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| If you get to the end, you'll get the photo. If you don't. You won't |
I'm knackered, run down and hate the darkness of my life. Driving to work in the dark, home in the dark and then being stuck in the house with other people who've got the same shit. Just drudgery and routine. Nothing else. Thank fuck for football.
Good things about lockdown football - that lad with the bell isn't here, ringing that fucking bell at a migraine inducing pitch. Of all the affectations of any football club, that has to be the single most annoying one. Pompey fans hearts must sink when they realise they're stuck next to him for an entire match. It's all grand and that, but c'mon. Take 5 minutes here and there. Have a twirl. Enjoy the silence.
Bad things about lockdown football - everything else.
Robson is back in as are Turton, Keshi and Husband. But stop the press: There's no Gary Madine. I repeat: No Gary Madine. I look again. Still no Gary Madine. (he's on the bench.) All I can say is I'm really worried about seeing a return to lonely Jerry running hopelessly around whilst we play pretty toothless football and lose 2-0. Please don't go back to putting the ball across the box to no one 8 times a game. Please! Maybe if Gary needs a rest (and to be fair, he possibly does) we could play a totem pole or get Sullay to wear some stilts. Maybe we could give one of the hypnosis acts from off the pier (it's off season, they'll be twiddling their thumbs and swinging their watches on chains idly) a call and see if they can convince Gretarsson he's actually a marauding striker?
The performances at the weekend of Gabriel and Garbutt suggesting they've got more than a little to offer but Critch has gone for solidity against a good team. We'll see.
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Pool start quite brightly, mostly attacking down the right. Hamilton and Turton getting forward and Pool fiddling it around looking for space on the box but not finding the shot or the pass. Keshi is lively and purposeful, getting forward with more freedom than he was earlier in the season, he's getting beyond the ball instead of sitting behind it. His touches are the nearest we come to unlocking their defence and his lovely little spin and pass sets up Kaikai for the first shot in anger.
Sullay takes a corner (won by Hamilton's hard running) - it's flicked on and Husband has a chance but heads tamely into the hands of the keeper. Pompey are coming forward on the break but aside from a slightly dicey moment where Marvin's headed clearance has to be quickly tidied up by Ballard and a through ball Maxwell slides out and claims decisively, they're not threatening much.
Marvin has one of those moments where he takes the extra touch and invites a challenge, but he releases just in time, a raking pass that Hamilton does well to control on his chest, bring down and run - it looks like he's going to run all the way and shoot from the edge of the D but he lays it off to a surprised Anderson, who regains his composure in time to spot CJ has carried on. Not for the first time tonight, his pass is well weighted and finds its man. Hamilton takes a stride and crashes it at the near post, the keeper falling and fumbling it wide.
Lonely Jerry is starting to come deep. He's won the ball a few times, but looks isolated. He wins a flick on, no one is there. He comes deep and tackles, the ball runs out of play. He runs into a defender's back and gives the linesman a mouthful. He goes for it with the Pompey centre half and ends up with a mouthful of turf and no free kick, just a sense that something is missing and it might have something to do with the number '14'
A let off as Robson intercepts but then hesitates about clearing as so does everyone else, the ball falls to Marquis, who takes a step, steadies himself, fires beyond Maxwell and beyond the post.
Lonely Jerry finally has a shot, Marvin's big Beckenbauer esque lofted pass is headed clear, but drops only to Yates, he takes it on the thigh, then juggles it, three times, sets himself, thinks better off it, lets it bounce, realises it's still there for the shot and lobs it straight down the goalies throat.
CJ has the ball taken off his toes in a great save - I sometimes wonder what would happen if he played more centrally sometimes, he's so quick onto the pass he nearly makes something from nothing, turn a heavy ball into a good one.
Sullay gets the ball from Husband and has one those moments where he just drifts, he's unstoppable when he does that, it's like trying to stop a wave breaking, he looks as balanced as an expert surfer, just sliding across the pitch diagonally, unfazed by the defenders till he lays off to Keshi, who sets himself and smacks it in into the knee of a desperate, lunging defender
Pompey end the half with some positivity - Maxwell is busy cutting out a couple of decent crosses and our defence is stretched but there's no real threat on goal.
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If this were an away game, you'd be happy. It isn't though and even though home and away are more or less meaningless in the Covid League Div 3, I feel like we've struggled to make much of our good play. It might be me wanting to prove my own point about forwards but it does feel like we're watching the early season Blackpool (sans Notts moments of calamity), controlling the game quite well, but struggling to create a clear cut chance. The most obvious impact of that is Yates is nowhere near as involved as he has been in recent weeks.
