| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 11:38 - Aug 29 with 2071 views | Antti_Heinola |
Just my second attendance of the season due to more important things being in the way (less important things, if I'm being honest, but it wasn't up to me), so I must apologise firstly for being an awful omen (my other game was Swansea and I was abroad for Bristol C away and that was the only other game I've watched all 90 minutes of, so a great record for me so far this season: 0 for 3, which sounds like the start of an England Test match innings); and secondly for there being no jerks to the Swansea game - I just didn't have time.
Anyway, onwards to this mutt's lunch of a football match.
1. WARBS' SUBS: I did actually plan to do the Swansea jerks, and I was going to write about how, contrary to what we'd been warned about, Warbs's subs were excellent, in terms of tactics, timing and aggression (and deserved more than we got). I was impressed. And then we had last night. I'm not sure what happened last night. I have no problems at all with bringing on Eze and Wells - that was probably the right thing to do. And i'm prepared to accept Chair going off as he played 90 on Sat and may well start again this weekend. But the removal of BOS just as he was starting to make a real impact and cause some problems was baffling (unless he has a niggle). More to the point, the changes in formation meant we were suddenly very narrow. The limited pressure we had built up after the break evaporated as everything became congested in the centre of the park. I've seen it said we went to a diamond, but it barely looked like anyone really knew where they were playing to me.
This was then compounded by the removal of Pugh - which was fine, as I could see the fumes chugging out of his arse from my vantage point in the SAR stand - but the introduction of Ball was a decision I couldn't get my head around. Another defensive midfielder when we needed a goal? Smith, Owens and Mlakar all needed to be hooked, but having removed Chair and BOS already, they all stayed on to no real effect, particularly going forward. I'm sure the idea was that the full backs would provide the width, but while Manning did well on the left (in fact, Manning, possibly with Chair, was the only one to have a genuinely decent game and was a very clear man of the match), Kane was less available and effective on the right and in the end his presence was nowhere to be seen for the decisive second goal as he tried to push up and cover the entire flank alone. Not Warbs's greatest night - limited his options too early, left Hugill kicking his heels, and deprived us of valuable width.
2. KELLY: My first proper look at Kelly, but it was difficult to get much of a clue as to whether he'd be an improvement on Lumley or not. He's certainly a fair bit shorter, but I thought, as was advertised, he was very decent with the ball at his feet. Other than that, he had almost nothing to do all night. I think Pompey had three shots on target and scored with two, neither of which Kelly had much chance with, and he pushed the other long range shot out to Manning quite easily.
I wasn't massively impressed with his antics before Portsmouth's spot kick, though. I'm not sure keepers trying mind games like that (taking the ball off the spot, handing it to the player, chucking in some sledging no doubt) ever really works - to me it seems more likely to just concentrate the mind of the striker. And so it proved, as Marquis stroked it home, making Kelly look a bit silly. Lumley tries Joe Hart-style jumping up and down and all that nonsense - seems a waste of time to me. Smithies never bothers with that sort of psychological crap: he just saves the bloody thing.
3. BALL: As he ran on i heard a neighbour say 'why? he couldn't get in Rotherham's team!' And i thought - 'fine, fair point, but it wouldn't be the first time a club had under-appreciated a good player (loads of good players are bombed out by teams they should've done well for, after all), and also, shall we just give him a bloody chance?'
By the end of the game I was glad I had kept my mouth shut. Mediocre distribution, clumsy tackling, stepping on the ball while trying to control it. I'm not quite sure what he has got in his locker, but he doesn't remotely, at this moment, look like a Championship player. Only caveat is that we conceded after he came on, and he's not exactly a player you want when chasing a goal. Early days, though, eh?
4. SMITH: Also my first look at Smith and the outlook is marginally brighter there. He was inconsistent and no more than a 5/10, but at the same time he at least demonstrated enough to show that he is a footballer. Some of his control and quick, one-touch lay-offs were very good and most of our very limited number of decent moves went through him. But at the same time, he gave it away too much, he was too easily bullied, he made wrong choices for passes and he didn't stamp any authority on the game. He may well turn into a good player, but he needs a lot more football like this - hard, fast, unforgiving football to toughen him up, and I'm not sure we can afford to give him too many more games. Scowen's had his critics this season, but we'd have been a vastly better team with him in the side ahead of Owens, Smith or Ball.
