Every start of the season is the same. The poring over the fantasy football lists as Tony from work who claims to watch every game of football on tv recommends Blackburn's new Venezuelan forward who you consider before picking the identical team to everyone else. You are incredulous at the preseason odds and thats before the friendlies - if you smash Nuneaton the game takes on great importance, when you inevitably lose 1-0 to Exeter its all about fitness.
By September you know actually know if you were right to choose Robin Van Persie over Rooney (hell. No.) and you know where abouts Pompey will finish... that is except for this season.
As the News points out Pompey have only lost once in five games (proof of progress http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/pompey-past/great-matches/proof_that_progress_is_being_made_1_3040141). Unfortunately Pompey have only won once in five games. We are the only team in the division with a neutral goal difference - a fact that is indicative of pompey's start and the current status of Portsmouth FC. We are none the wiser about the status of our football club. the away point at boro looks quite good - they have taken maximum points from three of their other four games - the loss vs table topping Brighton is now seemingly excusable, but by the same token the victory v Reading looks less impressive now they are flirting with the relegation zone and we shouldn't loose to Barnet. Ever.
The indifferent start replicates the view of most of Stevie Cotterill. He seems like a nice chap, if a bit of a dense sh'lad at times. I think most people would applaud last year - at the start of the season we were rock bottom and to continue the geological metaphor were sinking like a stone. But an incredibly shrewd piece of business to swap Marc Wilsons ever expanding ego and hollywood passing for Liam Lawrence and his slightly more justified ego and Dave Kitson who despite the stick of the fans has scored an approaching respectable 1 goal every 2.963 league games (although he had his worst league season last year) which is significantly better than say former fans fav Nuge (goal every 3.94 games), season kick-started a great mid-season before petering out.
But Cotterill only has himself to blame for this seasons seemingly chaotic US jolly. He has signed nine players and spent the more than most other football league clubs. Football fans are fickle beasts and will put up with long-ball and fight as long as the team are winning - in fact I think Pompey fans value fight more than most fans - which is lucky pompey have committed 80 fouls this season, a staggering 25% more than second placed perennial dirty Leeds. But we aren't winning and the manager doesn't seemed to have bought players to match the long ball game. Lawrence, Varney, Chuck aren't classic hoofers and I hope the Hungarian giant is not a sign of things to come.
To continue the extrapolation the jury is still out on the new owners. Pompey fans don't know what to expect from football club chairman. I don't think there is such a thing as a normal owner, to be involved in burning money for ego's sake you have to be a bit odd - but our last 5 have been varying from the mad to the potentially criminal to the perhaps nonexistent. the new owners have spent money - but then they had to. They have not interacted with the fans nearly enough - to the farcical situation two weeks ago of missing a radio interview to play 5-a-side. There has been no talk of a new stadium (unless you count £100,000 to move the big screen) which is the seed of the clubs future sustainability, in terms of stadia Pompey should be battling relegation from the championship not pushing for premier league status as I think most fans imagine is Pompey's rightful footballing place.
I waited until September for my first blog as I wanted to say something insightful and decisive. The reality is we still don't know much will depend if Cotterill is good in the transfer market - is he 'arry or reggie. Is Varney Viafara or Mednes. For what it's worth the jury is out but I still have faith in Cotterill, I see us pushing for the play offs and I'd argue that would be a solid progression after the turmoil of recent years. Im looking forward to finding out. Play up Pompey.
By September you know actually know if you were right to choose Robin Van Persie over Rooney (hell. No.) and you know where abouts Pompey will finish... that is except for this season.
As the News points out Pompey have only lost once in five games (proof of progress http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/pompey-past/great-matches/proof_that_progress_is_being_made_1_3040141). Unfortunately Pompey have only won once in five games. We are the only team in the division with a neutral goal difference - a fact that is indicative of pompey's start and the current status of Portsmouth FC. We are none the wiser about the status of our football club. the away point at boro looks quite good - they have taken maximum points from three of their other four games - the loss vs table topping Brighton is now seemingly excusable, but by the same token the victory v Reading looks less impressive now they are flirting with the relegation zone and we shouldn't loose to Barnet. Ever.
The indifferent start replicates the view of most of Stevie Cotterill. He seems like a nice chap, if a bit of a dense sh'lad at times. I think most people would applaud last year - at the start of the season we were rock bottom and to continue the geological metaphor were sinking like a stone. But an incredibly shrewd piece of business to swap Marc Wilsons ever expanding ego and hollywood passing for Liam Lawrence and his slightly more justified ego and Dave Kitson who despite the stick of the fans has scored an approaching respectable 1 goal every 2.963 league games (although he had his worst league season last year) which is significantly better than say former fans fav Nuge (goal every 3.94 games), season kick-started a great mid-season before petering out.
But Cotterill only has himself to blame for this seasons seemingly chaotic US jolly. He has signed nine players and spent the more than most other football league clubs. Football fans are fickle beasts and will put up with long-ball and fight as long as the team are winning - in fact I think Pompey fans value fight more than most fans - which is lucky pompey have committed 80 fouls this season, a staggering 25% more than second placed perennial dirty Leeds. But we aren't winning and the manager doesn't seemed to have bought players to match the long ball game. Lawrence, Varney, Chuck aren't classic hoofers and I hope the Hungarian giant is not a sign of things to come.
To continue the extrapolation the jury is still out on the new owners. Pompey fans don't know what to expect from football club chairman. I don't think there is such a thing as a normal owner, to be involved in burning money for ego's sake you have to be a bit odd - but our last 5 have been varying from the mad to the potentially criminal to the perhaps nonexistent. the new owners have spent money - but then they had to. They have not interacted with the fans nearly enough - to the farcical situation two weeks ago of missing a radio interview to play 5-a-side. There has been no talk of a new stadium (unless you count £100,000 to move the big screen) which is the seed of the clubs future sustainability, in terms of stadia Pompey should be battling relegation from the championship not pushing for premier league status as I think most fans imagine is Pompey's rightful footballing place.
I waited until September for my first blog as I wanted to say something insightful and decisive. The reality is we still don't know much will depend if Cotterill is good in the transfer market - is he 'arry or reggie. Is Varney Viafara or Mednes. For what it's worth the jury is out but I still have faith in Cotterill, I see us pushing for the play offs and I'd argue that would be a solid progression after the turmoil of recent years. Im looking forward to finding out. Play up Pompey.
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