Just Back v Pompey in the cobblers cup

silverlion

Well-known member
Staff member
A decent, sometimes casual performance and we deserved to win.

We started well, some good connections between the midfield and the front two who were full of running. We were well in control of it and then we gifted them a chance on four minutes. Jed came deep, hit a pass which went between Cooper and their attacker who gratefully intercepted, strode forward and smashed it past Long from 20 yards who had no chance.
It knocked the stuffing out of us for a few minutes but we got a grip of the middle and pushed forward. Dutch was crisp and firm in the tackle, Saville was getting his foot in and we pushed them back. We were playing Bradshaw as a target man and I think he only won two headers in the whole half. Benik was running the channels well and Jed was linking with Mahlon well who was bursting down the right. Our first goal came down the right. There was a decent shot which their keeper pushed away well but Molly was following up well in the box and stroked it home from 12 yards. They were on the back foot. We looked comfortable in possession and they couldn’t really make it stick. After all, they did have Marquis as their number nine! A great burst forward by Leonard led to the second goal. He pushed it to Bradshaw who had a decent strike which was blocked by their defender. It was recycled into the box and Saville beat their defender to it and poked it home for 2-0. They tried hard to get back into it but they just lacked that edge in the middle and never really threatened. By contrast we had some good movement forward. From one such attack the ball was fed to Benik down the left but he sliced his cross into the crowd. And the half ended with us in front.

They clearly didn’t see Marquis as an attacking threat and replaced him at the break with a taller target man who never really looked any better. The contest was effectively over within four minutes of the restart. There was a loose ball in the middle and Bradshaw appeared to be clattered by their number two. I didn’t see the red card pulled out but their defender ran off with his tail between his legs for an early bath. We decided that if we kept the ball then we would run out winners. We pushed the ball around, replaced Bradshaw and Jed with Mahoney and Smith and tried crosses into the box. A couple came from Mahlon which were poor but Smith did hit the post with one. Ben came on for Molly with Mahoney moving to wing back and we continued to play keep ball. They had one decent chance which Long saved well and another where a shot went over the bar. There was a pleasant moment when Williams was subbed and he got a decent applause from the faithful. The game petered out and we were worthy winners.

Long stood no chance with their goal and made a decent save near the end. He looked a standard but decent keeper and will be more competition to Bart. Mahlon ran well and looked full of energy but his crossing let him down. Leonard had a decent game and his run set up the second goal so he could have edged MOM along with Hutch who looked completely solid and reliable for ninety minutes Cooper looked solid and Molly got forward well. Dutch looked crisp in the tackle and aggressive in the middle and Saville had some good moments when he nicked the ball in the middle and started some good attacks. Jed had a poor start but looked busy and threatening. Bradshaw also looked busy but rarely a threat and Benik ran the channels well and had his threatening moments.
Mahoney looked OK and Smith was likewise. Ben hardly broke sweat but fitted in well.

All in all it was a decent performance against a side which promised a lot but delivered very little. It was good to be back and bump into Mart and Barry at the end. Our connections go back to our days on the CBL with my mate Derek over 50 years ago.
 
I left with 25 minutes to go and didn’t miss much by the sound of it - which I calculated correctly - up to that point it was pretty dire and the only player that looked up
for it was MALONE who looks a stone lighter if that’s possible and with a new fetching blond bonce. Afobe missed a sitter and don’t seem a 15-20 goal striker to me - too predicable- easily sussed. Nice to be back - Pompey fans loud and proud - love night games - protecting the ticker !
 
Not a great game but we got over the line.....again someone running from midfield into our centre scored .....big holes there at times.....brad & Beni given I think poor service again...too.many high balls when to feet suits them better...Romeo back to his norm.....gets in great positions but a poor or no end product......Mac all day long for me......great set of opposing fans but spoiled it by singing West ham songs .....just made them look muggy.......still need a target man / forward ....much too lightweight up front
 
Funny old game. Bradshaw had a glorious headed chance in the opening minutes, but he couldn’t even hit the target. Then we looked shaky until they scored, then once we equalised we dominated the game.

If their goal doesn’t take a deflection Long needs to question himself- other than that he was calm and assured.

Marlon grew into the game and had a decent game, but delivery was woeful - Malone had a very good game

Cooper and Hutch as you’d expect. Leonard I wasn’t comfortable with at the back, although I do feel he payed well.

Kief & Savs we’re energetic and lively.

Afobe worked his nuts off and led the line brilliantly, we didn’t really create anything for him, but that one guilt edged chance from a defensive error, he will be disappointed with that effort. Brasdahaw runs around and that’s it. Actually has good movement of the ball, he just isn’t a championship forward.

Mahoney looked neat on the ball and as soon as he came on turned their forward inside out in the RB position.