5. MLAKAR: Early signs were positive and Clive's comment after the Bristol game about his first touch were bang on. He controlled some really tough, fizzing balls expertly and laid it off well too. Then he was sent through by a typically beautiful ball by Chair and crossed poorly when he should've shot and from there he was dominated by the Pompey defence throughout. Should have been hooked for Hugill at some stage, really, and the one time he did get a decent chance, 6 yards out, goal gaping he, like Pugh earlier, could only fire lamely at the keeper. Some good signs, but overall, very much third in line for that striker spot on this evidence.
6. CENTRE BACK: You can see why Warbs was so desperate to add another defender to the mix before the deadline. This is the one area I feel we're really lacking. Plenty has already been said about Barbet, so I won't bang on for too long, but he seems destined to be an issue all season. He does have a fancy left foot, and when he wants to, he can defend pretty effectively. So what is the problem? Sometimes not strong enouh, sometimes out of position, sometimes too rash, sometimes, as with last nght just completely not bothering to run back and defend, which was inexcusable. All these things can be improved and worked on, though, it's not a matter of a lack of talent. But he needs to be better and perhaps needs to be dropped to give him a kick up the backside.
On the other side, you had the returning BFG, who spent most of the night looking perfectly comfortable, too big and too strong for Marquis, and then ruined it all by falling into his clever trap and giving away a stupid penalty. The second goal I had more sympathy with: if you get out-paced, you get out-paced - at least he made the effort, unlike Barbet, Ball, Owens and possibly even Manning (need to see it again) who all allowed Harness to stroll into the box completely unmarked to score a chance even Hugill might've tucked away. All in all, a night to forget for both of them, and I can't see us keeping too many clean sheets (again) this season. |  |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 11:53 - Aug 29 with 1974 views | stevec |
that throwing your arms up and down on the line at penalties stopped working about the same time Grobellar retired.
Just concentrate on the feet and the ball. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 12:09 - Aug 29 with 1901 views | BuckR |
Very Harsh on Ball to be honest - Has looked okay when he's played and not out of place (didnt think he did last night either). Absolutely fine for a squad player [Post edited 29 Aug 2019 12:12]
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 12:24 - Aug 29 with 1835 views | runningman75 |
Mlakar is an odd one and seems to be a waste of a loan signing. With players such as Eze and Chair finally breaking through Oteh needs more time on loan otherwise he will never be a squad player. | | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 12:52 - Aug 29 with 1742 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Agree Ball was mediocre last night, but can say he earned his place the honourable way by working hard and impressing pre season.
Good stuff Antii |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:10 - Aug 29 with 1675 views | ridethewave |
Thought the whole performance was shambolic, back to our (not so) old ways of lumping it up to strikers just not good enough to put anything away. No one seemed able to get their foot on the ball.
I think Warbs didn't want to win this game, certainly his substitutions would suggest that. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:13 - Aug 29 with 1650 views | Antti_Heinola |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 12:52 - Aug 29 by BazzaInTheLoft |
Agree Ball was mediocre last night, but can say he earned his place the honourable way by working hard and impressing pre season.
Good stuff Antii |
Don't doubt it at all, and also it was such a small sample and he may come good. Circumstances conspired against him a bit last night, too. | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:36 - Aug 29 with 1570 views | ElHoop |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:10 - Aug 29 by ridethewave |
Thought the whole performance was shambolic, back to our (not so) old ways of lumping it up to strikers just not good enough to put anything away. No one seemed able to get their foot on the ball.
I think Warbs didn't want to win this game, certainly his substitutions would suggest that. |
Pretty much how I saw it. Everything and everybody was pretty poor.
There was a really good move up the right in the first half which got into the box where BOS was the last man coming in from the left/middle, but he never got there and the defender cleared it. If we've only got one man up front then the three behind need to gamble sometimes and get into a more advanced position for where the ball might end up, but it didn't happen last night. A lot of things didn't happen. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:39 - Aug 29 with 1547 views | jonno |
Thanks Antii - some interesting and no doubt valid points. I did not see the game but that was pub team defending by Barbet for the second goal, simply ball watching and no idea where the attacking player who scored had gone. Totally unprofessional. But I suppose we have to be realistic - there is a reason why some of these players are now at the club and that reason is that they are relatively cheap so inevitably they will make mistakes, if they were more consistent they probably would not be with us. The same thing applies to the young players as well, we must expect inconsistent performances and just hope that Warbuton can gradually improve the level of consistency throughout the team. As for Kelly - his antics before the penalty were stupid but those after it looked even more bizarre! |  | | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:44 - Aug 29 with 1523 views | Antti_Heinola |
totally agree mate.
