TRon

I wonder what brummie's thoughts are on Milner since he moved there? He had to sheepishly grin and bear it when we were splitting our sides at getting £12m, is it his turn to turn and laugh at us? Seriously, no.

I noticed that as well, he seemed surprisingly mobile which is why Jon probably got him mixed up with Zog although I'd still advise an eye test. I don't think he's suddenly ahead of Viduka in the pecking order either, he's just clearly hungrier and fitter so he should get the nod at the moment.

i'd erather martins didn't go so wide so much and just worked the channels I think he just goes where the space is, and to be fair, if he's making goals from out wide I don't mind. he'd create more staying more central but not very central. You mean like his run across the box when Owen scored? exactly in a way. he moved cleverly,he normally doesn't If he's creating, scoring or facilitating goals I will put up with his faults I guess. me too. i just think he's wasting himself. he has the talent,pace and power to be a top forward....lacks nouse. I agree. He's no David Villa that's for sure.

If we had any indication that he wanted to stay I'm sure we'd be singing his name from the rooftops. All he has to do is say "I'd like to stay" but he hasn't done that yet has he? he'd want to stay if he thought it was his best option....AS GOES FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM Fine but I haven't got an option to support anyone else so if he's not staying he can fuck off.

i'd erather martins didn't go so wide so much and just worked the channels I think he just goes where the space is, and to be fair, if he's making goals from out wide I don't mind. he'd create more staying more central but not very central. You mean like his run across the box when Owen scored? exactly in a way. he moved cleverly,he normally doesn't If he's creating, scoring or facilitating goals I will put up with his faults I guess.

If we had any indication that he wanted to stay I'm sure we'd be singing his name from the rooftops. All he has to do is say "I'd like to stay" but he hasn't done that yet has he?

i'd erather martins didn't go so wide so much and just worked the channels I think he just goes where the space is, and to be fair, if he's making goals from out wide I don't mind. he'd create more staying more central but not very central. You mean like his run across the box when Owen scored?

i'd erather martins didn't go so wide so much and just worked the channels I think he just goes where the space is, and to be fair, if he's making goals from out wide I don't mind.

I don't think Zog was a liability today, if anything he played it safe. If he's a liability on the ball, I'd say Geremi is a liability off it with his old legs and lack of ability to get up and down the pitch. we kept Portsmouth honest today with our threat on the break and Zog was part of that.

I understand that but it's as if people look at results in isolation, I still think we'll finish higher than last season but not as high as I would like or as high as I hoped for at the beginning of the season. Today's result was massive. After our disappointing results at home winning at Portsmouth was probably the only way we were going to restore some belief in the side. It's quite funny that the media have been having a wankfest over Redknapp's 'revival' at spurs yet they are now below us in the table don't forget citeh. 3 away clean sheets off the bounce. when was the last time we done that ? Must admit I was surprised to City down there. I thought Hughes built a functional side at Blackburn, now I'm wondering whether he's only capable of functioning in Allardyce mode?

The bench will look even better once Butt takes his seat. That's not going to happen in a hurry though. He did ok today and JK was singing his praises after the game.

I understand that but it's as if people look at results in isolation, I still think we'll finish higher than last season but not as high as I would like or as high as I hoped for at the beginning of the season. Today's result was massive. After our disappointing results at home winning at Portsmouth was probably the only way we were going to restore some belief in the side. It's quite funny that the media have been having a wankfest over Redknapp's 'revival' at spurs yet they are now below us in the table

I'd rather knee-jerk, that way I can blend in with others. it's not knee jerking at the minute though. it is week by week "ohhhh whoah is us,w e are in a relegation spot....we're doomed".....1 win later "renew passports lads,we're 3 points off europe" We have to make the most of these rare feelgood weekends, especially with the traditional train wreck Christmas fixtures coming up.

I was pleased Shola got the nod to come on ahead of Viduka as sub. That showed a bit of character from the manager and it worked out well. As to the thread, I voted 3 at the time and it's still looking good.

Fair comment. I'd settle for points rather than performances atm though. Just think how good those stats would have looked if we hadn't conceded late goals against City, Wigan and Stoke.

The Ferdinand/Shearer analogy is quite a good one. Martins and Owen don't really play that well as a pair but they cause problems as strikers in their own right. Having said that, for Owen's goal Martins dragged two defenders away by making a run the other way which never really got picked up on.

I bet Kinnear won't be ducking out of today's match interview. Mind I usually duck MOTD2 but I think I'll watch it tonight

Definitely. Two very scary players. Before the game Jamie Redknapp on SKY kept stressing how dangerous Crouch and Defoe were as strikers and I was thinking...hold on Owen and Martins isn't exactly going to be a Sunday stroll for the Pompey defence. If it was a battle of the strike forces looks like it was a total KO for Newcastle.

I thought we had the better chances tbh. I also thought after a shaky start we pretty much controlled the game considering they were the home team.

Agreed. And he'll only get that consistency with a regular run of games. He was quiet in the first half but Enrique doesn't really offer a lot of support going forward. If Zog gets a run of games and he's enjoying it, who's to say we won't see him hitting the form he showed when Roeder first took over?

Great first half against Stoke, good second half today against Pompey. There's room for improvement but I'd like to see him get a run in the team before we finally give up on him. Duff's been given a fair crack of the whip, it would be nice to think after a 3-0 win away Zog's going to keep the shirt for a few games. Even when he's not in the game much he offers real threat and can hurt teams rather than fanny about without going anywhere like Duff.

I wouldn't want to see them on the opposition's team sheet that's for sure.

Bullard's not a signing which gets the pulse racing but he's closer to being a genuine playmaker than any of the centre midfielders on our books.

Contrast that with what we had under Roeder which was only a year and a half ago. The trouble with that is contrast Everton, Villa, Spurs, Pompey squads to a few years ago and they too have improved... beyond what we have. Our squad is still small, rather average and for me more significantly still unbalanced. Absolutely, 100% agree with you there but i dont want to get into why this is the case..... I wouldnt say the squad is average to be honest, we have some cracking players, we just need a spark or 2, like we were before SBR signed Bellamy and Robert. We've had 4 years in the footballing wilderness dont forget. Problem is that our squad at the moment isn't all that sustainable. Beye has a season or two left in him at most, Enrique will get sick of Kinnear giving him s*** sooner or later, Butt is pretty much done already, and Owen is leaving. I don't know what the Zog's situation is but we'll probably have to replace him with a RW and put Jonas on the left. Major question marks over some key components in the squad there. Short term I think we're solid as long as we fill up the CM position, long term, we might actually need two fullbacks, two cms, a right winger, and two strikers in the summer, which is a tall, tall order. Like i say, our squad isnt top6 but our first team could be. We're not as far off as people are making out. That has a lot to do with some decent work in the transfer market despite not spending much. The new players are for the most part excelling at the moment. Bassong and Coloccini have stood up to the aerial test last two games which was my one doubt about them.

Jimmy Bullard is a player I would never have associated with us last season but he's always looked decent when I've watched Fulham games. Capello seems to like him as well.