Tough choice; bragging rights if/when we beat Oxford v utter joy at reading the news reports of a massive club who rightly deserve to be in the Premier League (their words, not mine) humbled by lowly Wycombe.
Based mainly on playing them back-to-back over Christmas (I only watched a bit of their semi), Oxford. Pompey seemed to have a couple of more direct outlets which could do damage. We defended like beavers with ten men v Oxford - although you have to slightly factor in that they'd played Man City a few days before. Both are very good sides, though, and players like Ronan Curtis and Marcus Browne showed the other night - albeit with goalkeeping 'assistance' - the damage they can do from seemingly nothing. Then again, I thought that about Coutts, McKay and Madden for Fleetwood...
As much as these games are essentially a ‘free hit’ for us, it would be absolutely unbearable to lose to the PNLs. That said, I’d fancy our chances far more against them than against Pompey.
Pompey beat us at Fratton Park without seemingly having to get out of first gear, whereas after a bad first half against the PNL (losing an early goal, Bayo being sent off and losing Gape to injury) we stayed in the game, were much better second half and could, maybe should have nicked an equaliser.
I’d much rather play Portsmouth. They don’t smash teams, they tend to grind them down. We matched them at home and were doing well away for an hour considering our injuries.
I think their style suits us more as we are very good when we can keep our shape.
Oxford on the other hand are probably the 2nd best team in the league when they get it right after Coventry. Their cup runs this year have been phenomenal, holding Newcastle and then pushing Man City hard in the league cup quarter final.
Their style doesn’t suit us because they tend to play in between the lines, which pulls players out of position continuously. Something which I think might expose our lack of pace in the back four.
I have very confidence in our team to beat either of them on the day in a one off tie. Portsmouth just feels the one we’re more likely to contain and sneak a win!
Thought we did well against poxford away. Up against it with gape and sending off. Didnt we beat pompey at home and then got smashed away. It's a tough choice.
Beat Pompey at home while below our best and they were well below theirs. Played ok away I thought, but they were on it that day and we just didn't do enough.
Losing to Oxford would be unbearable as their fans are so horribly deluded. Beating them would be supreme though.
Portsmouth are a proper club who you can accept going up more.
We'll give either a good game as long as we get the tactics spot on.
Ie not like against Oxford where despite some accounts above we were being utterly battered until the red card. After that we went super tight and saw it out. No real hope of an equaliser bar a smash and grab set piece or long ball.
We only did what we should have done from the start after the red. We set up with something of a diamond that day and it backfired as it usually does. None of that and I'll feel ok!
@eric_plant Likewise, I can't even consider the final yet. Still a long way to go in this tie, before we can think about the final. If Darius Charles is fit and good to go tomorrow, then I'll feel more confident.
Portsmouth for me, losing to Oxford would be unbearable (obviously beating them would be cloud 9 material) i work with a delusional oxford fan who's been unbearable the last week or so he epitomises everything that's wrong with there fan base.
I remain cautious but I know whose shoes I’d rather be in.
Fleetwood face a tactical nightmare, they have to go on all out attack at some stage knowing that a Wycombe goal would almost certainly kill them off.
Like others have said, I dont even want to think about losing to Oxford, would be unbearable, but would enjoy it more if we beat them. So I'll go for Portsmouth as if it came to it I'd rather them go up than Oxford
Spot on Malone. We revel in people writing us off and dismissing our style of play, so I expect us to go out tomorrow with the same approach we would have had if it had been 0-0 on Friday. There were no celebrations by our players after the game, just the whole squad in a huddle saying ‘we’re only halfway there, we must be focused and finish the job off on Monday’.
@HolmerBlue said:
Like others have said, I dont even want to think about losing to Oxford, would be unbearable, but would enjoy it more if we beat them. So I'll go for Portsmouth as if it came to it I'd rather them go up than Oxford
Pretty much my thoughts. Except I'm saying Oxford. All or nothing.
Comments
Living in Oxford and having a lot of Oxford supporting friends, the idea of a final against them is a nightmare.
Tough choice; bragging rights if/when we beat Oxford v utter joy at reading the news reports of a massive club who rightly deserve to be in the Premier League (their words, not mine) humbled by lowly Wycombe.
Based mainly on playing them back-to-back over Christmas (I only watched a bit of their semi), Oxford. Pompey seemed to have a couple of more direct outlets which could do damage. We defended like beavers with ten men v Oxford - although you have to slightly factor in that they'd played Man City a few days before. Both are very good sides, though, and players like Ronan Curtis and Marcus Browne showed the other night - albeit with goalkeeping 'assistance' - the damage they can do from seemingly nothing. Then again, I thought that about Coutts, McKay and Madden for Fleetwood...
