James 'should' be fit for the cup final

Harry Redknapp seems quietly confident that David James will be fit for the FA cup final despite his calf injury: 'I think all calf injuries are quite serious.

'The scan revealed a slight tear but if he'd trained it could have been worse. I think he'll be ok for the Fulham game in two weeks'.

James saw his run of 166 consecutive league appearances end yesterday when the calf injury he picked up at Citeh forced him to miss his first league game for us since he signed. In all honesty I think that he should have came off against Citeh at the time as he had to receive a sustained period of treatment and being behind his goal - as I was at the time - you could visibly see he was struggling.

This absence yesterday gave Jamie Ashdown a rare run out, his first league start in fact since our 5-0 mauling at Birmingham in our 'great escape season' of 2005/06. He is likely to keep goal against Boro this weekend too and maybe even the final game against Fulham?

Ashdown is a decent keeper, and he made a fantastic reflex save just before the Blackburn goal but he probably was at fault for their goal as had he attempted to catch the ball instead of punching it the goal probably would have been avoided.

As said Ashdown is a decent keeper but it goes without saying though that I would much, much rather have James in goal for the cup final without any shadow of a doubt...

PLAY UP POMPEY!