Pompey - further thoughts on a theme

George Egglestone was complaining about the turgidity of the first half against Stoke. I must admit Pompey first halves are normally chronic affairs but the gaining of points is all that matters at this moment in time. George sits in the south stand and I sit in the north stand. We exchange thoughts, ideas and feelings on Pompey more regularly now we have joined the ranks of grumpy old men.
Pompey are excused duty this weekend because hopefully Manchester United are screwing the chances of the previous manager but one to win the Carling Cup. However I have no real objections to him winning this trophy as long as he ends up below us in the league table and perhaps drops down to the Championship even.
Next Tuesday Pompey play Chelsea at home and the Scolari Chelsea might have been in our sights but the rejuvenated Chelsea should be too strong for us on paper but perhaps a surprise draw might still be on the cards. That is an awfully long sentence but I was holding my breath and disbelief while I wrote it!
However we need twelve points to reach the magic number of 40. We must beat Middlesbrough away, WBA, Sunderland and Bolton at home. If we can force draws with Everton here at home, Hull and Newcastle away we will give ourselves a buffer zone of three extra points. These 15 points will also help to keep other teams below us and in the relegation zone.
We are playing better defensively and we were robbed by a rotten referee decision for a penalty at Stoke. However if I see Distin or Campbell with their hand up and an opposing forward looping a header into our net yet again (Beattie at Stoke and Torres at Fratton) rather than getting between the player and goal I shall do myself a mischief! Hreidarrson should have continued off the field after chasing the winger but didn't and so kept Beattie onside so what game was Distin watching to claim offside?
I don't think Crouch is our best striker when it comes to speedy counter attacking. He works really hard at winning the ball coming out of defence and he works really hard as the first line of defence. I don't think Kranjcar is strong enough to be the main playmaker in the hole behind the striker(s). Basinas played a really tight passing game for his first two games but looked a bit bewildered by what was expected of him at Stoke - too many lofted balls. He is a neat passer along the ground and needs better outlets provided.
I am seriously tempted by the double ranks of four in defence and four in midfield, especially in away games, with a variation in home games. I have problems with the attack in either version.
Four in defence are Johnson, Campbell, Distin and Hreidarrson. I would use Kaboul if the opposing attackers are more mobile and Pamarot would be my defensive substitute.
Four in midfield are Little, Davis, Basinas and Hughes. I think the middle two are forming a partnership worth cultivating. I know the latter two have been out of the picture with injuries but I would stick them both in front of the full backs with instructions to hold their ground. I wouldn't expect either to come marauding forward.
The variation at home would be to replace either Little with Pennant or Hughes with Belhadj. Traore would be my substitute. Kranjcar could also be used as the player in the hole if I wanted a further tactical change.
Up front is a real problem. I would like to see the Greek Gekas given a run out but he is a complete unknown quantity to the fans. He is a shoulder of the last defender sort of guy who does his best work in the 12 yard box. He is not a lone striker and therefore needs to be working in a partnership but with whom? I have expressed my reservations about Crouch but he can be used in the looser formation at home when Pennant or Belhadj are playing but needs to be encouraged to go for goal himself rather than laying off for non-existent support. He needs to get into the box more.
Nugent is a willing war horse but lacks the cutting edge and skills needed to worry Premiership defences. Utaka has the pace but lacks the cutting edge and skills needed to worry Premiership defences. Kanu is a slower version of Crouch. Both these players need pacy support men.
Up front away from home I would use a pace merchant like Utaka in the centre prompted and supported by another trickier striker or midfield player. Both these players would be expected to be knackered by the second half or the hour mark and therefore to be substituted by a similar pairing or a pair offering something slightly different. Perhaps away from home Pennant, Traore or Belhadj could be that trickier player playing in the hole behind or beside the lone striker. Perhaps young Pele might also find a role here or at least as one of the substituting pair. Nugent could form one of the substituting pair as well. As you can see I have real problems with the attacking options using the players we have got. I still think we needed a powerful playmaker in that hole and a stronger forward. I am glad we didn't buy Jimmy Bullard in the end (turned out too expensive by far) but he and Nolan were the sort of players I had in mind. Someone in the shape of an Emile Heskey, Darren Bent, Marlon Harewood or even Carlton Cole was the sort of forward I had thought about. Play Up Pompey! I am not depressed and think we are in with a real chance of escaping relegation with Hart and Kidd in charge but the view from the South and North Stands is going to be of pretty dire football at times. However Pompey goals scored and Pompey points gained are all the game is about for the rest of this season. Then we can build for next season in the summer.
I wish the owner would sell the club and let us all move forward on the new stadium. I saw a new Fratton Park of 40000 capacity as part of a dream scenario for the World Cup bid. I also see that an entertainment arena as part of the new stadium would add real benefit to the scene on the South Coast. I appreciate what the owner has done but he has now become something of a block and needs to make way for a new investment of money, energy or ideas.