Fishing Boats v Gun Boats (Grimsby v Portsmouth)

[K-Win]

Well well well, off we go again. Both teams cleverly gave themselves a weekend off by faking ineptitude in the first round of the cup just so they could put in the requisite amount of pre-game prep for this encounter. I'm expecting 22 players honed to the peak of physical perfection to 'have at it' from the first whistle.

Pompey's unpredictability is well documented. Though we will no doubt create more goalscoring chances than Grimsby, this will have zero correlation to the final score.

I doubt we'll show many team changes. Burgess and Doyle have hopefully settled their differences after the Stevenage half-time show (Doyle by a TKO).

Like us, Town seem to be having slightly more success on the road this season so hopefully we can nick something here. I'll happily take a point.

 

[PaulHaddock]

We're an attacking side these days. We just can't defend. Expecting a score draw or defeat.

 

[K-Win]

We are a 'control the ball - go from side-to-side' type team. A while back I'd have said that we like having a team come at us but I'm not so sure now. We seem to get a bit rattled when put under pressure.

I'd like to see Bignot do well - seems a likeable chap.

 

[Grimbarian]

Get to finally see a match under Bignot, expecting it to be a very tough game but given our performances against other top end of the table teams hopeful for a point at least. Should be a great atmosphere

 

[codaplenty]

Comon you fishermen get stuck and do yourselves proud 2-1 to the hosts

 

[les.gtfc]

Important few games coming up for us. After Pompey we have Donny away followed by Accy and Blackpool both at home over Xmas and New Year.

With the table so tight we need to be looking at taking at least 7 points from the 4 games, hopefully more, if we're going to challenge for the play-offs this season.

Strong rumours around that James McKeown will be dropped (rested) with Man United Under 20 England International Dean Henderson being handed the gloves for Saturday. Would like to see Pearson replace Gowling at centre-half too who seems to have made a couple of costly errors recently.

Looking forward to this one, should be a great atmosphere with Pompey bring 1000+ fans.

 

[Son of Cod]

Yep, Pearson is definitely ready for a start. Can't wait for these next two games. We haven't at BP since September, I don't think? Would be great to go to Donny on the back of a win against one of the teams we're looking at trying to catch up with.

 

[Don Tonberry]

I'd take a draw here but with the four teams above us playing each other this is a massive opportunity or us that shouldn't be squandered.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Toughie this one.

Always enjoyed a Grimsby fixture. Won't be making it this time unfortunately, but good to see it back on the calendar.

As ever with us, it depends which Pompey team turns up. The positive, confident version and we'll win. The meek, frustrated, lack lustre version and we'll lose with more flak coming Cook and the teams way.

Expect us to create lots of chances, but take very few of them. With Bogle on such great form, we'll be in for a tough afternoon.

As others have said, i'd take a draw now. But a great chance for either of us to push towards to the top 3 if results in the other games cancel each other out.

 

[BlackHaddock]

Big crowd expected: over 7,000 anyway (that's big for us). We inevitably blow it in front of large home gates, but we have a new regime and hopes are high that 'the worm has turned' and our home form will pick up again. 3-1 win for us today with Bogle having one of his 'unplayable games', scoring two and setting up the third.

 

[les.gtfc]

Deserved win for Pompey today. By far the better team. We were poor first half but improved in the 2nd half.

Starting to drop down the table now which is a bit alarming.

Serious question for the Pompey fans though. Doesnt that bloody bell get on your nerves every game. If I followed Pompey I think I would have inserted the bloody thing where the sun doesn't shine by now.

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

We were dreadful and a few players went a long way to proving their doubters right, but credit to Portsmouth who were the best side I've seen at BP in a long time. I thought Carlisle were very good but Portsmouth were a class above today.

Exciting game with a great atmosphere. Very enjoyable despite the loss, that was the sort of league game we've been craving after many years of downfall.

 

[Bar Carousel]

Very happy with those 3 points.