Smith obviously a threat, hit the post and some good defensive headers but didn’t win the aerial battle when he was on and gives away too many stupid free kicks

Thommo did ok in his brief time

Nice to see Williams applauded off
 
Afobe had pretty much an open goal with the their keeper out of his goal and fluffed it when it was easier to score. He then should have buried his second half chance. Same with Savs who had two equally good chances to score and failed miserably for a professional footballer. Apart from his goal I thought he was poor tonight. Leonard played so deep he was rivalling Coops for the centre back role.
Have to disagree with Silver in that we started poorly and it was all Pompey for the first 10-15 mins. I didn't even realise their was a red until I got back and saw it online.
What I don't understand (as was the same at QPR) is how we regularly fail to win the second ball. If we play long we have to threaten the second ball.
All in all a comfortable win in the end and we coasted (or some would say good game management) for the last 20 mins or so. Their no. 18 Hackett-Fairchild looked useful and worth a punt?

Here's the highlights and the red card seemed harsh but not complaining. 😉

 
Just shows how people see games differently.
For me, the first 20 minutes was a shit show. Couldn't keep hold of the ball or string a few passes together. No idea what Jed was doing with that pass that led to their goal. Then we started to come to life a bit. Good finish by Malone for our first and good play by Leonard & Bradshaw with another good finish by Saville. We were then comfortable until the break.
Second half was a lot of nothing really. Once they were down to 10 we just played sideways and backwards for half an hour, so frustrating. Last 15 when they were pushing forward we looked to counter and had a few half chances.
The thing I noticed most was that Jed went walkabout from behind the front two so once again the 2 strikers were detached. Often a 30 yard gap from the midfield to the front 2 with no-one in the hole. This then makes us predictable as the only option left is down the channels.
Long - Not sure he could have done anything about the goal. Decent save in the second half. Did ok but won't displace Bart yet.
Romeo - Had a good a game I though but final ball still his downfall. Nowhere near Danny Mac atm
Malone - Not his best game in my opinion. Just never really got going today like he can. Good finish for the goal though.
Cooper - Didn't have a lot to do but didn't put a foot wrong.
Hutch - Another commanding performance.
Leonard - Had a really good game. Dealt with everything he needed to and did try to go forward too. Doesn't look out of position there.
Saville - Was ok, nothing more. Didn't really create enough for me. Again, a good finish but also scuffed a shot at an open goal late on.
Kief - Man of the match for me. Broke up the play with a few great tackles and always looked to be positive with the ball.
Jed - I thought he was poor today. Terrible pass for their goal and again never really got going.
Bradshaw - Looked quite lively and movement was good. Just didn't fall for him. Certainly worth another run.
Afobe - Tried making good runs but the ball wasn't getting delivered. Skied the few half chances he had. Jury still out.
Smith - Did ok when he came on but yet again, he comes on and we start playing sideways at the back. It feels almost deliberate to wind us up.
Mahoney - Did ok.
Thompson - Did well when he came on. Looked lively and always looks to get the ball forward and create.

Overall: We won and never really looked in trouble apart from their goal but will need to be much better on Saturday.
Positives; great to be back at last, we're in the next round and Evans didn't even make the bench.
 
Thanks Silver, never a sending off though, if anything it was the other way round and Bradshaw was late on the Portsmouth player. Even if Johnson did miss the ball it was completely unintentional.
Thank goodness Pompey didn’t equalise because the resulting penalties would have caused havoc with the stadium announcers train timetable updates (someone should remind him we’re not Charlton)
 
On 24 seconds on the highlights I noticed that some dozy Portsmouth bloke allowed Bradshaw to somehow nick the ball off his feet, then turned his back on a shot which led to our goal...all in the space of about two seconds. Absolute dire, non-League quality stuff.

I thought to myself: "Fuck me, that's the kind of shit we've had to put up with Williams for the last five years. Lucky he wasn't playing and Portsmouth have two like him."

Turns out it WAS Williams. I had read on their site somewhere that he wasn't playing tonight because of a back spasm.

Didn't hear his name mentioned once when I listened to most of the second half.

How in God's name did that dud play so many games for us? One of the truly great mysteries of Millwall's history.

Hope he got a decent ovation...just so that we can close, bolt down and lay to rest that Wurzel/Harris chapter of our past.
 
Positives were the midfield, saville excellent. Long did well and looks one of the better backup goalkeepers we’ve had recently. Negatives were the slow passing in the last 20 minutes, poor final ball and inability to score the third. Leonard’s passing is painful to watch.
 
I watched the highlights on the OS and realised that I’d missed a couple of chances the Benik missed and also one that Saville skied over the bar late on with his right foot. All in all it was solid performance by us and they showed little threat. I did notice a difference in Romeo’s play going forward. I am sure he has taken a leaf out of Danny’s book and bombed forward more than he did in the past. Sadly, he will need to work on his crossing skills as they were poor. When you spend a lot of time and effort getting forward then you need to be able to deliver a decent cross.
The draw for the second round of the Cobblers Cup is live on Sky Sports after the Orient QPR game. This round is also regionalised so there will be no trek north for our game. I assume that all the clubs not involved in Europe will be in this round so all of you who are licking their lips for a game against the Spammers will be disappointed as they are in the Europa League…..for now.
 
Crowley says we got done by Pompey 🤣

Quote from Cowley:

‘It actually made me really proud singing “I’m forever blowing bubbles”. As a West Ham supporter I’ve waited for the day I’ve managed a team singing that!"

Idiot :wack:.
 
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