TomTom92

Agreed, stinks of Barnsley v Posh last season. Just got to make sure going in to the last match we're in the top 2. Carlisle will be on the beach and without accusing anybody of foul play, I imagine Simmo would quite like to see us up.

Agree with all of this. If Posh have nothing to play for then Bolton have struck lucky playing a good team at exactly the right time. Got to hope Bolton don't go on their best run of the season and to be honest if we can't beat Wycombe who will either be hungover or gutted at losing a final with us having a week to prepare then its a bad job. Carlisle is a slam dunk, so just need to win at least one of Leyton Orient or Cambridge.

If we can't get 9 points out of our next 4 matches then we'll only have ourselves to blame. If we do the above and Bolton or Posh etc. go on their best run of the season under the pressures we're all experiencing to pip us to the post then fair play to them. I do think looking on paper Bolton do have quite a kind run in apart from Pompey but they only need to throw in a Northampton like performance and not beat Pompey and its all but over for them. Peterborough are playing two matches a week between now and the end of the season and Barnsley are in last chance saloon with failure to beat Charlton on sat surely putting them to the sword.

Solid point. We can talk about if, buts and maybes but to go to the leaders and match them toe to toe in that weather is some effort. Football is an unpredictable beast but we have 4 winnable matches now. We’d be desperately unlucky for Bolton, Posh and Barnsley not to drop anymore points. Let’s enjoy Saturday off and hopefully a couple of teams do us a favour.

Think it'll be 1-0 Pompey unfortunately. We don't control games and our fire power is pretty much limited to our starting XI so if that gets negated then we don't have anyone to come off the bench and steal us the points. If i was offered a boring 0-0 i'd snap your hands off.

Portsmouth 1 - 0 Derby

I think the only pessimistic view you can take on Bolton’s run in is that Bristol look on the beach. Pompey could be all but up by the time they play them and posh might have nothing to play for. 90 points will be enough with a hard earned draw on Tuesday being a real bonus.

Morning headline suggestion: Adam’s Ram Olé

Great win. Fought to the end and the results going our way is a bonus. Fully expect a reality check on Tuesday but let’s see how others get on Monday.

We’ll be lucky to get a point against you guys. Need a win tomorrow to keep the dream alive. Then hopefully Tuesday can be a free hit.

Derby 1-0 Blackpool Own goal

Adams is injured? Missed that bit of news ffs.

That’s the million dollar question. Personally anyone but Ward for right back. Think Wilson would be my preferred choice purely because Smith at right back increases the chances of Hourihane starting. Left back may have to be Elder. Means Sibley can assist us in the final third seeing as we were short in that area.

He made a mistake, he’s only human. Is it his fault that Rooney, Nyambe Forsyth are injured? Is it his fault that Ward and Wilson look shakey at right back? He should know better and it has left us in a bit of a pickle. But as others have alluded to, he’s hardly been prime Maldini. Not too long ago if he’d have got a 3 match ban nobody would’ve batted an eye lid. Ultimately we’re better off with him available, especially with our injury problems. He probably hasn’t earnt his corn and he made a mistake. But he won’t be the first or the last. He may come back for Leyton Orient and help us win our last 3.

Yep regards Friday. Should be beating Cambridge and Carlisle so just need to win against a cup final tired Wycombe or Leyton Orient. As @MACKWORTHRAM states by Wycombe we could have Gayle, Barkz and Collins available. Just need NML’s injury to not be serious and we’re still in with a chance.

Didn’t watch the match but by all accounts we had a stinker. Feel low about it all at the moment. But despite the defeat my bigger concern is our injury list. Sounds like we could have a couple back for the Wycombe match but we’ve got to play 2 matches before then. If NML is out for the season then we’re done for. Using boring logic, if we win 4 out of our 6 matches it takes us to 90 points. Means one of the chasing pack would need to win 6 out of 7 to overtake us. Some effort if that happens. Think we need a win on Friday whether it’s a lucky win or deserved. Then using my logic above we need to win 3 out of the last 4. Can’t see us getting more than a point at Pompey.

Haven’t we been playing 343 with Barkhuizen? Just think CBT would’ve slotted in nicely to replace him. Instead he’s being held back. Good if we’re still level come 70 minutes but a bit safe for my liking.

3-5-2 is a bit minging. The only positive to the line up is that even with our injuries our bench looks alright. Id rather us have gone all guns blazing but hopefully we’ll have enough to win this. Think we need a couple back for Friday though.

Disappointing that Barkhuizen isn’t mentioned. Guess his injury will be clarified Saturday evening. Hopefully we have enough for Saturday then come Blackpool we’ll have a couple back.

Saturday feels like such a banana skin. So I’m happy to hear that they have a couple of players missing and a clumsy left back. Get the win, put the pressure on and give Barkz, Bird and Gayle another week to recover for Blackpool and Pompey.

We've probably not seen value for money this season, but if you accept that in context he was seen as a good signing at the time and we were desperate, you can't really complain. Like others have said, he's leaning in to the old head, using his experience and organising/cheerleading everyone on side of things and good for him. Doesn't appear to have an ego and he does score goals so if we do need one to take us up, i'd be bringing him on over a Fornah or a Thompson.

Finding the constant moaning about Pearce quite tiresome to be honest. Think people need to move on or at the very least adopt the ‘if you haven’t got anything nice to say don’t say it all’ approach.

4 wins sees us on 90 points. The chasing pack would need to win 6/7 to jump above us, so statistically we should really be seeing the job through. Bolton are gonners in my opinion. No way they win 6/7 with their fixtures. Posh concern me the most as their fixtures are very favourable. But as some of you have pointed out they’ll need to dig deep to keep winning playing every 3 days. Here’s hoping they get a couple of injuries like the rest of us. Barnsley’s run in is similar to ours but can’t see them overturning the deficit. Think the season can be split in to 3 groups now: Northampton - we’re the only top 5 team playing. Win and we’ve cranked the pressure up big time. Draw/lose and the others will get a big boost without kicking a ball. Easter and Wycombe - 3 teams that can hurt us. Hoping Wycombe will be gassed out from the their final, so hopefully we can steal a win there. The remaining 3 - Should really be getting 9 points. Leyton Orients season should be over by then. Cambridge have appointed a wally in Monk and Carlisle have been useless. All in all plenty to be positive about. Just hope Barkz and Gayle aren’t out for too long.

Warne said in his interview that Ward was precautionary whereas Barkz sounded a bit more of an injury. Hopefully its not a long absence but not ideal with Gayle already out.