Pompey v Coventry

Pompey take to the field at Fratton for the last time before the arrival of our favourite rivals from up the road.

Pompey are in all too familiar terroritory once more, under black clouds and shrouded in uncertainty yet again.

The worries about the future are for the men in suits however, this cannot be allowed as an excuse for abject failure on the pitch, this season so far, Pompey have been below par in the majority of games, all this before the latest off field disasters, it would be all too easy for the players to blame this from now on, Appleton has the task of making sure the players are not affected.

Both clubs are at the wrong end of the table, Coventry only off the bottom on goal difference.

Pompey look very likely to be unchanged for the game, Varney and Lawrence will both be absent once more, this looks to give the unpopular 4-5-1 formation another run out at home, unless one of the fringe players has had a great week in training it looks like Kitson by himself up top once more.

I'll put my neck on the block and defend Kitson here, he is hardly a fans favourite, most fans groaned when his name was announced under Cotterill's reign, then when the caretakers came in he found a new lease of life, even turning a few opinions of him. Last week he seemed to be back to the Kitson from earlier in the season, dropping deep and passing forwards to no-one in particular, winning headers but flicking on to no-one, the change? Being up front on his own, he obviously needs a partner, Kitson could well be a square peg right now.

Without Varney in the side, he looks most likely to come up with the goals, the 5 in midfield frees up his attacking instincts, as captain as well he is top dog.

Christie is the biggest doubt for the sky blues, he limped out of the defeat to Brighton with a calf strain.

avid Bell shone on a previous trip to Fratton a couple of years back, he missed midweek but should return for this one.

Jutkiewicz is a mouthful, he is also the biggest goal threat in the pitch, he has notched up 7 so far in goalshy side, oh, and he is also from just up the road!

Coventry have not lost to Pompey since 2002, there was a gap where we never met for a while of course, but they managed the double over us last season as well.

Frankie Ferdinand

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