Portsmouth News 24/7Writer: paultsmouth 
Date:Saturday December 1 2007
Time: 7:56PM
UK time is: 09:27:24
Vital Login
Social Login
Choose your club
Other Sites
Network Navigation
Vital Partners
'If It's Football, It's Vital'
Pompey 0 - Everton 0
Fratton
1/12/07 3pm
Attendance: 20,000 and something
Pompey draw another blank
Pompey came up another stubborn rearguard at Fratton once again, and although we kept another clean sheet, the feeling was reciprocated at the other end once more.
Clean sheets are lovely when you are sleeping in them, but beside the 11 goal glut against Reading, that is now 4 blanks in front of Pompeys home fans. Normally this would be cause for concern, but electric away form counters this feeling somewhat.
Everton came with the same intentions as West ham, Man City and just about 80% of the rest of the Premiership will, stifle Pompey and make Pompey do the breaking down.
While our successful 4-5-1 formation is tailor made for away games, where the onus is on the home side to push forward, it is starting to look predictable at home.
Pompey were forced into 1 change this afternoon, Sean Davis missing out and Pedro Mendes taking the centre berth. Kanu returned to the bench, and Matt Taylors hiatus from the side continued.
The match looked deemed to be a scrappy affair from the off, where the last couple of games looked more likely for goals, this one had the look of a nil-niller all the way. Everton were happy to defend, that was clear, but did Pompey have the nous to break them down? Yobo and Lescott gave the kind of close defending on Benjani that could have led to claims of sexual harrassment from the African, but referee Walton was happy enough for it. Kranjcar was Pompeys main architect, his flicks and turns were testament to a man in fine form, but clear cut chances were few and far between. Papa Diop should really have got off the mark with a header, but he could get nothing on Muntari's free kick with the goal gaping, while Muntari went close with a drive and free kick which Howard did well to tip over.
The second-half led to a similar pattern, Kranjcar prodded wide when well placed, sub Kanu blasted one wide and Muntari summed it up with a shot which nearly spun back to the half way line!
As for Everton they had only Arteta's free-kick straight into James' hands to show for their efforts, Yakubu looked disinterested and Johnson did a fair impersonation of Craig Bellamy, when tackled he fell over, and when James plucked a cross out of the air he tried to start a fight! Pienaar will be glad of Referee Waltons Christmas spirit, his tug on Utakas shirt would normally have meant red.
Star Player
Player Ratings
James
Johnson
Pamarot
Campbell
Distin
Diop
Muntari
Utaka
Kranjcar
Mendes
Benjani
Kanu
Use your social login to comment on front page articles. Login using you Facebook, Twitter, Google or LinkedIn accounts and have your say!
Your Comments
That's sums it up well Paul. Some of Niko's close control was fantastic and his passing probably too good for his team mates. My daughter's first game and she enjoyed it.
eastneydave
Think we missed davis in midfield today. Midfield again went quiet after the break, but not too unhappy with a point, am unhappy that we cant score at home. think we lose too much of benji's game pushing him out wide right, why doesnt HR change the formation instead of just changing the personnel? Kanu looked knackered b4 he came on, no good playing to cross high balls in the box when Kanu is up front on his own, he aint a good header of the ball. Love what Kanu can do with the ball but he needs benji up top with him.
pompey4me
you say 80% of sides will come here looking for a draw...what about the other 20%? will they be coming here looking to loose, as Liverpool and Man U certainly wernt looking to win it. in fact, only reading have looked like trying to beat us at fratton so far, and they got...demolished! aside from being disapointed that away teams can be so boring thses days, we are really only being kept up by our away form...(god, we are becoming like man city last year...who couldnt score at home!).
pompeycarpet
over the past few years, frattons small pitch has let us play tight games, and prevented other teams from playing how they want to. but it would apear that it is now cramping us out of the game, as a bigger pitch suits our style of play better...
pompeycarpet
I think taht this problem will be solved in january, harry knows as well as us that teams are looking for a point here, and so we need more firepower, and although benji is quality, and kanu, in my mind has more skill and a better football brain then anyone at portsmouth, there both not prolific, we need a good scorer, and i think we will be bringing in a coouple
PompeyGleamer
what a waste of a day, the road journey down was more entertaining than the actual match. Dissapointed in Moyes to be frank, should be able to get the lads going for a game against UEFA rivals. Suppose all our attacking players should be fit for wednesday, as non of the f***ers put in a decent shift this afternoon. Baines and vaughan should at the very least be in our 16....
EvertonMike
EvertonMike, welcome to the frustrations of Yakubu, and Pompey carpet, I stand by the fact that Liverpool, Manu, Chelsea and Arsenal expect to win every game they play
paultsmouth
bit surprised at the tone, 6th in the prem and sort of complaining. after the week harry's had too.
Markymark
Not just yakubu, pienaar has been frankly immense the last few weeks, today? shocking. Don't get me started on carsley's passing, you'll regret it. Mikel arteta is usually the best player on the field, but was average first half, and ineffective second. Cahill couldn't get going, and osman missed a very good chance after one of your players slipped. Yakubu was isolated BECAUSE of a sh*** midfield performance.
