Matches Pompey fan's question....

[PO3]

So 13 games in (12 for you guys) and Pompey are top of the table and unbeaten since Noah built the Ark.

Yesterday we struggled against Carlisle but as with a lot of games this season, we found a way to win (93rd minute!)

I know you guys conceded late and dropped 2 points, but you're still on a cracking run, and when you look at the other Teams (3rd-8th) nobody else has really shown the same level of consistency. So my question is.....

......do you believe that it'll be PFC / OUFC for automatic promotion come next May?

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

We’re between 26-28% of the way through the season. Not even a third of the way through, only just over a quarter, and not even close to halfway - and even at halfway, things can change rapidly. I think everyone needs to chill out a bit. We’ve seen sides start badly and improve, we’ve seen sides start well and fade. It’s a long season and anything can happen - we’ve not even had the busy festive period yet with all the chaos that brings.

I think Oxford have been the best team in the league so far this season, and I’m loving the start, but I’m not getting carried away (win on Tuesday and Saturday and I will, though)

 

[Gregortheox]

January window will be pivotal. We have some outstanding players but a bit short of quality in one or two positions.
Manning has admitted he needs 3 windows , and to be honest his work so far has been astounding. I will put my nob on the block and say if we get a higher quality right back, and a clinical finisher, we will get promotion.
As for pompey!?…you should be right up there, and looking forward to playing you.

 

[Followtheox1]

January window will be pivotal. We have some outstanding players but a bit short of quality in one or two positions.
Manning has admitted he needs 3 windows , and to be honest his work so far has been astounding. I will put my nob on the block and say if we get a higher quality right back, and a clinical finisher, we will get promotion.
As for pompey!?…you should be right up there, and looking forward to playing you.

While a clinical finisher would be great. I heard on the radio we actually have a pretty good chance to goal conversion. However, we don't actually create that many chances for a clinical finisher to finish. Take Saturday, we utterly dominated the first half but other than the goal, how many clear chances did we create?

 

[Whingit]

We are significantly outperforming our xg and it's a slight concern.

 

[Manorlounger]

I just think it's a bloody shame that our game on the 18th will get postponed due to international fixtures. Sort of match that needs a Saturday 3pm kick off to really enhance the atmosphere.

 

[Paul Cannell]

....do you believe that it'll be PFC / OUFC for automatic promotion come next May?

Not really, but I could live with it.

 

[Bitter]

Far too early to say, come back in February, see where we are then and what sort of transfer window we have both had.

 

[Essexyellows]

Christmas always worries me, either the wheels fall off after a fast start or we suffer a massive blip and miss out by a game or two.

I`ll settle for being in the top 3 back end of January...

 

[Eric Blair]

So 13 games in (12 for you guys) and Pompey are top of the table and unbeaten since Noah built the Ark.

Yesterday we struggled against Carlisle but as with a lot of games this season, we found a way to win (93rd minute!)

I know you guys conceded late and dropped 2 points, but you're still on a cracking run, and when you look at the other Teams (3rd-8th) nobody else has really shown the same level of consistency. So my question is.....

......do you believe that it'll be PFC / OUFC for automatic promotion come next May?

Thanks for coming on. As others have said it is still too early and it is all about the January window. We have seen some brilliance in the side. The core of Brannigan, McGuane and Elliott Moore have kept us solid and there have been some joyous displays from Rodriguez, Leigh and Edwards. Definitely need to fix the right back position and a goal scorer. Pompey seem to be grinding our great results and battle to the end. It feels like we keep conceding near the end and lose our heads a bit (late sending offs, late goals conceded). I fear we will dip at some point soon and it is how Liam Manning deals with that especially if other teams get momentum and start breathing down our necks. I really like Manning but he is young and inexperienced - will he cope with pressure? Anyway, to answer your question - i think Portsmouth are nailed on for automatics. I think we will also grab second but after it being very close.

 

[WRox]

So 13 games in (12 for you guys) and Pompey are top of the table and unbeaten since Noah built the Ark.

Yesterday we struggled against Carlisle but as with a lot of games this season, we found a way to win (93rd minute!)

I know you guys conceded late and dropped 2 points, but you're still on a cracking run, and when you look at the other Teams (3rd-8th) nobody else has really shown the same level of consistency. So my question is.....

......do you believe that it'll be PFC / OUFC for automatic promotion come next May?

Not yet.

Aside from that it’s so early and a couple of injuries to key players could make a huge difference, this quarter of the season feels like the big test for us.

We still have two or three gaps in the squad where Robinson left such an unbalanced one. Our transfer business this summer was excellent, but we really just have one senior striker. That’ll get fixed in January and it’s exciting that we have that pretty straightforward improvement to bank, but there are a lot of games to play between now and then.

We’re currently missing Kyle Edwards and Marcus Browne who give us an extra dimension going forward, we’re a bit reliant on Stan Mills for a change of pace with those two out for a while yet.

So this period feels key to us, can we keep picking points before the cavalry arrives around Christmas/January? That’s in the form of returning players and some new ones to provide that extra depth we’re missing here and there.

Interested to hear where Pompey are. It looks an excellent squad from the outside and we’d all wish Mousinho well. Doubt you’d have the same concerns over losing Bishop as a smaller L1 club might have over a similar quality player too.