Extraordinary BBC stats on Ipswich v Gillingham. 6 out of 15 on target for Gillingham against zilch out of 7 for Ipswich.
Who was it that mentioned (possibly ironically) that Gillingham would be a greater threat to us than Sunderland?
I thought we played some delightful football on the deck at times today but without a cutting edge. 12 corners not yielding a single shot or header on target.
But I think Wheeler hit the angle between bar and post towards the end and didn’t another effort hit the base of a post in the first half?
The results from the last 2 games don't concern me at all. We're in the middle of a very tough run of fixtures and we were always going to have a struggle at some point. The injuries starting to mount up are more of a concern. We're missing a number of good players and at a time when fixtures come thick and fast, that's not ideal.
As said above, blip or stutter it is a tight table and an excellent position to be in. Sounds like we played well against a resurgent side and are a finish away from controlling the game, soaking up pressure and hitting on the break. Seems strange this plethora of attacking options has gone two games without finding the net. Were we missing too many generals today perhaps, and do we need another presence to come in the January window?
Kidding ourselves if we think we played well today. Never really looked like we were going to create good chances. Hope that Gape and Thommo back soon. Time to show how good we can be with two home games.
Back to back losses against the 2 most in form teams at the moment and both games away from home.
Maybe a bit concerning that the team has not scored in two matches in a row. We seem to be missing some spark at the moment. When we went 2-0 down, I was hoping Parker would get a chance playing the central striker role, I believe he has something to offer and that he can be an asset to the team.
We are missing 4 players at the moment to injury:
Gape
Thompson
Grimmer
Onyedinma
Hoping Thompson just got a knock today and will be back for the next game.
Anyone know when Gape, Grimmer and Onyedinma are due back?
That missing spark; Smyth coming back from injury and will surely get better. I am waiting for Aarons to get into gear and I think Onyedinma will provide some magic when he returns.
Did anyone believe at the beginning of the season that we would be TOP.OF.THE.LEAGUE after 22 games / half way through the season?
Us losing the last two games is not a disaster in any way shape or form.
Ipswich are going through an extended period of bad form, Rotherham, Bristol Rovers and Peterborough are not exactly pulling up trees and even the Mackems who are too good for this shit league can't beat Bolton. It is not just our team feeling the pressure at the tip and we were without the likes of Fred, Bayo, Grimmer and Gape. Oxford are the only team in really good form and no doubt they will probably have a bad spell sooner or later.
At the start of the day what would have been better, us getting a draw and Peterborough, Ipswich and Bristol Rovers winning their respective home games or the actual results?
@EssexWanderer said:
Kidding ourselves if we think we played well today. Never really looked like we were going to create good chances. Hope that Gape and Thommo back soon. Time to show how good we can be with two home games.
I thought we played well, but as others have mentioned, we were hugely lacking up front.
@mooneyman said:
Us losing the last two games is not a disaster in any way shape or form.
Ipswich are going through an extended period of bad form, Rotherham, Bristol Rovers and Peterborough are not exactly pulling up trees and even the Mackems who are too good for this shit league can't beat Bolton. It is not just our team feeling the pressure at the tip and we were without the likes of Fred, Bayo, Grimmer and Gape. Oxford are the only team in really good form and no doubt they will probably have a bad spell sooner or later.
At the start of the day what would have been better, us getting a draw and Peterborough, Ipswich and Bristol Rovers winning their respective home games or the actual results?
Agreed, we all knew this spell of games would be very tough.
And if we can still be in the top 2 after the next 3, we'll be in an excellent position for when the games calm down.
Really hope Grimmer is imminent, and of course, that Gape and Thompson are back very soon.
@raglan said:
Back to back losses against the 2 most in form teams at the moment and both games away from home.
Maybe a bit concerning that the team has not scored in two matches in a row. We seem to be missing some spark at the moment. When we went 2-0 down, I was hoping Parker would get a chance playing the central striker role, I believe he has something to offer and that he can be an asset to the team.