EvertonMike
paultsmouth: whilst it is true that the fans of the top 4 will be going for a win at fratton, the attituded taken by fergussen and benites after the game, who both said that a draw was a great result - and the way they both set there teams up, suggests that a draw is acceptable, even for them!
pompeycarpet
Dont take the usual opinion and slag off the opposition, we lacked ideas today and we need to be abe to change the pattern of the game to secure the points.
Although Pienar should have gone i really doubt if we would have been able to break them down, hence the fact we need a player like D'Alessandro or Geovanni who can come on and open up defences.
I travelled for 8 hours today and i feel that i wasted my time and money, they came for a point and they got it with ease.
Owenspompey
everton had a game plan, and it worked - ust like every other team that is coming to fratton. We clearly need to do something different, as we are unable to break down teams that are just going to defend, and if that means getting d'alesandro, so be it - something will happen in january...
pompeycarpet
As bad as everton were, blaming the oposition for your own team not scoring is nonsense. mentioning this supposed 'game plan' like it should be an excuse for your own teams genuine lack of a top striker or attacking midfielder.
EvertonMike
Well after our 7 goals against Reading we have managed 0-0, 0-0 and 0-0 at Fratton. It doesn't make sense does it. What chances Pompey V Spurs ending 0-0 ? I suppose Everton may have the same feeling but at least we kept them behind us in the League and thanks to Arsenal we even got back to 6th and passed Villa again. We need a draw at Villa Park next week to keep it that way.
pompeygray
I firmly believe its up to us to break the teams down, Arsenal have to do it, Man u have to do it, Chelsea have to do it, the difference is, they can!
paultsmouth
Evertonmike - i am not BLAMING everton for us not scring, i am congratulating them on holding us back, whilst blaming pompey for not having the imagination to break you down. BUT, if you HAD come to attack, then the game perhaps would have been different, hence the way you played changed the result, too benefit you, and agrivate us. in no way do i BLAME everton, i BLAME pompey - but you can not deny that you came here to play for a draw...
pompeycarpet
And did anyone notice Moyes running the line second half? He indicated for every throw to go Evertons way, and I swear Walton stopped looking at the real lino!
paultsmouth
You really should be thinking yourselves lucky with that scoreline!
Millwalljohn
How so Millwall?
paultsmouth
Everton are a good team, but it seems we should have won. Im not going to get too excited about the lack of goals at home just yet, people seem to be forgetting that we're not conceding either!..Harry will get it right soon..so I'd suggest that everyone calm a little & not "demand" anyting just yet. I beleive we have the players, that have gelled fantasticly & It really is just a case of tacktics. Millwalljohn, couldnt be further than the truth, we really do have a BETTER team than Everton, & if we get it right, we should beat them at home.
CharlieChimes
Obviously everyone rates their own teams better, but man for man i think we are a better side than portsmouth charlie.
EvertonMike
I actualy thought Kanu was fouled in the box in the dying moments of the game and it was a stone wall penalty.
cockeril
Never a penalty mate, Kanu was looking for contact like a good centre-forward should, but we got what we deserved for it nothing!!
Owenspompey
I can't work out whether or not I should be pleased we are unbeaten in ten with eight clean sheets or really *****ed off that Everton were there for the taking and all we could offer was Kanu ... that's a sad state of affiars and who says we can either afford to sell Nugent (poor bloke) or that we don''t need another striker... We looked average an unable (at home) to be able to come up with something to beat a team that are fighting for the same things as us - The bloke I feel sorry for is Matty Taylor - what must he be thinking ? After yesterdays game I now firmly believe he will be off - The poor bloke must be fuming Pompey needed a injection of something and either Taylor or Nugent could have come on to replace the lack-lustre Utaka ... Taylor could have come on, swapped wings with Niko and provided Benji with some much needed supply...What happens? Utaka goes off and Kanu (who ran out of breath getting changed) comes on, Benjani (the premierships top goalscorer gets shunted out to the right wing (hes no winger !) and Pompey lump balls to Kanu which takes Niko Kranjcar (our most effective player to that point) out of the game. If ever Taylor needed a message that he was not wanted .. He got it today - When all is said and done think Ill keep stun and see what happens in the next couple of games (we are 6th after all) but if we continue to play for the draw at home and continue to play players who drift in and out (Utaka) and players who just want to pick up their paycheck (Kanu) then I rather be at home in the warm and not wasting my money. I'm pretty hacked off as most of you can tell ..... but I should be happy at us being 6th .. shouldn't I - Who knows at least when we were at the bottom I knew my moans and rants were justified , these days I'm confused ...
Chix
Yaku-who?
tracyc
Chix you have summed up very well what I'm thinking - more or less. I'm not sure whether its OK that I feel disappointed with a draw against a good side like Everton at home - but I am a bit. We had more chances and should have won it, this is another 2 points lost to go along with the ones lost to missed penalties earlier this season, I hope we don't 'rue' these lost points in May.
