Assessing the top 2 candidates


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I'd argue Maguire and McLaughlin are your main players to keep playing, although I'm sure you can cope without them as well!

Definitely agree on McLaughlin and it will be interesting if he is picked by Scotland and then what we decide to do for the Wycombe game, current position seems to be Ross wants it to go ahead with or without McLaughlin.

As for Maguire, he has grabbed the headlines and been influential, but yesterday for me was an example of other players having the ability to step up i.e. McGeady......still think there is changes afoot, can't see Oviedo being around and have a sneaky feeling there will be a surprise departure, then it is all about who we bring in.

After the scunthorpe game we got a surprise, thinking we just had to turn up and thankfully we have learnt quickly....some tough tests to come in yourselves and Barnsley, I don't care which one of the top 2 slots we take just desperately want automatic promotion.

Been impressed by Naylor, Evans and also think Curtis at your place are having decent seasons
 
Taking out the fact the OP is a WUM, the bookies have 3 teams at short odds, and a gap to Luton who have since been installed as 4th favourites, after Pompey, Sunderland and Barnsley. Goes to reflect what I saw in the away game, that Posh are blowing up.

At the moment, you have to say Pompey and Sunderland are in the best positions. Sunderland have evidently improved from since I've last seen yourselves. 4 clean sheets against some tougher opposition too is indicative of that. Barnsley are at the moment proving to be the most wasteful of match dominance, whereas the other 2 are getting results when not playing as well on the eye.

I do believe our defence over the course of 46 games will be the best in the league for goals against. We have a really good keeper and 2 very good centre halves, one of whom is destined for much bigger things. Naylor in front is getting better and better, so we've got a really solid base to build off of. We are badly inferior upfront though. Of Maja, Moore and Hawkins, we definitely have the least deadly of those strikers by some margin. Hawkins is strong, physical but he isn't going to score half of what the other 2 do. I do feel that Curtis and Lowe are our main men going forward, and whilst they are going to score the most of any winger in the division, whether that will compensate from the lack of goals through the middle is another thing. I think McLaughlin too is a good keeper, so I'm wondering if Davies at Barnsley is of the same calibre.

What worries me about us (Pompey) at the minute, is we go a goal up and just sit off teams. Bradford yesterday is an example of a really dog awful opponent, who are looking like relegation fodder, who we just played through in 2nd gear and it took a sitter miss from them in stoppage time for us to secure what should have been a much easier victory. We cannot afford to do that when the league games come back around for us.
 
How have the team with 'the best attacking options in the league' scored 4 goals less than us having played a game more?

Especially as the striker we spent money on has hardly played and is now injured and we still have Watmore to come back who would walk into Pompey's team if fully recovered?

I’ve watched 2 Portsmouth games live at there place this season and they were poor both times. My mate is a season ticket holder and even he was slagging their fans off, really odd whingey fuckers. I liked the ground but it’s an absolute shithole. The manager makes some very odd substitutions too. Was talking to the lad next to me and he seemed to think they’d rode their luck and would implode st some point.

Portsmouth have the highest percentage of sexual offenders per square mile than anywhere else in the uk.

To be fair, I am not really sure what relevance this has to the League One promotion race but its an interesting fact and one I will probably remember. It might also be due to the fact that Portsmouth is also the second most densely packed city in Britain after London. The more people you have per sq mile, the more Nonces I assume?
 
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And Peterborough are apparently 'guaranteed' at least a playoff place according to the OP, despite only winning 3 of their last 9 (including a failure to beat 10 men Sunderland) and have conceded almost twice as many goals as Sunderland - and more than anybody else in the top 14 bar Doncaster.

:lol:

Ouch that's got to sting
 
Cant believe people are giving this waste of space op the time of day tbh :lol:

Taking out the fact the OP is a WUM, the bookies have 3 teams at short odds, and a gap to Luton who have since been installed as 4th favourites, after Pompey, Sunderland and Barnsley. Goes to reflect what I saw in the away game, that Posh are blowing up.

