AyeDubbleYoo

I've never played FM in my life, for the record. I know what you're saying, and we do lack movement throughout the team... especially in midfield. But it's a bit harsh to single out Smith when he normally does a large part of his job quite well. He didn't against West Brom, but their movement was too much for most of our team. We know that the 'one goes forward, the other covers' idea is great in theory but even the best players can't always execute it. And Smith and Nolan definitely aren't the best players.

I hate Sam Allardyce probably more than any other living human... what a total dickhead. The fact that he's dillusional as well as shit only adds to his punchability.

Explains why he withdrew his transfer request though, hardly committing himself to Leeds with that little gesture.

If Everton want a player we're after then that's pretty much it, no point criticising us for not getting him.

Something and nothing TBH, can't blame him for wanting to give Tevez the finger! Not exactly a great example to kids, but not serious IMO.

We could be looking at the permanent demise of the club here, like Roger says the have none of the advantages that Leeds had. If I was a Pompey player I would just be looking to move on ASAP and cut my losses, harsh but true.

Even if we sign another, better RB after we gain promotion, Simpson at 500-750k is still a good squad signing.

Now Sol is suing them for wages and bonuses. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/8469950.stm

You've made a bit of a logical leap there, just because we're spending cautiously it doesn't mean it isn't 'for the benefit of the team'. Spending massive money on shit players is one of the major reasons we haven't had any success in recent memory. We'd all love to be signing Premiership quality players, but they're just not available to us at the moment, either because they won't come (very likely) or we can't afford them. January is a notoriously hard time to buy anyone decent anyway.

Will be able to like him more now he's not a Man Utd player. Should help with the team spirit as well... decent signing.

Fair point I suppose, you could take that view. As much as I want players, if we can't afford them then we need to start facing that fact.

Difficult to tell whether Jones is a great player going through a bad patch, or a generally poor player who had a good season last year. Risky signing though.

Dont matter how big a name your company is, if its wonky then any change in the economy is going to hurt. Yep, I've only done Business Studies A-Level, and first lesson is to look after your gearing and your cash flow.

They look doomed, got to say. Would be unbelievable if a Premier League club went into administration, rank bad management that. Saying that, Woolworths, Zavvi and Borders have gone bust so big names can be vulnerable, even in business.

Think we'll have to get used to missing out on players from clubs that still think the transfer market is operating in 2005. In a way I'm pleased that we're not allowing our finances to deteriorate again, although obviously I want signings.

Nolans just slower off the ball in general, so i dont see him being able to play a solid part in either going backwards or fowards even if he limited his game to only that. so nolan attempts box to box and does it poorly, what does smith do ? maybe if when we attacked smith pushed up 10-20yds or so he'd be another option to keep possession (even butt knows you can't just be a defensive midfielder for 90mins). of all the players available to us i'd be choosing 2 from guthrie,nolan and barton to play centre mid. Nolan pushes up into the area during our attacks to be an option, smith stays in the middle of the pitch roughly 5 yards up from the centre circle, the ideal position for a defensive midfielder. During attacks Smith should be the emergency option, always going to be open if everyone else is covered. Granted he passed s**** tonight, but during attacks the job of a holding midfielder is to be open and and easy pass. do you really believe football is played like that, rigid positioning and movement like subbuteo players ? the quicker you get rid of of the idea of defensive/attacking midfielders the better. i may even print your post off so i can have the pleasure of scrumpling it up and throwing it in the bin. Think you're speaking a bit too soon there madras... surely the holding midfielder is the most trendy position now, and discipline is the key to playing that role well?

Think you deserve one of these:

You make some very good points there, it really could have gone either way.

Yeah, if we go up he would struggle unless he improved, but then that's true of at least 75% of our players.

Isn't that what people said about Shola as well some years back? Some players, like Milner and N'Zogbia when they were here, you could use that argument since they both had great games and bad games just inconsistent and needed improving on their end product, but I haven't really seen anything that suggests Simpson will shine. He's not great at reading the game, not a great tackler or a great passer of the ball. He's decent at all of those things but doesn't really have room to improve himself. I might be harsh on him due to yesterdays performance and over-reacting.. Well it is what they said about Shola, but I don't see what that means. They also said it about lots of players where it turned out to be true. I don't think he's a world beater, but as a cheap option we know what we're getting and I would rather keep him on than bring back Beye at this point.

Very sensible words from Shola there, at least he understands his limitations and that he still has more to prove. I'm not confident he can do it, but self awareness is important.

I would currently keep Simpson rather than bring in Beye. Simpson is being hung out to dry with no proper wide midfielder in front of him, and he's young as has potential to improve.

Does the tranfer ban also include selling players? According to the BBC "The Premier League has also banned the club from operating in the transfer market." Would suggest incomings and outgoings are covered.

Kevin Nolan?

Pancrate should be given a few games before we write him off I think.