A new season begins

I love name dropping so here goes: I had quite a long chat with Shaun Gale, the manager of the Hawks (Havant and Waterlooville FC) on Thursday. The Hawks were the team in the FA Cup who put Havant on the map. During the season if you flew to other countries and people asked you where you came from and you said "Havant", they knew where you meant. The exploits of the Hawks culminated in the match at Anfield where the Hawks led mighty Liverpool in the first half of the game and a Cup shock like no other was definitely on the cards.
Anyway I was attending a sustainability conference at Havant College on Thursday and Mr Gale was the guest speaker. We arrived in the car park and I engaged him in conversation on the way in. He was then grabbed by the organisers to go over the arrangements but he came back over to me at the refreshment table before the conference started so we could resume our conversation. Note that, please, he came back over to me not me hanging wailing on to his tracksuit until he gave me some attention. (I am not beyond using such tactics in my search for celebrity attachment but it was unnecessary on this occasion).
My credentials for talking to the Hawks' manager was that I had been at the Hawks v Pompey game on Tuesday of last week. I try to attend the Hawks' home games at West Leigh as they tend to coincide with Pompey away games. I don't know whether my non-attendance of Pompey away games makes me a poor supporter but at least I support both home teams to some degree. I must also confess to looking at Bradford City's results with hope in my heart. Little Brother's early season assessment is "possible promotion strong squad this year" (You heard it here first, folks)
I know Pompey won the Tuesday game 4 - 0 on Tuesday but Hawks were certainly not taken apart by the premier side. I think defence and midfield of the Blue Square side looks strong and capable of doing well in their league, which is why they are tipped as promotion favourites before the season begins. Ben Sahar was the difference in class as he took his two goals with aplomb. The Mvuemba 30 yarder was a scorcher delivered with hardly any backlift and through a crowd of players - the Hawks' goalie had no chance. The fourth goal scored by glen Johnson after a neat reverse pass by Richard Hughes would have been conceded by most teams at any level. I am hoping to cheer Hawks on at the Monday league game tonight. Shaun (or Mr Gale) says it is quite usual to play an away game on Saturday and a home game on the Monday - although it sounds quite knackering to me (and can you imagine the fuss with a Premier league side were required to do that?). He also said attendance is better on a Monday than on the usual Tuesday or Wednesday.
Watched Pompey play in the Community Shield yesterday and have to concede they were poor. Man U played without a forward whereas we had Crouch and Defoe. The difference is in midfield. Last season I thought we were without a cutting edge because of poor strike force. We now have a strike force bar none but poor service limits their effectiveness. Crouch only touched the ball six times in the entire match. Man u passed the ball 307 times compared to Pompey's 177. Fletcher, a midfielder, had the best chance of the entire game. Pompey midfield is incapable of switching from defence to attack swiftly enough. For me, Diarra is an attacking midfielder who should play in the space behind the striker(s) and therefore should share that role with Kranjcar. The latter has had a £12 million offer made for him and is being courted by clubs like Arsenal. On yesterday's showing I would grab the money. I would pay good money for someone like Shaun Wright Phillips who has the ability and the pace to turn defence into attack admittedly down one flank only - although he could do some damage over on the left wing too occasionally. He would provide a reliable outlet to relieve pressure on the defence. He would also provide some service for Crouch and Defoe. I cannot understand why Diop is preferred to Sean Davis. The wardrobe is hardly the most mobile attacking force and isn't that great as a stopping midfielder either. Sean Davis can and will do both. Pedro Mendes is a neat tidy passer and player and would play in my midfield but I am not sure I would use him as a defensive midfielder or enforcer. The great Sol was caught out a couple of times and it is mainly to do with pace. The pace of the attacking midfield is the problem and is our main lack.
I am hoping that we are still in the transfer market and that Pompey will make me eat my words. PUP!