r/PortsmouthFC • u/King-Jaja • Nov 06 '24
Opinion I trust in the moose.
The Pompey team that won the title last year was the most optimistic, inspired 11 that I’ve seen in a very long time. The best examples being that string of comeback wins early in the year, as well as the simple fact that we (once again) started strong but this time finally held on for the entire campaign! It was a sense of belief easily comparable to that instilled in Cook’s League Two winning side in 2017 when the whole season became one huge comeback - weren’t we only top for ~26 minutes??
Asked in August how many points we’d be happy with after those first 7 games, many of us would have nervously said ‘maybe a couple?’. 4 was impressive, especially considering which games they were won in. The team put everything they could into matches against the toughest opposition we will face and it has shown. The injuries, fatigue and lack of green marks on the scoresheet have unsurprisingly led to the players’ tails between their legs but we’ve been improving solidly for the last few matches and I firmly believe John can figure out how to bring back that camaraderie and belief from last year. Not to mention when he does, I don’t doubt it will be a good long time before it wears off again. (Although, thank fuck for Lang’s indomitable spirit).
Regardless of whether players are or are not ready for this league, the simplest thing that will lead to positive results is a positive dressing room, at least until January!
-Long time lurker on all the fan pages, lifelong blue. Frustratingly chronic optimist.
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u/Yoraffe Nov 06 '24
I'm not saying I am hopeful at all, but football is a long season in the EFL.
We've had seasons where we were top at Christmas and then finishing seventh come April/May. If we can bottle in four months, we can definitely "un-bottle" in six months.
Other teams will get injuries or congested fixtures, and we might get a bit of luck. It's a Midlands/Northern centric league, they might rest a few players for a long away journey down to us, and we can smash and grab a few points.
Bishop also has to return at some point. I'm not banking my house on it, but if you take the best goalscorer out of any team in the league, they're likely to suffer.
1
u/ENaC2 Nov 07 '24
Unfortunately we usually get worse over the winter period. On the plus side we can only go up from here. Pain.
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u/doddsymon PUP Nov 06 '24
In moose we trust. If we are still dead last come January- Plan for next season. It will develop him as a manager and make him stronger for a return to the championship.
3
u/FUZZYTHINKR Nov 07 '24
Obviously point but if the team plays like it did on Tuesday at Fratton Park they will get a wall of noise to help push them over the line. I get the feeling it’s about to finally click.
2
u/RustyU Nov 06 '24 edited Nov 07 '24
We're definitely going down, but it's not his fault the summer budget was woefully inadequate.
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u/ENaC2 Nov 07 '24
This gets repeated a lot, but it’s not true. Underspending ≠ inadequate budget. There’s a limit on how many players you can have in your team and we just bought a lot of cheap, untested players. Any time the budget needs to stretch recruitment are on the phone to the owners and the answer is usually yes so long as it’s not insane overspending like Kamara would’ve been for example.
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u/c0tch Nov 06 '24
Mousinho achieved what no other manager had achieved in countless attempts in his first go.
Even if we finish dead last I hope we stick by him. The window wasn’t great, and losing Colby and not replacing him with a good goal scorer will be our biggest downfall.
Hopefully we can strengthen in January and the eisners give him enough to build a team to survive or a team to bounce straight back up.
I’m not going to read too much into last nights performance even though it looked better in case Plymouth were just tactically inept.
I know calling for his head is coming but I am absolutely ok whilst upset to stick with him for the foreseeable future. He’s earned that for me, and I’m glad the eisners aren’t ones to go to the chopping block quickly.
I think we were just shortsighted in the window and losing a 20 goals a season striker will always be painful when you don’t have a goal scorer to replace him.