>
I think the question has to be, if Parker isn't even getting on as sub when Bayo's not in the party, when will he get any action?
I think the question has to be, if Parker isn't even getting on as sub when Bayo's not in the party, when will he get any action?
It’s a totally fair question but I’m pretty sure his time will come as injuries kick in, and Kashket is hardly likely to get off Scott free from the betting charge (ker-tish).
Samuel was really not getting much joy out of their gargantoid CBs, especially with the exotic wrestling holds being applied. Of course he ran his arse off as ever and looked good with ball to feet.
I think the question has to be, if Parker isn't even getting on as sub when Bayo's not in the party, when will he get any action?
It’s a totally fair question but I’m pretty sure his time will come as injuries kick in, and Kashket is hardly likely to get off Scott free from the betting charge (ker-tish).
Samuel was really not getting much joy out of their gargantoid CBs, especially with the exotic wrestling holds being applied. Of course he ran his arse off as ever and looked good with ball to feet.
Why should Wycombe be punished for something Kashket did before he joined us? It will be a fine. Surely they can't ban him?
I think the question has to be, if Parker isn't even getting on as sub when Bayo's not in the party, when will he get any action?
It’s a totally fair question but I’m pretty sure his time will come as injuries kick in, and Kashket is hardly likely to get off Scott free from the betting charge (ker-tish).
Samuel was really not getting much joy out of their gargantoid CBs, especially with the exotic wrestling holds being applied. Of course he ran his arse off as ever and looked good with ball to feet.
Yep, Kashket looks likely to get a 6 week ban, from the other cases people have posted.
But Fred is to come back too, so what Parker gains from no Kashket, he loses from Fred.
I think the question has to be, if Parker isn't even getting on as sub when Bayo's not in the party, when will he get any action?
It’s a totally fair question but I’m pretty sure his time will come as injuries kick in, and Kashket is hardly likely to get off Scott free from the betting charge (ker-tish).
Samuel was really not getting much joy out of their gargantoid CBs, especially with the exotic wrestling holds being applied. Of course he ran his arse off as ever and looked good with ball to feet.
Why should Wycombe be punished for something Kashket did before he joined us? It will be a fine. Surely they can't ban him?
The player committed the offence, so the player gets the punishment. Which from other cases seems to be about 6 weeks, unless we can get a top notch lawyer on it, who leans heavily on length of time ago, nothing since, and the scandalously prejudiced owner making his life a misery,
Fred as a central striker might be worth a shot at some point? Samuel and Bayo are never going to be prolific at this level and, as much as we don't generally need them to be - they're valuable in other ways and bring others into the game - we could do with someone we can rely on when the players around them aren't scoring. Fred does have 4 in 8 this season.
@micra said:
I remember that biblical storm just over six years ago (22 October 2013 to be precise). Totally unexpected and we were all more or less literally soaked to the skin. An uncomfortable journey home; my squelching trainers took a week to dry out.
The meteorological office were not forecasting thunderstorms that evening and I went off their forecasts for a time - I discovered after the event that The Weather Channel, an American based company had correctly forecast storms on the south coast that evening.
It seems that with weather forecasts nowadays you pays yer money and makes yer choice. BBC Weather (supplied since 2017 by MeteoGroup) has been rather unreliable lately so I’ve taken their forecast of a 75% chance of rain in Portsmouth this afternoon with an unhealthy dose of salt but The Weather Channel have it at 45-60% and the Met Office only 10%. There is unanimity over the blustery wind though!
One thing is certain. No-one will be soaked to the skin. And it will be pretty mild.
@bigred87 has made me hungry with his mention of sausage sandwich. And there was i yesterday saying I’d not eat again for at least 24 hours.
Hope all you hundreds of loyal fans have reason to be cheerful on the journey home.
I certainly got pretty wet on the way back to the car after today's game - not a pleasant ten minutes. Seems to me like it's nearly always wet when we play Pompey away.
