A draw against Pompey is a good result - positivity thread

[Craig_H]

Man United lost there last season and won the title.

Point?

I dont think losing at Pompey was in their magnificent title-winning mantra mate...

[Craig_H]

after int duty a point away at pompey is a great result! lets keep our powder dry for the REALY big games

Sweet lord...

Great result? Keep it dry for the really big games? Kinell...

When you're chasing a title, every game is a really big game.

As i said, if we're viewing a point at pompey as a great (or even good result, in the context of yesterday) then we arent gonna win the league. May as well step aside and let those with a PROPER winners mentality challenge for it.

[Shaggy]

"Title-winning mantra"? What's that other than a meaningless soundbite? We want to win the title and got a point there. They wanted to win the title, lost there, but won the league regardless. *shrugs*

[Craig_H]

Benitez, who did not even include Dutch star Dirk Kuyt in his 16-man squad, insisted: "If there is one title for us to win this season it is the Premier League. But we want to win the Champions League, too.

"When Gerrard and Torres came on we had more creativity in attack than we had before but we had 18 players on international duty around the world last week and I don't think it would have made any difference if they had started the game.

"I just had to try to pick the fittest and freshest players and we had the better of the game in the first half but then it became more open and they had chances, too."

See, this 'fittest and freshest players' bit...i mean, he HAD SG and FT on the bench FFS, they must've been fit enough to play at least 45 or 60 mins.

18 players on national duty is by the by, that's what happens when you've got good players. Nothing to whinge about there.

If he wanted the title more than anything else, dropping our two best attacking options for a game at Pompey doesnt really express that desire too well.

[Craig_H]

I agree with this 100%. Crouch got a game today, not because he's on form, but because Rafa had to try and keep him happy.

And in sacrificing 2 points by doing that, Rafa was being stupid.

[Shaggy]

If he wanted the title more than anything else, dropping our two best attacking options for a game at Pompey doesnt really express that desire too well.

It expresses faith in the squad, faith in the players he's brought in. He'd be no kind of manager if he'd lost all faith in 'squad players' by mid-September.

After the Toulouse home game, people were (rightly) eulogising over the quality of our squad and it's strength in depth.

One draw at Pompey, and suddenly most of these players aren't good enough.

[Shaggy]

And in sacrificing 2 points by doing that, Rafa was being stupid.

That's right, 'cos it was all Crouch's fault.

[Craig_H]

What's he meant to say? "We don't want to win the Champions League"?

He said as clearly as you like..."If there is one title for us to win this season it is the Premier League".

Kind of agree with your last statement, but the game would NOT have been a gimme had Torres & Gerrard started - which numerous posters today seem to think.

It wouldnt have been a gimme, but come on shags mate, you saw the threat they posed in such a short space of time.

It's clear as you like that had they started, we would have been very likely to have won the game. FACT

[Craig_H]

That quote is so ****ing worrying for me.

Forget the CL, concentrate on the Premiership. Pick your first 11 every premiership game and then rotate for the Champions league. Surely this has to be the way forward.

As for the second quote. Dear God, that quote is as delusional as Houllier was at his worst.

Dont always agree with you (putting it mildly) but you're on the money there.

[Shaggy]

It wouldnt have been a gimme, but come on shags mate, you saw the threat they posed in such a short space of time.

It's clear as you like that had they started, we would have been very likely to have won the game. FACT

They made an impact and posed a threat (and God knows I wanted them both to start) but they are both fast, strong players...always likely to make an impact against tiring legs. There's no guarantee it would have been the same had they started.

[Craig_H]

There's a lot of nut-cases around.

Last few weeks rotation has worked perfectly, today apparently our squad isn't good enough

Last few weeks:

Villa away - needed SG (a MATCHWINNER) to produce the magic at the end
Chelsea home - played STRONGEST team
S'land away - ****e opposition, still played with matchwinners
Derby home - piece of piss, STILL played with matchwinners
Pompey away - tricky game, dropped 2 best attacking threats, DIDNT play with matchwinners - 2 points dropped.

Do you not see anything in that?

Last few weeks of rotation, as you put it, hadnt seen us start a game without a proper attacking threat. Yesterday did.

[Craig_H]

We should start to worry when there's 10 games left and we're 20 points off the pace.

You mean when it's too late to do anything about it? Yeah, good plan that...

[Shaggy]

Last few weeks:

Villa away - needed SG (a MATCHWINNER) to produce the magic at the end
Chelsea home - played STRONGEST team
S'land away - ****e opposition, still played with matchwinners
Derby home - piece of piss, STILL played with matchwinners
Pompey away - tricky game, dropped 2 best attacking threats, DIDNT play with matchwinners - 2 points dropped.

Do you not see anything in that?

Last few weeks of rotation, as you put it, hadnt seen us start a game without a proper attacking threat. Yesterday did.

Pennant has been a matchwinner for us (not goals-wise, obviously) several times since the turn of the year, Crouch has been a matchwinner for us on countless occasions and Benayoun was a matchwinner in the Premier League for West Ham many times.

We had more than enough quality to win the game yesterday - we just didn't play very well. **** happens in a long season, but we maintained our unbeaten record and kept another clean sheet. Onwards, surely.

[Craig_H]

Having had time to reflect the most positive thing I can take from today is that last season we made alot of changes down at Pompey and lost where as this seaon we made alot of changes and got a point. That shows how much our squad has improved I suppose.

But in more realistic terms:

1. Last season we had feck all to play for and the CL final was looming.
2. To bridge a 20 odd point game, we need to be turning last season's 0s into 3s more often than not, as opposed to turning them into 1s. (other than maybe those against the other 3 challengers).

[Shaggy]

2. To bridge a 20 odd point game, we need to be turning last season's 0s into 3s more often than not, as opposed to turning them into 1s. (other than maybe those against the other 3 challengers).

We've taken 7 points from 9 in our three away games so far. Last season, I think, we took zero points from our first three away, so I'd say we're already making progress in that department.

Drew at Sheff Utd and Villa last year, won at Sunderland and Villa this.