The trip to Portsmouth is always a difficult one, but we haven’t done that badly since they’ve cemented up their Premier League status .  With England’s ‘plan B’ strike force in Defoe and Crouch and with no Wheater for us, it proved to be a difficult encounter. However we still have goals in us with an 18 million strike force , with Mido and Alves leading from the front with Mido full of beans at the moment and Alves netting one in the previous  league game, we needed them to thrive on their apparent confidence and, unfortunately, it didn’t happen.  They did link up well for the goal in which Mido has bagged his 3^rd of the season (and now looks a definite starter for the next game).

It was pleasing to see Digard been given his full league debut as well as being in front of the team he was linked with in the summer. 

It was all looking good at one point Hull leading the Geordies and Boro leading at Portsmouth life seemed to be merry in the Premiership. 

It didn’t last through a Portsmouth equalizer from Defoe, on the end of a Crouch flick ensure Portsmouth drew level and that didn’t seem so bad?  I would take that definitely.  I pondered in confusion over Andrew Taylor playing in the midfield, by my reckoning and I know it’s easy to these things after they have happened but I would have slotted Taylor at left back Poggy in centre and just pushed Huth a little forward to protect the back four and also he can push up a little for extra presence in the air but I’m not the manager. 

The second was a little dodgy with Mido on the floor injured and lead to very unsporting behaviour from Pompey and resulted in a cheeky finish from Defoe and Harry Redknapp singing Portsmouth’s fantasticness. 

Well I suppose we can take it on the chin and look to the next game as it’s a bit of a biggie as it’s the mackems away. 

Bring on the Mackems!

MarkA