At the moment, you have to say Pompey and Sunderland are in the best positions. Sunderland have evidently improved from since I've last seen yourselves. 4 clean sheets against some tougher opposition too is indicative of that. Barnsley are at the moment proving to be the most wasteful of match dominance, whereas the other 2 are getting results when not playing as well on the eye.

I do believe our defence over the course of 46 games will be the best in the league for goals against. We have a really good keeper and 2 very good centre halves, one of whom is destined for much bigger things. Naylor in front is getting better and better, so we've got a really solid base to build off of. We are badly inferior upfront though. Of Maja, Moore and Hawkins, we definitely have the least deadly of those strikers by some margin. Hawkins is strong, physical but he isn't going to score half of what the other 2 do. I do feel that Curtis and Lowe are our main men going forward, and whilst they are going to score the most of any winger in the division, whether that will compensate from the lack of goals through the middle is another thing. I think McLaughlin too is a good keeper, so I'm wondering if Davies at Barnsley is of the same calibre.

What worries me about us (Pompey) at the minute, is we go a goal up and just sit off teams. Bradford yesterday is an example of a really dog awful opponent, who are looking like relegation fodder, who we just played through in 2nd gear and it took a sitter miss from them in stoppage time for us to secure what should have been a much easier victory. We cannot afford to do that when the league games come back around for us.
We're not exactly playing well, but just have too much for teams at the right times. Add in a good keeper and centre halfs, we are grinding victories out rather than blowing teams away.
 
"Still vulnerable in defence," Eh? Best differential in the League, played one less game and how many clean sheets now?

He's dreaming!
 
Taking out the fact the OP is a WUM, the bookies have 3 teams at short odds, and a gap to Luton who have since been installed as 4th favourites, after Pompey, Sunderland and Barnsley. Goes to reflect what I saw in the away game, that Posh are blowing up.

What worries me about us (Pompey) at the minute, is we go a goal up and just sit off teams. Bradford yesterday is an example of a really dog awful opponent, who are looking like relegation fodder, who we just played through in 2nd gear and it took a sitter miss from them in stoppage time for us to secure what should have been a much easier victory. We cannot afford to do that when the league games come back around for us.
What you wrote there about Pompey, I could have wrote exactly the same about Sunderland.
We went one nil up at Plymouth , then sat back and let them attack (they could easily have scored tbh - not sure if they hit the post - but we have a tremendous goalkeeper who won us the 3 points (imo like))
We have 3 players in gooch , McGeady and maguire (and perhaps 4 in Maja) who can win games with a bit of magic.
Where I think we are strong , is in depth.
We have catts , Wyke, watmore , power all out, who possibly would all be in our starting 11.
 
Sunderland - On a roll now. Got players coming back and momentum. Still vulnerable in defence, and will be exposed against the best. Need another striker and a couple of defenders. Other than that look strong enough. Top 4 finish, probably top 3, top 2 depends on January investment.

Portsmouth - A machine. Great strength in depth, will probably invest in january. Solid if not unspectacular at times, extremely tough to beat. In Lowe, Curtis and Pitman they have the best attacking options in the league. Improve the home form and they will be champions.

Barnsley - Solid team and good attacking options but something not clicking with them. Something is missing. The fact they are where they are and haven't truly clicked yet says a lot.

Peterborough - Even after losing Marriot, they have got a good team and a guaranteed a playoff spot. However, exposed at home to Pompey and Barnsley and doubts remain over their consistency for a top 2 finish. In with a shout, but it's a long shot.

Portsmouth haven't hit top gear yet and IMO look the best equipped to be champions and have the best manager in the league. Barnsley/Sunderland for the 2nd spot.
Who are your main relegation rivals ? I think Cardiff, Hudders and Fulham will save you although big Sam takes over Fulham you might struggle.

