I was at the game, sat on the halfway line high up so had a good view. Tiger was sat just in front of me for the first half, looking cold!
We were very poor first half - after a really bright start, where we should have been two up really, after Browne’s great ball across from the right which just failed to pick anyone out. They couldn’t live with him at first, although he faded later in the game, which is to be expected I guess. We certainly have quite a player there at L1 level (not sure why people on here are putting teams for Burton without him in them, unless it’s a fitness issue? For me he has to play if fit).
For some reason though we didn’t play our usual game after going up and let Pompey back in. We seemed to somehow be both rushing things, trying to find a killer through ball… as well as wasting time constantly! Which just put us on the back foot and seemed to make us nervous. It was like we were trying to see the game out with 10 to play. I’d have liked to see us keep going at them, knocking the ball around and waiting for a chance… although having said that Kane should have just chipped it forwards for their second goal, rather than overplaying. We basically just seemed uncomfortable and low in confidence for the second half of the first half. I don’t know why.
Second half we were better. Could have nicked a point maybe when the ref blew up early when the ball was pinging into their box, but overall we didn’t really deserve it. Pompey were the better team on the night, although away from home we certainly caused them a few problems.
Speaking of the ref, he was absolutely awful - made constant bad, inconsistent decisions, for both sides, and lost control of the game somewhat. He also somehow only found 2 minutes added time in the first half and 5 in the second when it should have been far more. 4 and 7/8 wouldn’t have been unreasonable. I didn’t get a good look at our penalty shout but it looked reasonable. For the record I also didn’t hear any racist chanting, which is obviously absolutely unacceptable and pathetic if true.
Player ratings:
Stevens: 5 - I’m not sure if any of their goals were really that saveable but he only made one decent save all game, which was right at him. His kicking was a mixed bag, he can play a great quick through ball from hands (as he did to Browne at one point) as well as just shank it completely out of play. He’s inconsistent at the moment. Overall I’d still have him over Eastwood though, at the moment.
McNally: 7 - He was decent enough, as were all of our centre backs. Well taken goal (happily for me I had him to score any time at 11/1) and a couple of good runs forward, although he failed to pass on one (after being fouled, which the ref should have brought it back for). I’m glad he’s getting a run in the team.
Long: 6 - I think I prefer him at the right of the back three rather than in the middle. He played the Portsmouth player onside for their second goal. Apart from that though he was good on the ball and made a few clearances. I don’t think Moore would have been that much better, or enough better to have won us the game.
Brown: 7 - I think there’s no issues at all with this guy in a back three. He looks very comfortable in that system and played pretty well. He also put in one of the only decent crosses we managed all night (seriously, our crossing was abysmal all game), and has a decent long pass on him. It was noticeable how much more comfortable he was once Seddon went off.
Williams: 6.5 - A game of two halves for him - first half he was quiet, played within himself, barely got forwards. Second half he was much better.
Seddon: 4 - He was once again very poor. He never wanted the ball short, instead just making hopeful runs forwards, a sign to me of a player who is shot of all confidence and doesn’t want the ball. He was constantly way out of position and the highest player up sometimes. His crossing was bad. We improved once he went off.
Kane: 4 - The guy needs a spell out of the team, or at least to only play on good pitches, in good weather, against teams where we’ll dominate the ball and need to break them down. He was at fault for their second goal and arguably the third as well, as the defensive central midfielder he should be closing that space down. His passing is immense but he can’t tackle - he was struggling to get close to Pompey’s midfielders. He lacks physicality, pace and agility. I know we don’t have many others but I’d rather see Brannagan or Forde there.
Brannagan: 7 - Worked hard, tried to take control of the game and didn’t do a huge amount wrong, but didn’t have his best performance for us. One of our better players for sure though. I like seeing him as captain.
Holland: 4 - He was pretty anonymous, lightweight, didn’t really run at the defence. The referee didn’t help him by giving him no protection from constant fouling. I generally think Holland is better as a left winger where he knows what he’s going to do each time - cut inside and shoot. Nothing wrong with that - it works. What he did last night didn’t. I’d personally only play him LWB in this formation, against weaker teams where we don’t need him to defend too much.
Browne: 7 - Great work for the goal and looked a level above for the first 15-20 mins. Faded after that. I think Baldock is great so I’d play Browne in the hole behind the two - can’t see any better player at the club for that role. A potential matchwinner.
Taylor: 4 - I was really disappointed in his performance. Worked hard (as always) but almost nothing he tried worked. One terrible short layoff stopped a promising counter attack for us. One cross from the right second half was ballooned over. His touch was all over the place. Very poor. Again, the referee gave him very little to be fair, but if we been able to make 5 subs like last season I’d have been surprised to see him last the 90 minutes.
Subs:
Baldock: 6.5 - Some clever movement and neat layoffs. Needs to be starting if fit. Seems to do very little wrong. Tidy player.
Whyte: 5 - Looked good as a right wing back, then was moved centrally and disappeared from the game. He can play well centrally against teams where there’s space to run into, but Pompey were dropping deep and we needed a technician in that central position, not a speedster.
Forde: N/A - I have no idea why Forde was brought on when chasing the game, I’d think of him as a more defensive RWB. One poor touch let him down at the end when Brannagan had pinged a superb crossfield ball to him.
Manager
Karl Robinson: 4 - I don’t usually grade the manager but I think it’s pretty clear he got it wrong last night. Holland wasn’t the right choice as number ten, I think McGuane would have done better there. The early timewasting (if that was his idea) seemed to put us on the back foot. Seddon should never have been anywhere near the pitch. And the subs were baffling, Whyte came on as right wing back and was doing well, getting in down the right and looking dangerous, we then take Holland off (which was the right decision) but put Forde on? Whyte was immediately less effective and the defenders on Pompey’s left side breathed a sigh of relief as they didn’t have Whyte’s pace to deal with, Forde offering no real threat. An odd choice when Forde hasn’t been trusted to play a single minute for weeks.
Final Thoughts
Oh well, onwards and upwards and on to the next one. We didn’t play well but nearly nicked a point against a side who clearly have good players and are no mugs at home. We clearly have some very, very good players. Could be worse.