But I guess this shows how far we've come, doesn't it!
tracyc
only got home late last night, so havent come on since now... i was frustrated, personally i thought it was quite a good game, the 2nd half tailed off when we went flat and ran out of ideas - ideas that should have seen at least matty taylor come on, why he was warming up for 20 mins along with nuge but didnt come on i cannot understand, maybe he just does it so he can try and force 'arry's hand or just get away from him... kanu - as much as i like the fella - looks nowhere near fit enough, he could hardly walk let alone jog and run. as much as kanu can offer that something, nuge must be well miffed that kanu is always getting to the front of the queue...
pompeyrug
but when all is said and done, i was disappointed at 1st, but soon realised this wasnt a bad point really was it - drawing with teams like wigan, birmingham, bolton and so on at home 0-0 would be a major worry, we just have to make a change in formation at home now this 4-5-1/4-3-3 just isnt working is it - away, fine at home 4-4-2...
pompeyrug
The reason Everton got a draw at Fratton was that their over physical style of play was allowed to continue for the whole game under that excuse for a referee. Most teams have defenders who manhandle opponents forwards at times but this team utilise every player in that respect all of the time so that when any Pompey player was on the ball he was literally wrestled with until passing or losing it. Maybe this is the kind of football that scousers/scots like but I would not want to watch it every week. Everton are a miserable team and not a patch on Portsmouth. A less myopic referee next week against Fulham and they'll lose at home. You heard it here first.
Et_tu_Pompeii
forgot to say howard made a fantastic save from muntari's freekick didnt he - papa bouba diop should have got his head to it, but didnt but howard's reaction save with his foot was phenominal... agreed mate the referee was a joke.
pompeyrug
The stats: attempts on goal - Pompey 18, Everton 4. So why do fans and sports writers keep telling me that it was a fair result? There was only one team trying to win that football match. Even MoTD, who will ALWAYS skew the highlights to show Pompey in a bad light showed only one or two attacks by Everton. Er . . . . you don't think I'm getting paranoid, do you?
Et_tu_Pompeii
It was always going to be tough & I'd have settled for a draw before the game. We didn't do enough to hurt them in front of goal.
storagematt
Some great comments lads and lasses - I wonder if we'll see another 0-0 when we are next at the Park against Spurs... I'm just worried that their season has to start somewhere & somewhen ... I just hope it's not in the next couple of weeks
Chix
Have Your Say
Log in...
with your social network OR with your Vital account
Recent Articles
On this day in history...20th June (Thursday June 20 2013)
The Tour starts in forty five days! (Wednesday June 19 2013)
On this day in history...19th June (Wednesday June 19 2013)
Pompey start and finish at home (Wednesday June 19 2013)
Game on?! (Tuesday June 18 2013)
On this day in history...18th June (Tuesday June 18 2013)
Pompey face our biggest neighbours in Capital one (Monday June 17 2013)
A preference anyone? (Sunday June 16 2013)
On this day in history...16th June (Sunday June 16 2013)
If it aint broke... (Saturday June 15 2013)
Archived Articles
Vital Members League (view all)
| 1. | eastneydave | 33 |
| 2. | Pompeytim | 30 |
| 3. | mslorna48 | 24 |
| 4. | pompeyrug | 20 |
| 5. | Jimsmithswig | 19 |
| 6. | storagematt | 11 |
| 7. | Lemmi | 7 |
| 8. | Gandor1 | 5 |
| 9. | PFCblue | 5 |
| 10. | dedmans | 4 |
League Results (view all)
| Latest Results |
League Table (view table)
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 14. Northampton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15. Oxford | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16. Plymouth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17. Portsmouth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18. Rochdale | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19. Scunthorpe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20. Southend | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Breaking League News
| On this day in history...20th June
» Portsmouth : 20/06/2013 08:28:00
|
| Torquay Open Against Wimbledon
» Torquay : 20/06/2013 01:53:00
|
| Duffy Bid Rejected
» Scunthorpe : 20/06/2013 01:22:00
|
| Iron Begin Campaign At Mansfield
» Scunthorpe : 20/06/2013 01:17:00
|
| Dale Fixtures For 2013-14
» Rochdale : 20/06/2013 00:51:00
|
| Alexander Smiles At 650 Mile Round Trip
» Fleetwood : 20/06/2013 00:36:00
|
| 2013-14 Is Upon Us
» Fleetwood : 20/06/2013 00:25:00
|
Current Site Poll (view all polls)
|
|
1 © - All content copyright Vital Network Ltd, not to be reproduced without explicit permission Copyright Issues
Cookie Policy
At Vital Football, we along with most other modern websites use small files called 'cookies' to create the most secure, effective and functional website possible for our users. Without these files our business model, based on advertising, breaks down and we would be unable to continue to provide the services that you are here to utilise. By continuing to use this website after seeing this message, you consent to our use of cookies on this device unless you have disabled them. For full details please read our Cookie Policy which can be found here. However, if you would like to disable cookies on this device, please view our Cookie Policy which contains an opt-out tool for disabling advertising cookies. Please also visit our information pages on 'How to manage cookies' if you would also like to block all other types of cookies. Please be aware that parts of this site will not function correctly if you disable cookies.