Again, Ballard looks good, I have to say, as big a fan of Gabriel as I am, Turton has had a decent half, Robson, the one mistake above aside has looked composed, CJ as ever has been our most likely and Keshi buzzed about with intent. Can we unpick the lock? I wonder if I'm being spoiled. We've just seen a half of nice and well disciplined football against one of the best teams in the division and I'm moaning we're not more incisive but it does feel as if we've been held at arm's length...
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We're off with a series of up and unders and then a nice passing move, again with Keshi at its heart. that comes to little. Colin Greenall (he's no Brett) forgets what the penalty area is called and corrects himself as he nearly calls it a 'goal box'
Sullay whips one in. There's no one there. Pompey have a moment of threat. They're offside. It's a bit like that in general. Dougall sees a first time ball and picks out Yates, it bounces off his foot and the moment is gone. The same man crosses deep, Pompey just marshall our forwards away with ease and the ball goes out.
Ballard spends a few minutes on the floor after a great sliding challenge. Chissy says he can't possibly be injured because he's Northern Irish. Chissy is happily, right.
I'd like to say this has got 0-0 written all over it, but I've watched too many games to know it could have 2-0 defeat written all over it as well. We're doing ok but we're coming against 8 men every time we go forward. They're a well disciplined team, in form and well established. and I feel like the longer they keep it 0-0 the more they'll fancy it.
As I think that, they make two subs and bring on an extra striker. Will Critch respond? Will big Gaz be a good shout or will we find some space now?
Brilliant work from Yates in the box, taking the ball from CJ, twisting and turning, keeping the ball away from one challenge after another before finding Hamilton whose touch isn't great, but movement to get to the edge of the box from the touchline was simply fantastic.
Hamilton races onto a pass from Robson, pulls it across the goal. Lonely Jerry dummies it because he now has a friend, Keshi Anderson coming from deep and smacking it home from around the penalty spot. It's a lovely finish, a lovely simple and incisive move and fucking brilliant moment. 1-0!
Someone sits back down on the bench. They have a little move where their two strikers cause a bit of concern but we overcome it. Dan Ballard goes up for a corner and as he chases back and battles for possession, he looks every inch the ghost of Andy Morrison. If you remember the flesh and blood reality of Oh, Andy Andy, then you'll know, there's no greater compliment.
Ollie Turton skins his man and puts the perfect ball in. No one gets on it. It deserved it, just for the sheer delight of seeing Ollie not check back. Marquiss has a few efforts from distance... I can't decide if we need a sub or not. Critch decides we do. Chissy can't decide who it is. It's definitely the goal machine until it definitely isn't... We have to wait ages as Pool pass it about until Ballard uncharacteristically whacks it out of play. Finally all is revealed. It's Ben 'he plays for Liverpool so he must be good' Woodburn for Keshi who, were the fans in, would have earned himself a good hand.
The ref books Marquis for throwing himself on the ground on the edge of the box as Pompey swarm, trying to make an angle for an effort.
Kaikai strikes one from miles out, it bounces once just in front of the keeper who makes a tremendous save. Woodburn slips a beautiful pass to start a move that involves a Jimmy Husband cross and ends with a Hamilton snapshot that is bundled away.
The Goal Machine comes on for shirtless/lonely Jerry and instantly wins a flick on. Then he wins another and Woodburn makes it, goes down for a penalty shout (denied) - then a third flick, out to CJ, who gives it back but Super Gaz, who has carried on into the box, can't quite finish off the cross. Woodburn puts it through to his feet, he runs then pivots and flicks it across goal for CJ who again, can't quite get in front of his man. We then get a classic bit of Madine in the corner, controlling a long ball, holding off his man and then engaging the radar that only Madine possesses to find Sullay with blind back heel that even Sullay didn't expect but still lands perfectly at his feet and allows him to control it.
Five minutes of added time.
A weird moment as Kenny Jackett stands in front of the the concrete steps and his grey complexion and hair means his head seems to completely disappear. It looks for all the world, like a headless spectre is gesticulating for his team to show some urgency. I can only see Jackett's jacket (and his trousers) until he moves and his head reappears against the tangerine backdrop.
