How kind of the fat man/'Allaying' fears?

All eyes now turn to the weekend and the meeting with Liverpool - the bin dippers come to Fratton as we get the weekends action underway, in a game that is of course an early 12.45 kick-off and is also on sky sports.

As it is approaching the season of goodwill 'Fat Rafa' Benitez has decided to do us a favour, and rested star striker Fernando Torres to ensure that he will be fit to face us, using him only from the bench against Wigan last night because he was 'really tired' after the Arsenal game and needed 'protecting' ahead of games to come: 'I told him I wanted to protect him and it would be good for me to play him at the end and he was good too.

'I think he will be ready for Portsmouth.'

With or without Torres, or Steven Gerrard for that matter, the dippers will of course be a tough proposition but I REALLY do feel that they are there for the taking, and 'if' we want it enough we can do them!

What I do know is we cannot afford to give Torres chances as he will punish us, we need to be on top of our game with him and Gerrard - who we also need NOT give the invitation to go down too easily in the box, as, despite 'hating divers' lets be honest he has shown more than once this season that he is not afraid to take a tumble!

It will be a good game I think, but most certainly a game that BOTH sides - and I think quite rightly so - can, and will go into it thinking they will win.

Predictions for this can now be made, and I have made it even easier for you to get involved by putting the forum link for this next game below...

Liverpool - 19/12/09.

==========

Is that really 'allaying' fears?

When Freddy P came off last night, and I would say that was quite comfortably his best game for Pompey, we MUST have instantly though 'this is a 2-3-week, at least, setback,' right?

Well, Avram Grant has told The Pompey Site: 'it's nothing serious.

'He worked very hard and it's good to see players taking their chance and showing that they deserve to play.'

These quotes have translated into, from some quarters on t'internet, as meaning that 'fears of a lengthy injury lay-off' have been 'allayed'...

Quite how that conclusion is reach I do not know? The again 'nothing serious' implies just that I guess?

All we can do is keep our fingers crossed that it is not too serious. A decision seemed to be made quickly, so maybe - although this is more in hope I guess - a change was already being planned? Then again the physio would know soon enough how serious a pull or strain was fairly soon.

The guy, like I say, had a really good game and put in his best shift for us - but I would take the growing reports that the injury is 'not that bad' with a pinch of salt, not that I am trying to worry people that it is anything too major, I just do not think we should put too much faith in his being fit for the dippers on Saturday...

After ALL THAT, the man himself has now told The News - among other things, about us being capable of staying up - that it was just cramp: 'I am okay. I had cramp of the calves. So I will be okay for Saturday.'

Shows what I know eh!

PLAY UP POMPEY!

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.