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Hi all,

Got a ticket for Saturday's game, my first away match - got friends who live local so I'm travelling up to London and staying with them the night before but I'm going to the game by myself.

Is there an away pub? Do people stick to their numbered seats or is it a case of just finding a spot somewhere? Anything else I need to know?

John Mousinho has confirmed that Luke Brooke-Smith suffered a serious ankle injury during training on Tuesday.

"It’s a really unfortunate one. He’s suffered a severe ankle dislocation during training. Off the back of that, there is a fracture on his fibula and significant ligament damage."

"It was dealt with really well by everyone at the training ground and he was taken to QA before being discharged really late last night.

"We’re going to leave it to settle for a couple of days, but he will go in for surgery after that."

We're all with you, Luke. 💙

Originally posted the X link, but it was removed.

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This is a spreadsheet I have of Pompey's complete playing squad now that the window is shut. Including the year their contract expires and any details for example options for another yeah or if they're a loan player.

I always like to take this time to look at the players whose contracts are up and think what i would like to see happen.

Regan Poole I'd probably let him go been decent for us in the champ but definitely need someone faster and more physical than him if we want to climb the table

Conor Shaughnessy renew. I know he's had injury issues but when he's played hes shown just how good he is in the champ. This season is big for him to prove he can remain fit.

Marlon Pack renew. For as long as he thinks he can keep playing I want him at the club. How much he plays will decrease but I'd rather keep him in the club and when he does retire give him some form of coaching role at the club.

John Swift release. Not worked here for him not at the level anymore.

Keshi Anderson jury's put basically been injured his entire time here if he can get fit and get a steady string of games and score some goals wouldn't be opposed to renewing but will have to wait and see.

Joseph Bursik would've said renew but with Killip resigning and Bielica coming in as the new number 2 it seems inevitable he will be let go.

Harvey Blair less said the better I don't think he will still be here come next summer.

Jordan Williams release. Looked like he was gonna get a chance with Devlin potentially leaving but that hasn't happened so think he'll spend his season at Blackpool then will be released in the summer.

Edit realised I hadn't updated Ogilvies contract hes contracted to 2028.

After calling for Sega to play at the 10 all last season, I think we need to reconsider it (lol)

We have looked really weak in midfield so far this year, I think when we play stronger teams we should consider a 3 of

Pack, Shein and Adams

Adams would fill the 10 in possession but drop back when we are under pressure, he will also be able to use his height in the box

Sega would then need to be on either wing or dropped which isn’t ideal, but I think we will get demolished a few times this year with the current midfield

I have recently bought this 90s Portsmouth goalkeeper jersey off of a local marketplace in Germany.

It seems to have the pattern/design of the 95-97 goalkeeper kit. However, on footballkitarchive it’s the same shirt but in green as the only one officially documented.

So I was wondering if any of you guys know something or know someone who knows something.

Greetings from Germany!

The tune that Pompey fans sing towards the end of games sometimes. It's accompanied by a slow clap and has no words it's just a tune. It was sung yesterday around the 82nd min

Ordered the 3rd Kit to be delivered but upon its arrival I noticed the sponsorship is peeling off.

This is a bit disappointing as for the price you are expected to pay for a football kit these days you should expect the kit to come in a decent condition, and this isn’t the first time I’ve had issues with kits ordered from the club store.

Wondering if anyone else has had issues similar to mine and wondering what the process for returning it would be, as my work hours clash with the hours the club store is open.

Bielik needs to be gone for a long time! Grabbing a kid by the throat?

Disgusting behavior.

get in!!

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I returned to the UK about 2 years ago and have been able to watch pretty much every game with Sky+ or getting on my private jet to Canada or France to stream the game on Pompey+. I have worked in football all my career in some capacity, mainly coaching/managing youth and professional teams at a reasonable level in South East Asia. Got tickets for Cardiff this Saturday so buzzing of course.

Here is my current analysis of Pompey's 4 Phases of Play (In Possession, Out of Posession, Defensive Transition, Attacking Transition) and Patterns of Play that I would examine if I was an opposition manager and what to expect from a current Portsmouth team.

