Mr Logic

Thought .com had a salient view on it from todays update re: visit to Blackburn. If you're turning out, let's try and restore some of our tattered reputation for being supporters - supplying vocal encouragement to the team - buying a ticket is only part of the deal. We can still have pride in the shirt - even if other parties are less committed. And reacting negatively from the terraces merely gives the players a get-out clause about negative vibes etc. Should that not be on your agenda, may we suggest snapping up tickets for Aladdin at the Theatre Royal or Sleeping Beauty at the Tyne Theatre - where you can boo or hiss to your heart's delight, along with other children...

fyp

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"The Sunday Sun understands Mort and United owner Mike Ashley discussed possible moves for Johnson and Altidore while on business in the States last week. New York Red Bulls starlet Altidore, just 18, is rated as one of the brightest talents America has ever produced, while Allardyce is aware Johnson is out of contract at Kansas City Wizards and available on a free." The Sunday Sun with a scoop???

Never understood the appointment of MacClaren in the first place and it's not the first time the FA have got it spectacularly wrong. It's the FA that needs ripping apart and rebuilding as there are too many of them that are more interested in self-aggrandizement and know less about football than they should. Get rid of Barwick and his cronies, give the positions to real football men (like Sir Bobby for example).

2-2

One for each of their reserve players.. 'This is what it looks like! Ball goes in the white nets at either end.'

Roy Keane was at St James’s Park on Saturday and must not have been able to believe what he was seeing before he left after an hour. Alan Oliver I'm dreading it to be honest.. Sam and his clinical psychologist need to get their motivational speeches just right for this one. Hopefully Sam will also brush up on his awareness by reading Tactics for Dummys. (harsh: Ed)

I'd be happy enough to have won the league, but in the back of my mind I would know it wasn't 100% kosher. Say we had won the league under Keegan that season we had a 9 point lead only to blow it. I'd have been ecstatic then, 100% kosher. But the league has also changed since then, I don't think what Keegan (almost) accomplished is possible again. Some big money would have to be spent by anyone winning the league these days I suspect... but would 'just love it' to be proven wrong.

Pompey have not left St James' Park with maximum points for 58 years, since a 1-3 top flight triumph on 20 August 1949. from BBC match preview.

I can guarantee something, they will be smashed one day. Time has a habit of doing that.

Just looking at the table and IF we had beaten Derby and Reading, said in the same way as IF we had a different manager, we would be in 3rd place! It's a little known fact that Portsmouth have never beaten a team that were currently in third place when they played them. Mind you we're 8th.

Fix the stadium acoustics, job done.

Portsmouth have a bloody good away record. Could be a close game. 2-1 the toon. (On the assumption they have to step up a gear or two due to embarassment of last fixture vs Reading.)

Before the game at Reading Sam was already talking about worries he had regarding the team developing a paranoia about away games if they didn't start picking up points. Which is pretty much the same as saying 'The clinical psychologist I've employed is useless to us'. After the game at Reading he kept banging on about defensive errors and as good as admitted he was struggling to find a reason for it, which reveals he can't see what's happening in front of his own eyes due to his own convictions. Blinded by his own beliefs. All very well setting up and training a strong defensive unit, but as a new team getting used to each other they need some pressure taken off them surely. Playing away from home in a manner that ensures more pressure on the defence due to gameplan hardly seems the best way to go about it. If we had conceded a goal whilst attacking Reading and playing to our strengths scoring 3 goals in the process he might have a right to bitch about lapses in concentration and defensive errors. Setting the team out to play for a draw and ensure lots of pressure on the defence is more his own fault they concede as the ARE NOT the defensive unit he wants YET. Lose at Sunderland without attacking them will lose him a LOT of patience the fans might have stored up for the new regime.

Then those new forwards won't make any difference if he doesn't realise that just lumping the ball into the danger area is not the way..

There's actually an element of truth about it, however far-fetched it may sound right now. Sam's coaching at the highest level here, allegedly, and if he can't see the pressure he puts the defence under by playing with no width he must be in the wrong job. The players clearly have a different mind-set away from home also, they look less self-assured and more prone to mistakes. Clearly the psychologist isn't earning his pay either. Lose at Sunderland like that and there's many that will never forgive him.

More nervous about this game than any other so far. This is the litmus test for Sam from my point of view, if he sets out with another Derby-type limitation debacle I will lose another smidgeon of confidence in the man. Hoping Parky is right with his mind-games opinion.

Naa, I think I would go on incapacity benefit Hilarious btw, you really should be on Channel 4. Cheers I'm to busy lmao at that guy in your sig, I think I'd pay just to watch what he was going to do next.

Oh crap.

Aye, walking into the Strawberry pre-match is the antithesis of being a recluse.

Couldn't agree more, let's hope Sam does also and not play for a point and come home with nothing.

45 mins: GOAL MARTINS. Jose Enrique's long ball is met by Martins who outmuscles Dawson before calmly sloting the ball past Cerny from 10 yards. Newcastle deserve their lead and you have to worry for Spurs if they cannot defend long ball's that would be cleared by most Sunday league defences. From football live commentary, didn't they use to say similar things about us?

Strange paper to decide to break your silence with!?