A crucial month for Pompey

So, we now know that we have the transfer window out of the way - what we have now is what we will have for the rest of the season.

Well, unless some players leave on loan, or we opt to loan in anymore, not that we can use anymore than 5 in a match day squad.

For me it is imperative that we have a good month, or we go into March VERY much in a major relegation battle, and - not being defeatist - this will be a battle that I think we would lose as our form would have been of such that it would be 'near on' impossible to flip that switch and get out of the relegation form mindset...

This is a month that, in theory at least, should go through well we can leave our destiny in our own hands for the rest of the season.

Whilst, to be honest, I cannot see that we will make the play-off, and DO think people need to put this idea out of their heads - and if I am also honest promotion is not something I am particularly wanting, of course if it comes along you take it - but 'if' the outside chance that we will is to survive then a good month is a must.

And, on paper at least, we have a 'decent' looking month ahead of us.

Our problem is the games that many would 'expect' us to get points from are the ones that we often slip up in!

We kicked-off, as we all know, at table topping QPR.

Before that should anyone have offered me a point I would have bitten their arm off, although our form this season shows that this was the type of game we could have, and often did, actually win so I was not entirely writing that one off.

As we know we DID lose though, although we gained plenty of respect in defeat...

The problem is we then follow this up with a home game again Derby - who have slumped since they looked so good in beating us at Pride Park back along. No doubt this is a game we would slip up in at Fratton. Although we cannot afford to!

Doncaster, away, is next up the weekend after. They are a good side, although they are one that we are capable of beating, but will we?

A Fratton double header against sides at the wrong end of the table MUST see us collect at least 4pts from Barnsley on the Saturday and then Palace on the Tuesday - 6pts really should be the aim but 4 would be the bare minimum. Problem is once again these are the sorts of games we slip up in!

We end the month; on the day my brother Dazza gets married, at Ipswich. They are struggling; that 'probably' means we will struggle to get a win that we should aim for.

You look at these fixtures for this month, below, and cannot help but think 'ding dong'.

QPR (a)
Derby (h)
Doncaster (a)
Barnsley (h)
Palace (h)
Ipswich (a)

The problem is this is a viewing 'on paper', which is always so much easier!

If we do not get a good return from these the only chiming that we could be hearing come the end of February is a death bell ringing as we would be up to our necks in the brown stuff!

On the other hand a good month and we start looking upwards again, and not down.

Will we now, having got QPR out of the way, have another glorious run like we did in late September and throughout October or will it be another baron run like we have seen of late?

Continuing the baron run and we are in deep, deep trouble with it hard to see a way out...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

Click here to make your prediction: Pompey v Derby.