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Scarily familiar...

I know that the notion has been bounced around but just how similar is Paul Hart's 2009/2010 team to that 'let loose' on the Premiership by Alain Perrin in 2005 - the season of the great escape.

On the 13 August 2005 Pompey stepped out against Spurs at Fratton Park led by Alain Perrin, perhaps one of Portsmouth's most disappointing managers in the opinion of many. The team that headed out were:

Westerveld; Griffin, O'Brien, Stefanovic, Vignal; Mornar, Viafara, Hughes, Robert; LuaLua, Karadas.

Succumbing to a 2-0 defeat wasn't the best of starts and for a large chunk of the season to come results went the same way.

Now, the most likely squad to head out against Fulham for our season opener, in my view (and I emphasise this is simply my guess at the team), could be as follows:

James; Finnan (injury permitting), Distin, Kaboul, Hreidarsson; Mullins, Hughes, Basinas, Kranjcar, Utaka; Nugent.

Perhaps I am simply being cynical but I can see some heart-dropping similarities between the two sides. Especially if you are even more pessimistic and perhaps consider that we may be waving farewell to Jamo and replacing him with Cudicini, or even more of a daunting prospect, Niemi.

Consider as well how poorly the 2005 squad performed in the league - rock bottom come Christmas - then would it be fair to assume that the same fate is in store for the current 'team?'

I must confess I am not sure either way, many of you may argue that the likes of Distin and James currently give the team something they did not have in 2005 - reliability. However the comparisons in the overall lack of class in both teams should be noted.

So what do you fella's reckon? Are we in the same boat sailing towards the fizzy pop seas as we were in 2005? Do you think the 2005 team would have a better chance this coming season than the class of '09? Or is another great escape on the cards?

Written by portsmouthcityfc.

The views within this article are the views of the individual who wrote and submitted this piece, sometimes solely theirs. They are not necessarily shared by the Vital Pompey Site Journalists.

Writer: pompeyrug

Date:Tuesday August 4 2009

Time: 4:25PM

Your Comments

I think the current squad is marginally better BUT The Premier League is better these days, and every team is more powerful. So the small advantage of the extra quality of J and D is diminished by the improved quality of everyone else in the division. Sadly, we are a laughing stock - it's a good job we're tough and loyal.

Et_tu_Pompeii

Good call but that allows for two things.

1. All the team are free of injury and at present Finnan, Herman and Hughes are unfit and

2. No other players are sold.
We face worrying time unless the takeover goes ahead in a few days.

eastneydave

Think we're much better off now than then. Every one of those players metioned as in the possible lineup, not even mentioning Diop or Mokoena, have loads of Premiership experience. Of the team of 2005, 6 have played regularly in the PL before. Not saying it won't be tough this year but I don't think we can compare 05 to now

PompeyPirate

Even with the current line up above we are better than Perrins lot. Issue is before 15th August 2009 we could lose James, Distin, Uslacker and Nugget by then.

bluedr

Maybe its just me but...It'll be ok, the Doc has a plan and will be ready to announce it all just in time for the rangers game. Trust me, i am NOT a Vicar lol

Midge

Although Perrin didn't have much to spend, he had a chance to build his own team. He brought in a bunch of French players who a lot of people did not know much about. Hart does not have that luxury. Hart is having to sell players left, right, centre and all other known directions. So in my opinion Hart has a much tougher job keeping us up then Perrin did. When the season started with Perrin, few predicted we'd struggle. Even the 'E' word was being thrown about (granted it was by Lauren Robert) but this season we all know we are going to be down there.

PompeyFrippy

I went home at half time in that 2005 match (gill wasn't well and we were getting drenched in the miltion end, but I didn't object too much); I hope I don't have cause to do the same this time around (leave early that is, not get wet).