Listening on the radio it sounded as if it was going to be one of those days where despite a good performance we couldn't create clear cut chances to score.

Our record under Cook against the top sides is up there with anyone's. It's turning up and getting results against the rest where we struggle. Eyes firmly on Hartlepool next week to see if we can begin to turn that around and push on with a consistent run.

 

[BlackHaddock]

My 3-1 win prediction was well off the mark: will keep my mouth shut next week.

 

[Son of Cod]

Had to miss this one in order to ensure I can go to the Donny game, bloody Christmas shopping. Who are the doubters you're talking about Clarkey? Summerfield and Berrett, by any chance?

 

[Don Tonberry]

I thought we were well worth the win in that game, even if it took a single moment of quality to win it. For all the pre-match talk about Bogle he spent virtually the entire game in Burgess and Clarke's collective pocket. Had to laugh every time Grimsby passed it to the left and it went out of play. Must have happened at least three times?

We have to build on this now and that means giving Hartlepool a beating next week.

 

[Son of Cod]

I thought we were well worth the win in that game, even if it took a single moment of quality to win it. For all the pre-match talk about Bogle he spent virtually the entire game in Burgess and Clarke's collective pocket. Had to laugh every time Grimsby passed it to the left and it went out of play. Must have happened at least three times?

We have to build on this now and that means giving Hartlepool a beating next week.

Yep, Bogle has quiet games. He's still young though and was playing Conference North football less than a season and a half ago. Some way off being a finished product. He usually works hard whatever, though. The problem with us is, if Bogle is not on song then we struggle to cause as many problems.

 

[PaulHaddock]

We are essentially a one-man team at the moment and our midfield is pretty garbage; a relegated pair of CMs, a relegated winger, a striker and one decent player in Comley. Need to give Henderson (back up keeper) a chance now.

 

[Glasshalffullpools]

I like the thread name .......



I won't disturb you again ....

 

[Clarkey_GTFC]

Had to miss this one in order to ensure I can go to the Donny game, bloody Christmas shopping. Who are the doubters you're talking about Clarkey? Summerfield and Berrett, by any chance?

Yep, both of them very poor. Summerfield had a few good flashes in the second half but nowhere near good enough overall. The night was summed up when Bignot brought off Comley, who was doing a 3 man job, instead of one of the culprits. I thought we really missed Disley in the middle.

In fairness a lot of players were poor; the often brilliant Zak Mills had a bad game, Chambers looked unfit and should've come off at half time and Jackson was useless out wide. I also disagreed with some of Bignot's decisions, the Comley sub being one of them. I think Bolarinwa is better in a forward 3 opposed to being a 4-4-2 winger, that's where he played and he was too deep to make an impact. I think we struggled with a lack of left winger, Jackson and Andrew weren't on the same page all night. Bogle was very isolated and didn't have a sniff all game, mainly because we couldn't get out our own half.

It's getting more difficult to explain what went wrong as I go, I'm finding myself going back and trying to justify one thing which in turn brings up another, but at the end of the day Portsmouth were an excellent side and we were soundly beaten. We should write this one off as a bad day at the office.

Summerfield and Berrett were garbage though.

 

[K-Win]

We're getting similar praise here to what we had after the Luton win a few weeks back, which is nice. However, we remain an enigma. On paper, next week's home game against Hartlepool looks like a home banker but we could easily be seeing the familiar sight of a bunch of ecstatic away fans clapping their team off at the final whistle.

 

[les.gtfc]

Respect to the Pompey fans there on Saturday too who were impeccable during the minutes silence for Futch and joined in the applause in the 4th minute as Town fans payed their respects to the great man.

Having had a couple of days to digest Saturday's events, what I will say is that in the corresponding weekend last season we were drawing 1 all at home to Solihull Moors in the FA Trophy and I suppose Saturday was a league game we've been crying out for, for many years so I can't be too downhearted really.