Jimmy Husband misses a header, Marquis races forward and hammers it low at the near post, Maxwell should save it and does. From the corner, there's a horrible 10 seconds of wild kicking, they can't shoot, we can't clear until, finally, we do. Sullay is away but his touch is tired and they come back, launching it long, but the flag goes up and Chissy gives us 'all fall down' as one of their strikers slides in and sends Marvin sprawling.
There's time for another quick burst of classic Big Gaz in the corner. There's time for a booking for Sullay who has come up with the cunning plan of simply not taking a throw in until the ref blows the final whistle. There's time for a glorious cathartic hoofed clearance from Turton where he quite simply twats it as far as he can.
Then the whistle blows and we've fucking done it!
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Pool start quite brightly, mostly attacking down the right. Hamilton and Turton getting forward and Pool fiddling it around looking for space on the box but not finding the shot or the pass. Keshi is lively and purposeful, getting forward with more freedom than he was earlier in the season, he's getting beyond the ball instead of sitting behind it. His touches are the nearest we come to unlocking their defence and his lovely little spin and pass sets up Kaikai for the first shot in anger.
Sullay takes a corner (won by Hamilton's hard running) - it's flicked on and Husband has a chance but heads tamely into the hands of the keeper. Pompey are coming forward on the break but aside from a slightly dicey moment where Marvin's headed clearance has to be quickly tidied up by Ballard and a through ball Maxwell slides out and claims decisively, they're not threatening much.
Marvin has one of those moments where he takes the extra touch and invites a challenge, but he releases just in time, a raking pass that Hamilton does well to control on his chest, bring down and run - it looks like he's going to run all the way and shoot from the edge of the D but he lays it off to a surprised Anderson, who regains his composure in time to spot CJ has carried on. Not for the first time tonight, his pass is well weighted and finds its man. Hamilton takes a stride and crashes it at the near post, the keeper falling and fumbling it wide.
Lonely Jerry is starting to come deep. He's won the ball a few times, but looks isolated. He wins a flick on, no one is there. He comes deep and tackles, the ball runs out of play. He runs into a defender's back and gives the linesman a mouthful. He goes for it with the Pompey centre half and ends up with a mouthful of turf and no free kick, just a sense that something is missing and it might have something to do with the number '14'
A let off as Robson intercepts but then hesitates about clearing as so does everyone else, the ball falls to Marquis, who takes a step, steadies himself, fires beyond Maxwell and beyond the post.
Lonely Jerry finally has a shot, Marvin's big Beckenbauer esque lofted pass is headed clear, but drops only to Yates, he takes it on the thigh, then juggles it, three times, sets himself, thinks better off it, lets it bounce, realises it's still there for the shot and lobs it straight down the goalies throat.
CJ has the ball taken off his toes in a great save - I sometimes wonder what would happen if he played more centrally sometimes, he's so quick onto the pass he nearly makes something from nothing, turn a heavy ball into a good one.
Sullay gets the ball from Husband and has one those moments where he just drifts, he's unstoppable when he does that, it's like trying to stop a wave breaking, he looks as balanced as an expert surfer, just sliding across the pitch diagonally, unfazed by the defenders till he lays off to Keshi, who sets himself and smacks it in into the knee of a desperate, lunging defender
Pompey end the half with some positivity - Maxwell is busy cutting out a couple of decent crosses and our defence is stretched but there's no real threat on goal.
---
If this were an away game, you'd be happy. It isn't though and even though home and away are more or less meaningless in the Covid League Div 3, I feel like we've struggled to make much of our good play. It might be me wanting to prove my own point about forwards but it does feel like we're watching the early season Blackpool (sans Notts moments of calamity), controlling the game quite well, but struggling to create a clear cut chance. The most obvious impact of that is Yates is nowhere near as involved as he has been in recent weeks.
Again, Ballard looks good, I have to say, as big a fan of Gabriel as I am, Turton has had a decent half, Robson, the one mistake above aside has looked composed, CJ as ever has been our most likely and Keshi buzzed about with intent. Can we unpick the lock? I wonder if I'm being spoiled. We've just seen a half of nice and well disciplined football against one of the best teams in the division and I'm moaning we're not more incisive but it does feel as if we've been held at arm's length...
---
We're off with a series of up and unders and then a nice passing move, again with Keshi at its heart. that comes to little. Colin Greenall (he's no Brett) forgets what the penalty area is called and corrects himself as he nearly calls it a 'goal box'
Sullay whips one in. There's no one there. Pompey have a moment of threat. They're offside. It's a bit like that in general. Dougall sees a first time ball and picks out Yates, it bounces off his foot and the moment is gone. The same man crosses deep, Pompey just marshall our forwards away with ease and the ball goes out.