As much as these games are essentially a ‘free hit’ for us, it would be absolutely unbearable to lose to the PNLs. That said, I’d fancy our chances far more against them than against Pompey.
Pompey beat us at Fratton Park without seemingly having to get out of first gear, whereas after a bad first half against the PNL (losing an early goal, Bayo being sent off and losing Gape to injury) we stayed in the game, were much better second half and could, maybe should have nicked an equaliser.
I’d much rather play Portsmouth. They don’t smash teams, they tend to grind them down. We matched them at home and were doing well away for an hour considering our injuries.
I think their style suits us more as we are very good when we can keep our shape.
Oxford on the other hand are probably the 2nd best team in the league when they get it right after Coventry. Their cup runs this year have been phenomenal, holding Newcastle and then pushing Man City hard in the league cup quarter final.
Their style doesn’t suit us because they tend to play in between the lines, which pulls players out of position continuously. Something which I think might expose our lack of pace in the back four.
I have very confidence in our team to beat either of them on the day in a one off tie. Portsmouth just feels the one we’re more likely to contain and sneak a win!
I'm not even contemplating the final
I'm too nervous about tomorrow. Is it something buried deep in the psyche of all football fans to fear the worst is going to happen?
Oxford are much worse in the air than Pompey...
Would hate seeing Oxford in the Championship, so would prefer to take our chance against Pompey.
Thought we did well against poxford away. Up against it with gape and sending off. Didnt we beat pompey at home and then got smashed away. It's a tough choice.
Beat Pompey at home while below our best and they were well below theirs. Played ok away I thought, but they were on it that day and we just didn't do enough.
Losing to Oxford would be unbearable as their fans are so horribly deluded. Beating them would be supreme though.
Portsmouth are a proper club who you can accept going up more.
We'll give either a good game as long as we get the tactics spot on.
Ie not like against Oxford where despite some accounts above we were being utterly battered until the red card. After that we went super tight and saw it out. No real hope of an equaliser bar a smash and grab set piece or long ball.
We only did what we should have done from the start after the red. We set up with something of a diamond that day and it backfired as it usually does. None of that and I'll feel ok!
@eric_plant Likewise, I can't even consider the final yet. Still a long way to go in this tie, before we can think about the final. If Darius Charles is fit and good to go tomorrow, then I'll feel more confident.
Portsmouth for me, losing to Oxford would be unbearable (obviously beating them would be cloud 9 material) i work with a delusional oxford fan who's been unbearable the last week or so he epitomises everything that's wrong with there fan base.
yes. I deal with it by answering the question 'Will Wycombe win?' with te answer 'Yes five-nil'
I remain cautious but I know whose shoes I’d rather be in.
Fleetwood face a tactical nightmare, they have to go on all out attack at some stage knowing that a Wycombe goal would almost certainly kill them off.
I know all that and yet I still get nervous. I'm always like it
All of the above. Portsmouth for me on superstitious grounds...
Fleetwood have it within them to turn it on. They played us off the park at our ground, even when down to ten.
But could you imagine a better manager than Ainsworth for not allowing any sniff of complacency?
Like others have said, I dont even want to think about losing to Oxford, would be unbearable, but would enjoy it more if we beat them. So I'll go for Portsmouth as if it came to it I'd rather them go up than Oxford
Spot on Malone. We revel in people writing us off and dismissing our style of play, so I expect us to go out tomorrow with the same approach we would have had if it had been 0-0 on Friday. There were no celebrations by our players after the game, just the whole squad in a huddle saying ‘we’re only halfway there, we must be focused and finish the job off on Monday’.
One thing that would count against Pompey: an empty Wembley. Ordinarily they'd at least double our support.
Not even buried that deep in some our psyche @eric_plant. (The Met Police have a LOT to answer for)
Pretty much my thoughts. Except I'm saying Oxford. All or nothing.
I think Wembley plays into it a lot. That wide pitch would make Oxford tougher, to my mind. But either way, I am with the nervous brigade!
Famously ap is the same dimensions as Wembley. Or was before ga tightened the touchlines
And how much difference does a mere or so make anyway?
Must make some difference for us to have so severely reduced the size of ours?
A mere trifle
Mmmmm, trifle
Portsmouth I think. Losing to Oxford would be traumatic. An empty Wembley takes away the crowd imbalance.
Anyone else find even contemplating a final before Monday pushing their superstition button? I need to rub my lucky rabbit foot and calm down.