Pompey v Rovers

PORTSMOUTH
 - V - 
DONCASTER ROVERS

After being visited by one South-Coast team last week, Rovers' now travel down to face another.  We last met Pompey at the Keepmoat in a match that confirmed Donny's relegation last season.  

Dean Saunders questioned all four of Portsmouth's goals in the 3 : 4 thriller.  Two ridiculous penalties, the first of which resulted in an equally ridiculous red card and a hand of God incident had kept Pompey in a game that the Rovers had won.  Its true that refereeing errors sometimes turn games, but this is the only time in a match that I have effectively seen a ref present a team with three goals erroneously.  

But that was last season.  This is this season - a different season and a different competition.  Rovers fans aren't bitter.  The fact that the result confirmed Donny's relegation was purely academic anyway and a victory would have only prolonged the agony. 

I'm not doing a good job of the "putting it behind me" bit am I?...moving on.

PORTSMOUTH

I’m happy with the two players we’ve got. I think they’ll make a difference and I’m looking forward to working with them. - Guy Whittingham

With Michael Appleton leaving to take up the reins at Blackpool, Guy Whittingham has once again taken up a temporary position in the Portsmouth hot-seat.  And Whittingham has already achieved somethings that he could not achieve during hi last spell as manager.  He has signed two players, albeit on loan somthing that the financial situation of the club and league rules precluded him from doing on the last occasion.

Should he have been allowed to bearing in mind Portsmouth remain in administration?  Again its academic.  They have been allowed to sign the players and as all Portsmouth players are on month to month contracts, I can't see it makes too much difference.

Akos Busacky - Class

Then again, when you look at some of the names Portsmouth have on these short contracts, you have to wonder what kind of wage budget is available.  

Akos Busacky for instance is a classy player and he really showed in the highlights that I watched.  So skilled that he was once known as the white Pelé, he has also got an eye for a shot, coming close on a couple of occasions against Sheffield United.  

But Pompey have lost their last four and you could see why from the highlights.  Seemingly innocent attacks become situations mainly due to very sloppy marking.  With Rovers having one of the least forgiving strike forces in the league, they should be able to make something of the sloppiness I saw.

Going forward and I have to admit, Izale McLeod, anoth name that jumps out at you from the Pompey personnel list seemed wasteful as I watched him.  He had some great chances in the matches I watched but never got the thing on target.  Still, he will keep Rovers busy today.  Other than him and Busacky's opportunism Rovers must look out for midfielders with the ability to run at defenders....and playing against these type of players is not our strong point this season.

DONCASTER ROVERS 

Rob headed the ball for the first time since the Crewe game and he’s back to himself and he was out there leading the players in training. - Dean Saunders

Welcome back, Rob

...and that's probably the best news I've had today.  After suffering concussion early on against Crewe, Jones missed most of that game and all of the next one.  Without him, Rovers lacked the drive they needed and rolled on to another two home defeats.  

So Jones is back and we should also see Dave Cotterill today.  Add the fact that we are not at home and perhaps a good afternoon is promised.

Last week, I missed listening into the match but please don't think I was enjoying myself any more than you lot who did.  I watched my Swiss team, FC Winterthur knocked out of the Swiss Cup on penalties by regional league opposition.

But from what I read and heard afterwards, I do think I made the better choice in terms of entertainment so I'm not going to dwell on it any more.

Gavin Baldwin - Admission

Off the pitch and I've been monitoring a thread on the VSC "Something Rotten in the State of Denmark" It makes an interesting read once you get past the not so inspired opening comments.  I haven't yet contributed to this one and may never do...I'm mulling it over but one of the points made in the opening post does concern me.  After John Ryan's four promises were so brilliantly achieved we have been the "now what?" club.  The lack of new goals I think is one of the reasons for our relegation.  The other was the lack of any kind of long term thinking at board level.

Whilst I still don't see strategy or future goals, I do see acknowledgement that the club did get the championship years wrong from the business point of view.  Its no surprise for me that this admission came from Gavin Baldwin,  who in his short time at the club has shown more business sense than his predecessor did over an 11 year tenure.  Its good to hear that the club have learned some lessons.  Hopefully our return to the championship will be on an even more permanent basis.

Prediction:  Rovers away from home against a defence that will give us chances...0:2  Dave Cotterill to score.