Portsmouth (A) Fri 18th Nov 2022

[Ramslad1992]

3 minutes ago, DB83 said:

There's always an excuse not to take the cups seriously though:

'It's so important just to get out of League 1 this season"

"It's so important just to stay in the Championship this season"

"We aren't that far of the play-offs this season"

"We have a real chance of going up automatically this season"

"It's so important just to stay in the PL this season"

Etc, etc... which is way I prefer to take them seriously every game, every season... otherwise we never will.

The three greatest things the club has ever done are win the League twice and the FA Cup once... however great the Jim Smith era was (for example), we still were only mid-table in the PL. Anyway, off topic really, so my apologies. Good and well deserved point tonight!!

 

If we don’t get out of this league quickly we risk being here for a long time… just ask Ipswich, Portsmouth, etc. Why risk promotion on getting to the fa cup 4th round? We are not going to win it this year or any year in the foreseeable future. I’d have done it for the pizza cup as we actually had a chance at that. The financial gain of promotion massively beats the financial gain of a couple of wins in the fa cup. We just don’t have the depth to fight in every competition and the league 100% needs to take priority imo.

[Gritstone Ram]

I thought we had good bits and poor bits tonight. Based upon our performance a draw was a good result. I think we edged the first half but we were mainly pegged back second half. I’d be pleased if we get a draw at their ground and win at ours.

Edited November 18, 2022 by Gritstone Ram

[OoooMarkWright]

2 hours ago, Millenniumram said:

God knows how Sibley keeps getting chances, he’s not going to make it. Never seen a player so thick

Same could be said about your posts on this forum. 
He wasn’t great but he’s an attacking midfielder playing left wing back. Ridiculous comment.

[Millenniumram]

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

Smith was as bad, but pointed a lot more. That is what Sibley is doing wrong then! ?

Smith was crap as well, you’re right. Wing backs were the issue tonight

[DavesaRam]

I am very happy with that! The line up suggested a lack of pace, but the players were busting a gut all over the pitch until we "gassed out", to use a Warnism! The amount of pressing and closing down (ratting?) was probably greater than I have seen before, and made a difference. Sky were wondering why Portsmouth had all that possession, but only had one shot on target, and that in the 94th minute. Were they on an off-night, or did our defending limit them to one shot?

Strangely I thought the ref was quite good tonight, although he was only able to see blue shirts being pulled, not white ones, and did lean Portsmouth's way - Cashin booked for holding up a throw, but not booking a Pompey player for holding up a free-kick, booking Hourihane for a trip without making contact. He did spot a blatant dive late on in the second half and quite rightly waved play on, but then didn't produce a yellow card for simulation - unless they are no longer required to do that.

I had wondered if Sibley was playing left back because he was the only one who can play there who is nearly as fast as the winger he was marking, but then read on here that he had been training for that position, so it is planned. Hopefully it is still a case of making do with what you've got, which in squad terms ain't very much!

Most encouraging is that we could have gone and parked the bus, but went there with the attitude of going to win it, even if it meant nicking it at the last minute, which we nearly did, of course. In the end a point away against a decent team is pretty good, and a fair result. And Portsmouth are a top six side, of course - BUT SO ARE WE!!! We are already everybody's big day out, now we are a tea, to be feared. COME ON YOU RAMS!

[B4ev6is]

51 minutes ago, Brailsford Ram said:

And it adds to the risk of more injuries to our very thin squad. We'll make much more money by returning to the Championship this season than we will from another game or two in the FA Cup this season. If you disagree B4 we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I want us to be in the Championship next season if we can do that.

I want us back in the champership but having a good cup won will help bring more numbers in too.

[FKANorwichExile]

To be fair, going away from home to one of the highest scoring teams in the division with your 127th choice defensive set-up, no fullbacks and a combined age of nearly 70 up top and keeping a clean sheet is impressive as. Rooney looked like he belonged and played some lovely long passes and Cash is made for this level (I worry about his lack of pace, but not much he can do about that).

The gap between Didzy and the midfield was enormous, though. We're desperate for Knight back in there just for some legs. Thompson did alright, but he's not a winger. I wouldn't mind seeing him in with Bird when NML is back.