I've just watched the second goal again online actually and I can't believe how bad Barbet's defending is there. I mean, it's ludicrous - sunday league standard. At one point he even seems to clock the guy, but just thinks, 'nah, can't be bothered'. Atrocious. Genuinely should be dropped just for that.
I think Marquis went to 'comically' hand the ball back to Kelly afterwards didn't he? I don't blame him to be honest, but he could've taken the high road. | |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:48 - Aug 29 with 1509 views | Mick_S |
My eldest son is working in Harlington - apparently Warburton has the players running rather a lot! |  |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 14:29 - Aug 29 with 1420 views | stevec |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 13:48 - Aug 29 by Mick_S |
My eldest son is working in Harlington - apparently Warburton has the players running rather a lot! |
We had a PE teacher who also had us regularly doing that. Used to check we weren’t taking short cuts as he ventured between the bookies and the pub. | | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 14:49 - Aug 29 with 1360 views | BlackCrowe |
I thought Kelly's antics when the penalty was given (picking the ball up off the spot) was downright two-bit and embarrassing. Tw*ttish behaviour. I almost wanted Pompey to score the pen after that. |  |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 14:51 - Aug 29 with 1349 views | Mick_S |
I think Marquis went to 'comically' hand the ball back to Kelly afterwards didn't he? I don't blame him to be honest, but he could've taken the high road.
He most certainly did followed by a quick second thought to pack it in. He made his point. | |
| Did I ever mention that I was in Minder? |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 15:52 - Aug 29 with 1197 views | bosh67 |
I would hope Warbs looks at Barbet's lack of effort and awareness on the 2nd goal and hooks him for Saturday. I am not one to have a slate character at the club and I can never understand why we seem to do it but he does need to hook Barbet out and get the guy up to speed as to what is expected, which doesn't include tackling players in the area around their shins, as in a few weeks ago, or casually jogging back when it's pretty obvious there is a player clean through. There is clearly a player in there but like Lynch, who many seemed to think was the devil, he switches off and is slack just a bit too often. And he is one of those players who gets punished for it each time. I think he can improve drastically but perhaps that needs to happen on the training ground. Personally I think Hall, Leistner bar the error and Cameron as a back 3 in a 3-5-2 could shore up things eventually . |  |
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| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 15:56 - Aug 29 with 1181 views | Ned_Kennedys |
Barbet isn't great but Leistner was at fault for both goals last night: an obvious penalty plus he had a chance to take the player out before being totally done for speed down the left. He was shaky for the rest of the game as well which was a shame as he'd done ok up until the penalty.
Would consider going to three at the back again after it worked so well against Wigan. |  | | |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 17:01 - Aug 29 with 1038 views | bob566 |
| Antti's Six Knee Jerks: QPR 0 Pompey 2 on 15:52 - Aug 29 by bosh67 |
I would hope Warbs looks at Barbet's lack of effort and awareness on the 2nd goal and hooks him for Saturday. I am not one to have a slate character at the club and I can never understand why we seem to do it but he does need to hook Barbet out and get the guy up to speed as to what is expected, which doesn't include tackling players in the area around their shins, as in a few weeks ago, or casually jogging back when it's pretty obvious there is a player clean through. There is clearly a player in there but like Lynch, who many seemed to think was the devil, he switches off and is slack just a bit too often. And he is one of those players who gets punished for it each time. I think he can improve drastically but perhaps that needs to happen on the training ground. Personally I think Hall, Leistner bar the error and Cameron as a back 3 in a 3-5-2 could shore up things eventually . |
ball watching if ever I saw it. Trotting back at a snails pace. Shocking. Was Kelly not shouting at him that there was a man behind.
BFG too. Awful penalty to give away. Your man was doing us a favour by taking it away from goal. | | | |
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