worried about our left side against Kamara.
CBT will need to help Sibley out more than I've seen him do in his previous appearances.

I'm worried about our left side against Kamara.
CBT will need to help Sibley out more than I've seen him do in his previous appearances.

I'm worried about our left side against Kamara.
CBT will need to help Sibley out more than I've seen him do in his previous appearances.

Looks like there's a leak in the sausage dam.
That, or your sausage simply isn't long enough!

Looks like there's a leak in the sausage dam.
That, or your sausage simply isn't long enough!

Looks like there's a leak in the sausage dam.
That, or your sausage simply isn't long enough!

Just setting off for Portsmouth, feel very calm about tonight , the lads always tend to pull a performance and dare I say a win out of the bag when we need one , good luck to the staff and players tonight and a safe trip down to all travelling Rams fans, let’s roar the lads on COYR

Looks like there's a leak in the sausage dam.
That, or your sausage simply isn't long enough!

If we gained promotion, which is by no means a certainty, the first season will be about survival on a sustainable budget. Beyond that further progress will probably require further inward investment, with a possible change of ownership at some point.   

Bolton still have Portsmouth to play at home and Peterborough away, whilst Peterborough have to go to Oxford when they should still be very much fighting for 6th place. Barnsley go to Portsmouth, Stevenage, Charlton and Blackpool. After tomorrow, we have mid-table Wycombe a few days after they play a Wembley final, Orient and Carlisle at home, neither of whom will have anything but pride to play for, and Cambridge away who could well be safe by then.
A point tomorrow would be very useful, but there's still some tricky games for each of our rivals to play.

I don't think too much has changed. I expected Bolton to win this game. Even if we were to lose tomorrow and Bolton win on Saturday we'd still be above them going into four very winnable fixtures against their tougher fixtures. A point or more tomorrow would be fantastic.

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.