[Mrso]

Well, fans can't always agree.  I've been pleased the Club survived to start the season.  Fairly negative about Warneball, but generally positive. Tonight I thought was awful. Outplayed by an out-of-form team.  Memorable only for a McGoldrick tackle that was so late he missed his Red Card by about a whole second.

[BramcoteRam84]

Really good point tonight. We had the best chances to win looked solid but ultimately didn’t have enough in the tank to put them under the pump. We had to dig in. The squad is threadbare and knackered due to the sheer number away games not to mention injuries to key players. Mendez Laing could’ve been the difference tonight to miss him for possibly 5 weeks is a huge blow. We just need to hang in there around the top 6 and get to January where we can recruit and we’ll be fine.

Thought Tommo and Rooney we’re immense tonight. Hourihane was decent worked really hard, McGoldrick is a genius. We’re hard to beat and we have some quality, with the right January recruitment it could be really good. 

[Jimbo Ram]

Just watched the game on replay. With the team we had I thought we did ok. Solid defensively and restricted them to very little. Hit the bar, had a clear pen turned down and one headed off the line. A bit of time to recover before our next league game ?

[Millenniumram]

47 minutes ago, enachops said:

Same could be said about your posts on this forum. 
He wasn’t great but he’s an attacking midfielder playing left wing back. Ridiculous comment.

Doesn’t matter where you play, you should be able to cross and pass better than he does if you’re gonna make it. Sorry, but I really struggle to see what he offers, always have. Barring the burst onto the scene under Cocu, he’s offered precious little

[abertawe_ram]

Pleased with our first half tonight. I was fearful when  I saw the line up with a lack of pace/width but thought the team looked decent. Second half my biggest frustration was the lack or change when we were clearly struggling and under the cosh. Thimpson was dying and by 65 we were struggling to string any passes together. I felt like the use of subs was a slightly poor. At that point thought there was a case for Tomo off with dobbin on to change to 

Hourihane bird

Mcgoldrick 

Collins (or even osula) dobbin

Scare them out of their high press with some pace up top and let mcgoldrick take on  the job of keeping possession for us. Thought if we showed a little more attacking desire 2nd half we could've had them.

 

Anyway I won't be getting  a director of football job, we got a  very good point away at a contender and the unbeaten run continues! COYR

Edited November 19, 2022 by abertawe_ram

[Blondest Goat]

Good point all things considered.   

Has anyone else noticed how poor we are at keeping possession from throw in though?  Really becoming my pet hate and needlessly put us under pressure a few times tonight.

[SandiacreRam]

2 hours ago, Mcv said:

Can’t believe all the stick sibley is getting if it was his position fair enough but he’s taking one for the team and us 

Spot on...he is putting a real shift in , in a position that is alien to him and probably doesn’t enjoy playing ...he’s a no 10 imo 

 

Imo thiis exactly what you need from a player, we should be lauding him not calling him 

[Matchday Fred]

A good point under the circumstances, and something to build on. The manager has one arm tied behind his back, but when we have players back from injury, a winning streak is there for the taking.

[Jimbo Ram]

41 minutes ago, Millenniumram said:

Doesn’t matter where you play, you should be able to cross and pass better than he does if you’re gonna make it. Sorry, but I really struggle to see what he offers, always have. Barring the burst onto the scene under Cocu, he’s offered precious little

He had a good game tonight.

[Magicman]

5 hours ago, 86 Hair Islands said:

Can't see Didzy playing the full 90 so I reckon folk are right about @Magicman's man crush getting a run out later in the game.

Well you called that wrong he last 78 mins .... ?

[S8TY]

Think Thommo looked decent tonight, full of energy and was nice seeing us play some neat passes in tight areas and Thompson certainly contributed to that ,  it was a decent enough performance tonight and much improved from the ipswich game 

stick Knight and NML back into that team and i think we might've won that tonight...

 

Note for Fozzy....think hes been immense last few games ...

Edited November 19, 2022 by S8TY

[Millenniumram]

45 minutes ago, Jimbo Ram said:

He had a good game tonight.

Not sure what game you were watching, he lost the ball every time he touched it 

[Crewton]

2 hours ago, Millenniumram said:

Smith was crap as well, you’re right. Wing backs were the issue tonight

We drew away at a promotion rival with several key players unavailable through injury - why is that even an issue? 

Sometimes I really struggle with the knee-jerk negatively from the same old posters.