UKTony

I dont think any of us are under any delusions that this season is one long relegation scrap for Pompey. What we can't do is to give up before we've started.

tracyc

I agree there are some stark similarities, however, Westerveld; James; Improved Griffin, Finnan (injury permitting), Similar O'Brien, Distin, Improved Stefanovic, Kaboul, Weaker Vignal; Hreidarsson; Improved Mornar, Mullins, Similar Viafara, Basinas, Improved Hughes, Hughes, Same Robert; Kranjcar Improved LuaLua, Utaka; Weaker Karadas Nugent Improved This means the majority are slightly better now, but not dramatic, however my concern is that the quality of the opposition has improved also, and on this squad we are in for a real battle. I think it is critical that we are back to the wall of sound. 'Pompey Fans Blue & White Army' Be loud, Be Proud, Be Pompey!

wakey

I agree with the above, better at the moment; fire sale dependant. Although I will be contraversial and say Harry was a large reason we stayed up, I can't say the same for Hart we were lucky boro and bar codes were truly dreadfull and threw it away.

russellm

Sod it. Who cares. Let's just support the team and get on with it. If we go down, we go down. But we won't go down without a wall of noise behind Jamo's goal each week. Fed up with being miserable about Pompey. We were rubbish when I started supporting them so it's nothing new.

Pompeytim

got to say this season is basically going to come down to whether or not there are 3 teams worse than us... unless burnley are the surprise package of the season then i cant see them finishing above us. brum and wolves are probably on a par with us, and with a bit of luck hull or stoke will get a bit of second season syndrome and that will weigh them down the league a little bit... as was said in the 4-4-2 article the most important factor next season is going to be us - the 12th man, bring back fortress fratton. i know jonny westwood comes in for a lot of stick but bring him back to his central seats and lets shake FP like we did against AC Milan.

portsmouthcityfc

We also have a lot of quality in the younger lads also which does not seem to get a mention and to be quite honest id rather some of these got a chance to play.

greenymj

We also have a lot of quality in the younger lads also which does not seem to get a mention and to be quite honest id rather some of these got a chance to play.

greenymj

If the little snippet in today's Times is true you can add Vignal's name to our line up, apparently we have offered him a trial after he was released by Lens...Deja bloody Vu! I have to admit I did break out into laughter reading it...God help us...

pentonpompey

ya missed Diop, he could prove to be a big player for us next season (wow never thought i'd say that), i dunno we've only lost crouch and johnson, its not all that bad if we don't lose any more and we do actually get some more playes in (he says with great uncertainity) i think we could do ok but hart with have one helluva a job getting us motivated and thats what NEEDS to be done.

pompeym@

I think Alain Perrin was a little hard done by, he was let down by the players he had and has gone on to be succesful again since he left us. The main thing that will make a difference this season is that the Players want to play for Paul Hart, with Perrin they didn't like his disciplinarian ways threw their toys out of the pram and refused to perform for him.

Steve C

Well said Tim !!!

Toronto4Pompey

I really don't think you can make comparisons between Perrins side and the situation now. It's a totally different ball game. Having said that, I actually think that at this present moment in time the squad we have now is marginally stronger. But then there are so many variances regarding different opposition etc.

cornypomp

If we remain injury free (something which is not easy) we will be ok until January. There are other teams who are not strong at all. People, if Hart has a tougher job than Perrin, be prepared to see some defensive stuff again this season. We better try to avoid start leaking goals and boost our morale by getting some decent 0-0 results rather than get done heavily by Fulham for instance.

Pompey Malta

I do not see this line-up against Fulham. I think we will play like this (unless half of our team is playing anywhere else): James, Kaboul, Mokoena, Distin, Hreidarsson, Kranjcar, Basinas, Diop, Belhadj, Utaka, Nugent. Seems pretty decent to me!

Pompey Malta

Nah.. Malta .. Mokoena will probably play but not in the back four.. also Hart is no lover of Belhadj so can't see him starting whereas I can see one (or both if Diop is unfit) of Mullins and Hughes alongside Kranjcar and Basinas in the middle.. .. Anyway .. I'm not sure the premier league is tougher this year .. as City points out there are at least six/seven mabe eight team (including us) that are in for one hell of a struggle .. It's how we do against these that will count.

Chix

The key is getting 4 points against Stoke, Hull, Wigan, Burnley, Birmingham and Wolves. If this happens we can stay up. Losses against these teams and it'll be very hard.

StuartM

Oooohhh they both ooozzze desperation & disaster. Very little quality even if you combined the 'best' of both. Probably Hart's team has the edge with Jamo, Distin & Basinas but relegation fodder on both accounts!!!

storagematt

don't be so depressing... plus I think it's wrong wron wrong... I cant see a single player in the Perrin player I would replace for the Paul Hart one... except perhaps LuaLua or Stef on his day. I mean, for god's sake he's got Karadas in there...AND Westerveld... AND viafarta.... AND Vignal.... I mean they were all really, really, really..... REALLLY.... really, really really CRAP

jim4pompey

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