Ballard spends a few minutes on the floor after a great sliding challenge. Chissy says he can't possibly be injured because he's Northern Irish. Chissy is happily, right.
I'd like to say this has got 0-0 written all over it, but I've watched too many games to know it could have 2-0 defeat written all over it as well. We're doing ok but we're coming against 8 men every time we go forward. They're a well disciplined team, in form and well established. and I feel like the longer they keep it 0-0 the more they'll fancy it.
As I think that, they make two subs and bring on an extra striker. Will Critch respond? Will big Gaz be a good shout or will we find some space now?
Brilliant work from Yates in the box, taking the ball from CJ, twisting and turning, keeping the ball away from one challenge after another before finding Hamilton whose touch isn't great, but movement to get to the edge of the box from the touchline was simply fantastic.
Hamilton races onto a pass from Robson, pulls it across the goal. Lonely Jerry dummies it because he now has a friend, Keshi Anderson coming from deep and smacking it home from around the penalty spot. It's a lovely finish, a lovely simple and incisive move and fucking brilliant moment. 1-0!
Someone sits back down on the bench. They have a little move where their two strikers cause a bit of concern but we overcome it. Dan Ballard goes up for a corner and as he chases back and battles for possession, he looks every inch the ghost of Andy Morrison. If you remember the flesh and blood reality of Oh, Andy Andy, then you'll know, there's no greater compliment.
Ollie Turton skins his man and puts the perfect ball in. No one gets on it. It deserved it, just for the sheer delight of seeing Ollie not check back. Marquiss has a few efforts from distance... I can't decide if we need a sub or not. Critch decides we do. Chissy can't decide who it is. It's definitely the goal machine until it definitely isn't... We have to wait ages as Pool pass it about until Ballard uncharacteristically whacks it out of play. Finally all is revealed. It's Ben 'he plays for Liverpool so he must be good' Woodburn for Keshi who, were the fans in, would have earned himself a good hand.
The ref books Marquis for throwing himself on the ground on the edge of the box as Pompey swarm, trying to make an angle for an effort.
Kaikai strikes one from miles out, it bounces once just in front of the keeper who makes a tremendous save. Woodburn slips a beautiful pass to start a move that involves a Jimmy Husband cross and ends with a Hamilton snapshot that is bundled away.
The Goal Machine comes on for shirtless/lonely Jerry and instantly wins a flick on. Then he wins another and Woodburn makes it, goes down for a penalty shout (denied) - then a third flick, out to CJ, who gives it back but Super Gaz, who has carried on into the box, can't quite finish off the cross. Woodburn puts it through to his feet, he runs then pivots and flicks it across goal for CJ who again, can't quite get in front of his man. We then get a classic bit of Madine in the corner, controlling a long ball, holding off his man and then engaging the radar that only Madine possesses to find Sullay with blind back heel that even Sullay didn't expect but still lands perfectly at his feet and allows him to control it.
Five minutes of added time.
A weird moment as Kenny Jackett stands in front of the the concrete steps and his grey complexion and hair means his head seems to completely disappear. It looks for all the world, like a headless spectre is gesticulating for his team to show some urgency. I can only see Jackett's jacket (and his trousers) until he moves and his head reappears against the tangerine backdrop.
Jimmy Husband misses a header, Marquis races forward and hammers it low at the near post, Maxwell should save it and does. From the corner, there's a horrible 10 seconds of wild kicking, they can't shoot, we can't clear until, finally, we do. Sullay is away but his touch is tired and they come back, launching it long, but the flag goes up and Chissy gives us 'all fall down' as one of their strikers slides in and sends Marvin sprawling.
There's time for another quick burst of classic Big Gaz in the corner. There's time for a booking for Sullay who has come up with the cunning plan of simply not taking a throw in until the ref blows the final whistle. There's time for a glorious cathartic hoofed clearance from Turton where he quite simply twats it as far as he can.
Then the whistle blows and we've fucking done it!
---
Despite my misgivings about the team selection, I thought we did very, very well tonight. Pompey showed very little and didn't look anything special. I was having flashbacks to earlier in the year where not scoring early meant defeat but we defended well and kept at it and deserved that result. Second half we had enough to maybe get a second which might have flattered a bit, but only a bit. That's not to be sniffed at and a team like Portsmouth don't simply let you win games.