These mags...:lol: f***ing pricless, they don't have the guts to be themselves and have to pretend to be a fan of another club to have a dig, very sad behaviour.
He thinks he's having a laff at our expense and fooling us ffs:lol:
Total spunktrumpet.

Taking out the fact the OP is a WUM, the bookies have 3 teams at short odds, and a gap to Luton who have since been installed as 4th favourites, after Pompey, Sunderland and Barnsley. Goes to reflect what I saw in the away game, that Posh are blowing up.

At the moment, you have to say Pompey and Sunderland are in the best positions. Sunderland have evidently improved from since I've last seen yourselves. 4 clean sheets against some tougher opposition too is indicative of that. Barnsley are at the moment proving to be the most wasteful of match dominance, whereas the other 2 are getting results when not playing as well on the eye.

I do believe our defence over the course of 46 games will be the best in the league for goals against. We have a really good keeper and 2 very good centre halves, one of whom is destined for much bigger things. Naylor in front is getting better and better, so we've got a really solid base to build off of. We are badly inferior upfront though. Of Maja, Moore and Hawkins, we definitely have the least deadly of those strikers by some margin. Hawkins is strong, physical but he isn't going to score half of what the other 2 do. I do feel that Curtis and Lowe are our main men going forward, and whilst they are going to score the most of any winger in the division, whether that will compensate from the lack of goals through the middle is another thing. I think McLaughlin too is a good keeper, so I'm wondering if Davies at Barnsley is of the same calibre.

What worries me about us (Pompey) at the minute, is we go a goal up and just sit off teams. Bradford yesterday is an example of a really dog awful opponent, who are looking like relegation fodder, who we just played through in 2nd gear and it took a sitter miss from them in stoppage time for us to secure what should have been a much easier victory. We cannot afford to do that when the league games come back around for us.

I've genuinely never heard of one Portsmouth player except Pitman.
Can you give us quick rundown on your first 11 strengths/weaknesses.
I promise Jack Ross won't see it:lol:

Just stop there. have you examined the GD and our league position? So who are these 'best'?
Rather silly summation of the state of play so far.
He's a mag man don't respond other than to say fuck off
 
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Sunderland - On a roll now. Got players coming back and momentum. Still vulnerable in defence, and will be exposed against the best. Need another striker and a couple of defenders. Other than that look strong enough. Top 4 finish, probably top 3, top 2 depends on January investment.

Portsmouth - A machine. Great strength in depth, will probably invest in january. Solid if not unspectacular at times, extremely tough to beat. In Lowe, Curtis and Pitman they have the best attacking options in the league. Improve the home form and they will be champions.

Barnsley - Solid team and good attacking options but something not clicking with them. Something is missing. The fact they are where they are and haven't truly clicked yet says a lot.

Peterborough - Even after losing Marriot, they have got a good team and a guaranteed a playoff spot. However, exposed at home to Pompey and Barnsley and doubts remain over their consistency for a top 2 finish. In with a shout, but it's a long shot.

Portsmouth haven't hit top gear yet and IMO look the best equipped to be champions and have the best manager in the league. Barnsley/Sunderland for the 2nd spot.
I said 2nd at the beginning of the season thou I think Portsmouth falls off....
 
Great news for us. The more people that underestimate us the better.

Personally I think little Luton are a team to watch, sneaking up with form almost matching ours. They had a poor first three games - 1 point from nine, finding their feet in this League. They’ve played all the top teams. And they’ve been without their best striker for some of those games - back now with a scoring rate that matches Maja (goals per min). Play offs at least imo - impressive for a club in L2 last season.
He got sent off sat. Sunderland will piss the league, Pompey Luton and Barnsley for 2nd for me.
 
Barnsley haven’t clicked yet ? They have largely the same squad as last season !

We’re playing a totally different style of football to last year, and 3or4 of our players just can’t do it effectively, don’t know if it will ever click for them, or if we’ll replace them in the transfer window, but we’re definitely not firing on all cylinders just yet.
 
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