We could really do with Grimmer back ASAP, I'd rather Sido at CB if we are resting Charles at all, thought he struggled today and Grimmer is just a level up. Also need Gape back asap but I'm concerned he has done his hamstring. Odd that Wheeler didnt start today given Bayo's absence- overall there were 4-5 names missing that I'd like to see first choice on the teamsheet today. No reason to panic but I thought our best 3 players were the 3 loanees in Smyth Ofoborh and Aarons.
@DJWYC14 said:
We could really do with Grimmer back ASAP, I'd rather Sido at CB if we are resting Charles at all, thought he struggled today and Grimmer is just a level up. Also need Gape back asap but I'm concerned he has done his hamstring. Odd that Wheeler didnt start today given Bayo's absence- overall there were 4-5 names missing that I'd like to see first choice on the teamsheet today. No reason to panic but I thought our best 3 players were the 3 loanees in Smyth Ofoborh and Aarons.
Thought it was a calf but i suppose either way it could be a decent lay off.
Dreadful timing if Thompson is out for any time.
Hopefully he can have a couple of days of physio and get out for the next one though.
Can someone please explain why we have signed Parker. Couldn’t get on today even as a sub. Clearly Ainsworth cannot have too much confidence in him even though he has a two year contract. We need another centre forward in January.
Comments
Looked comfortable until they scored, still top lets enjoy it....
Hang on a minute @Gerry47 surely that means the wheels have come off for Ipswich and Peterborough as well ? ??
Lose away to two of the strongest teams in the league at the moment - playing most of one game with ten men - and the wheels have come off? ?
Extraordinary BBC stats on Ipswich v Gillingham. 6 out of 15 on target for Gillingham against zilch out of 7 for Ipswich.
Who was it that mentioned (possibly ironically) that Gillingham would be a greater threat to us than Sunderland?
I thought we played some delightful football on the deck at times today but without a cutting edge. 12 corners not yielding a single shot or header on target.
But I think Wheeler hit the angle between bar and post towards the end and didn’t another effort hit the base of a post in the first half?
Ofobohr was @bluntphil’s worthy Man of the Match.
On to Sunday. Three points needed!
The results from the last 2 games don't concern me at all. We're in the middle of a very tough run of fixtures and we were always going to have a struggle at some point. The injuries starting to mount up are more of a concern. We're missing a number of good players and at a time when fixtures come thick and fast, that's not ideal.
As said above, blip or stutter it is a tight table and an excellent position to be in. Sounds like we played well against a resurgent side and are a finish away from controlling the game, soaking up pressure and hitting on the break. Seems strange this plethora of attacking options has gone two games without finding the net. Were we missing too many generals today perhaps, and do we need another presence to come in the January window?
Nice commentary by the way @chairboyscentral .
Amazing stat about us never(was it? ) winning the game after Oxford?
Kidding ourselves if we think we played well today. Never really looked like we were going to create good chances. Hope that Gape and Thommo back soon. Time to show how good we can be with two home games.
Back to back losses against the 2 most in form teams at the moment and both games away from home.
Maybe a bit concerning that the team has not scored in two matches in a row. We seem to be missing some spark at the moment. When we went 2-0 down, I was hoping Parker would get a chance playing the central striker role, I believe he has something to offer and that he can be an asset to the team.
We are missing 4 players at the moment to injury:
Gape
Thompson
Grimmer
Onyedinma
Hoping Thompson just got a knock today and will be back for the next game.
Anyone know when Gape, Grimmer and Onyedinma are due back?
That missing spark; Smyth coming back from injury and will surely get better. I am waiting for Aarons to get into gear and I think Onyedinma will provide some magic when he returns.
Did anyone believe at the beginning of the season that we would be TOP.OF.THE.LEAGUE after 22 games / half way through the season?
We were always going to lose a couple of games. No panic, need to get back on the scratchy wins asap though.
