Season 2007-2008

PORTSMOUTH

 v

NEWCASTLE UNITED

- Tim Krul (dislocated shoulder) is out for the rest of the season.
- Cacapa (groin) is still a few weeks away from returning.
- Shay Given (groin) is recovering well and may be back in contention before the season ends.
- Stephen Carr (hamstring) should be back in first team contention in a week or two.
- James Milner (ankle) is close to a return.
- Emre (ankle) is out for 2 weeks after getting injured playing for the reserves last week.
- Stephen Taylor should ok after having being ill last week.
- Charles N'Zogbia should be ready to ready after getting injured playing for the French U21 side.

We have got a small squad, no-one can argue with that, and yet the players are now starting to say, 'You don't need to buy anyone for my position because I'm good enough play here'.

The good news for the owner is that while we might want to spend big money on a few players, we don't want to bring nine in like they did last year. I think we will get three or four quality players and maybe one or two youngsters who can push them from day one. That's the idea but we'll have to see how it works out.

My thoughts:

Journeys to the South Coast are more often than not, traumatic ones for the Black & White hoards.

We waited nearly 30 years, enduring numerous late and spectacular goals, before we finally registered an away victory at Southampton, and we haven’t faired much better at Portsmouth’s Fratton Park. We are still to register a Premiership victory in 4 attempts.

However, we go into our longest journey of the season in the mist of a mini revival.

Keegan’s bold 4-3-3 formation has spectacularly changed the outlook of the remainder of the season. 3 consecutive victories has ended any relegation fears, and given us something to feel positive about again.

Goals, as well as points, are now flowing, with Michael Owen leading the way. In our 4 games unbeaten, we have scored 10 goals (8 of which have come from our 3 strikers), which is in stark contrast to only 3 goals scored in all of Keegan’s first 8 games.

Apart from the goals flying in at one end, they have also dried up at the other. After conceding 20 goals in Keegan’s first 8 games, we have now only conceded 2 in the last 4 games.

Ever player has contributed to this turn around in fortunes, but it’s fair to say, after our strikers, Habib Beye has been main architect of our revival. His defending has been outstanding, and his ability to get forward, which has generated width, has been a crucial part of our attacking play in the 4-3-3.

Portsmouth themselves are having a great season. What looks like a top 6 finish and (at very least) an F.A. Cup final appearance, is a fantastic return for a club who’s infrastructure is nowhere near as big as most clubs in the Premiership. This week the club has announced a £23 million loss, which in itself tells its own story about their financial clout.

On the pitch the man to watch out for in a Portsmouth shirt is Jermaine Defoe, who has scored in all but one of his 7 appearances, netting 8 in total, since his arrival from Spurs. Stopping the supply to Defoe, will be the number one property for our midfield and defence.

One factor in this game could be the euphoria of a first F.A. Cup Final appearance in 69 years for Pompey. Players quite naturally will have one mind on the final, which might see them not fully at the races. Harry Redknapp’s boys obviously didn’t find that to be the case in midweek (winning 0-1 at West Ham), however, playing in front of there own fans, who will no doubt be cock a hoop to say the least, could be a different matter.

This promises to be an interesting contest, with both teams in decent form, and on paper appearing to be evenly matched.

A defeat here shouldn’t blow our positive bubble, but another victory would take us into ‘that game’ next week in the most tremendous form.