Kenny Dougall continues to make us tick in the midfield and is more of a footballer than I think we'd imagined he would be. One of his crossfield passes was almost Charlie-esque. The defence as a unit did excellently. Marv and Husband had a couple of moments but I don't think Turton or Ballard put a foot wrong aside possible for Ballard's booking when he perhaps realised he'd got wrong side and took out his man to be on the safe side. A moment perhaps where a more picky ref (he was really good, there to facilitate the game and wise to piss taking but did no more, let the players play physically and the game flow)
It's good to see Keshi involved and enjoying himself. He was looking a bit lost and tonight he showed a bit more of the class he undoubtedly possesses. I thought Woodburn did well when he came on as well. Again, like several performances recently, I thought they all did well and we are reaching a point where you could say, most position have genuine competition. We're at a point where someone like Turton HAS to play well (and he did) to keep his place. The one question mark is up front. I still think we're royally fucked if Madine's back goes again. Yates ploughed a lonely furry manfully and I was really glad to see him involved in the goal, but we cannot go back to that week in week out with no back up or option of support. No one else in the squad can play his role. Arguably others could play off Madine if Yates get a knock, but no one can do his job.
We know what we want for Christmas. Another Gary Madine! Maybe Critch will go back to the 433 tactic now, but I think it would be a mistake. I think the beauty is, we can now play a couple of different variations with confidence and that's no bad thing.
I don't really know why Pompey are where they are on the evidence of this game, but then had someone seen us play MK Dons or Ipswich, they'd have concluded we're complete shite, so that's as much as I can say on that. I didn't think that much of them in the game last year either but they're always going to grind out results with Kenny Jackett so to beat them is a big 3 points. Well, it's just 3 points. Numbers don't get bigger or smaller, but I'm sure you'll forgive the lazy expression.
Wizards the lot of them. Onwards!
utmp
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If you appreciate the blog and judge it worth 1p or more, then a donation to one of the causes below which help kids and families in Blackpool would be grand. (or be like big Gaz and half the rest of the squad and chuck into the club's Christmas appeal )
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Kenny Dougall continues to make us tick in the midfield and is more of a footballer than I think we'd imagined he would be. One of his crossfield passes was almost Charlie-esque. The defence as a unit did excellently. Marv and Husband had a couple of moments but I don't think Turton or Ballard put a foot wrong aside possible for Ballard's booking when he perhaps realised he'd got wrong side and took out his man to be on the safe side. A moment perhaps where a more picky ref (he was really good, there to facilitate the game and wise to piss taking but did no more, let the players play physically and the game flow)
It's good to see Keshi involved and enjoying himself. He was looking a bit lost and tonight he showed a bit more of the class he undoubtedly possesses. I thought Woodburn did well when he came on as well. Again, like several performances recently, I thought they all did well and we are reaching a point where you could say, most position have genuine competition. We're at a point where someone like Turton HAS to play well (and he did) to keep his place. The one question mark is up front. I still think we're royally fucked if Madine's back goes again. Yates ploughed a lonely furry manfully and I was really glad to see him involved in the goal, but we cannot go back to that week in week out with no back up or option of support. No one else in the squad can play his role. Arguably others could play off Madine if Yates get a knock, but no one can do his job.
We know what we want for Christmas. Another Gary Madine! Maybe Critch will go back to the 433 tactic now, but I think it would be a mistake. I think the beauty is, we can now play a couple of different variations with confidence and that's no bad thing.
I don't really know why Pompey are where they are on the evidence of this game, but then had someone seen us play MK Dons or Ipswich, they'd have concluded we're complete shite, so that's as much as I can say on that. I didn't think that much of them in the game last year either but they're always going to grind out results with Kenny Jackett so to beat them is a big 3 points. Well, it's just 3 points. Numbers don't get bigger or smaller, but I'm sure you'll forgive the lazy expression.
Wizards the lot of them. Onwards!
utmp
Tweet
If you appreciate the blog and judge it worth 1p or more, then a donation to one of the causes below which help kids and families in Blackpool would be grand. (or be like big Gaz and half the rest of the squad and chuck into the club's Christmas appeal )
Home-Start
Blackpool Food Bank
A weird moment as Kenny Jackett stands in front of the the concrete steps and his grey complexion and hair means his head seems to completely disappear. It looks for all the world, like a headless spectre is gesticulating for his team to show some urgency. I can only see Jackett's jacket (and his trousers) until he moves and his head reappears against the tangerine backdrop.
ReplyDeleteOne of the greatest lines ever wrote