No individual blame but could be time for some people who maybe believe they deserve a go at a higher level to step up and earn it.
Special mention for ifollow sending troubleshooting instructions an hour after the final whistle.
Us losing the last two games is not a disaster in any way shape or form.
Ipswich are going through an extended period of bad form, Rotherham, Bristol Rovers and Peterborough are not exactly pulling up trees and even the Mackems who are too good for this shit league can't beat Bolton. It is not just our team feeling the pressure at the tip and we were without the likes of Fred, Bayo, Grimmer and Gape. Oxford are the only team in really good form and no doubt they will probably have a bad spell sooner or later.
At the start of the day what would have been better, us getting a draw and Peterborough, Ipswich and Bristol Rovers winning their respective home games or the actual results?
Thanks! Yep, lost to Oxford nine times in the Football League and never won the next game.
I thought we played well, but as others have mentioned, we were hugely lacking up front.
Agreed, we all knew this spell of games would be very tough.
And if we can still be in the top 2 after the next 3, we'll be in an excellent position for when the games calm down.
Really hope Grimmer is imminent, and of course, that Gape and Thompson are back very soon.
>
I think the question has to be, if Parker isn't even getting on as sub when Bayo's not in the party, when will he get any action?
It’s a totally fair question but I’m pretty sure his time will come as injuries kick in, and Kashket is hardly likely to get off Scott free from the betting charge (ker-tish).
Samuel was really not getting much joy out of their gargantoid CBs, especially with the exotic wrestling holds being applied. Of course he ran his arse off as ever and looked good with ball to feet.
We have to get the rotation bang on in the next couple.
Charles to be rested v Coventry is the absolute certainty.
Can JJ play both Cov & Ipswich? There's a 10 day break after Ipswich, so maybe?
That 10 day break could be critical in getting Gape, Thompson and Fred back into the fold.
Why should Wycombe be punished for something Kashket did before he joined us? It will be a fine. Surely they can't ban him?
Yep, Kashket looks likely to get a 6 week ban, from the other cases people have posted.
But Fred is to come back too, so what Parker gains from no Kashket, he loses from Fred.
The player committed the offence, so the player gets the punishment. Which from other cases seems to be about 6 weeks, unless we can get a top notch lawyer on it, who leans heavily on length of time ago, nothing since, and the scandalously prejudiced owner making his life a misery,
Fred as a central striker might be worth a shot at some point? Samuel and Bayo are never going to be prolific at this level and, as much as we don't generally need them to be - they're valuable in other ways and bring others into the game - we could do with someone we can rely on when the players around them aren't scoring. Fred does have 4 in 8 this season.
For those in need of a laugh
I certainly got pretty wet on the way back to the car after today's game - not a pleasant ten minutes. Seems to me like it's nearly always wet when we play Pompey away.
Jack was back home in Scotland for Christmas, which doesn’t look too good for a quick return.
No, that certainly doesn't.
Hopefully the other side of the next 2 games then. That gives him over 2 weeks to get back.
We could really do with Grimmer back ASAP, I'd rather Sido at CB if we are resting Charles at all, thought he struggled today and Grimmer is just a level up. Also need Gape back asap but I'm concerned he has done his hamstring. Odd that Wheeler didnt start today given Bayo's absence- overall there were 4-5 names missing that I'd like to see first choice on the teamsheet today. No reason to panic but I thought our best 3 players were the 3 loanees in Smyth Ofoborh and Aarons.
Ofoborh was outstanding today. Very encouraging as we head into the 2nd half of the season
Thought it was a calf but i suppose either way it could be a decent lay off.
Dreadful timing if Thompson is out for any time.
Hopefully he can have a couple of days of physio and get out for the next one though.
Can someone please explain why we have signed Parker. Couldn’t get on today even as a sub. Clearly Ainsworth cannot have too much confidence in him even though he has a two year contract. We need another centre forward in January.
Certainly don't need another forward (apart from the return of Fred). Some further cover in midfield and defence would be useful though