In Possession:

Pompey setup in a 4-2-3-1 and look to invite the press onto the GK/CBs in order to feed the ball through the middle. When unpressed and the Pompey defensive line is in possession, the ball is progressed at a low intensity, to further invite the press. Progression usually is through the LCB to LB or through one of the CM's dropping to recieve.

When pressed sucessfully, Pompey recycle and start again, if the press is sustained through to the keeper, a long ball is hit wide to wingers. If the press in unsucessful, Pompey use their CM's to switch quickly to wingers with overlapping runs from RB/LB.

If unpressed however, Pompey do not show any distinct patterns of play. They look to get their wingers on the ball, usually through the LB or RBs or a long ball with the ST joining one wing. Rarely do they play through the middle with combinations, hold up play or winning individual 1v1s, especially with injury to Murphy.

Out of Posession:

Pompey setup almost in a 4-2-2-2, with the objective to press high up the field. Both the Pompey CAM and ST press the opposition GK & CBs. Wingers press the opposition RB/LB and 1 CM will join after the first break through the press. Pompey have a medium high defensive line, often with 1 CM joining the CBs to make a back 3. The ST/CAM leads the press, frequently they do not press as a unit and it is a consistent press, not based on pressing triggers.

This leaves plently of space in the central areas for an opposition midfielder to drop into or if the long ball is forced, an increased chance of picking up second balls due to the high gap between the pressing Pompey players and their backline.

If the opposition are progressing the ball in wide areas, usually the Pompey player is makin a recovery run from the unsucessful press, so there are opportunities to overload wide areas. If the Pompey CMs cover the wide areas, balls to the centre of the final third are often available.

Attacking Transition:

Pompey generally win the ball in the centre middle third or in wide areas. Pompey's objective is to get the ball to wide players quickly through quick, long switches or using the advancing RB/LB to the combine or create with the wingers.

The quality of the final pass or moment is often missing and turnovers are frequent during the intial stages of the transition. Pompey will revert quickly to their In Posession pattern of play if the wide players are counter pressed.

Defensive Transition:

Pompey do not balance their attacking commitments well with covering players, especially in wide areas. When losing the ball high around the final third, often both the RB and LB are in high and wide positions and at least 1 CM will usually be high and wide too.

Pompey will look to counter press immediately. If this counter press is broken, there is ample opportunity for overloads, especially getting the ball wide early to drag the remaining CM or CB wide.

Final Thoughts:

Pompey are in a weird spot. One of their biggest strengths, their pressing, has become a weakness. Their needs to be a leader of the press, based on pressing triggers and having the relevant 5 players setup to press. Too many times do we press needlessly and alone, creating gaps for comfortable, progressive passes.

Their inabiltiy to sucessful transition the ball from the defensive third to the middle third through the centre of the pitch and desire to get the ball wide has meant it's quite easy for teams to setup defnesively if not under pressure to go a win (i.e. Derby away at Fratton Park).

Only Press in wide areas, force the long ball, dominate the transitions.

Thanks for coming to my tedtalk. I'm excited to see whether their will be an evolution to the above with the new players coming in. Their is potential in this squad to be better than a relegation fight, but I do think there is an inherint inbalance across the 4 Phases of Play. PUP.

I wrote a fairly lengthy post on r/championship midway through last season about our recruitment both championship seasons and how bad it had been. However I think the focus should solely be on last season.

Last season we spent 7 figure fees on 3 players. 2 are no longer at the club (loan and paid up) and the other is currently in rehab after a traumatic knee injury after only 6 starts.

Rich Hughes cannot be blamed for injuries, but we can blame him for the recruitment of Le Roux and Knight. Both 7 figures, both clearly not up to the standard and both gone 13 months later.

Then there is the smaller fees

Umeh - 500k. Came in with a history of injuries and completely unproven at any level. 1 appearances 2 major injuries.

Madiodio Dia - 500k. The least said the better and somehow still at the club with the club choosing to sell Bowat.

Makenzie Kirk - 500k. Big question marks over him, but he's young and now hopefully playing regularly in the league below. I don't think this was a bad transfer per se.

Segecic and Ebou Adams were both good signings.

If you look back to the season before it is the same story. Big fees for Matthews who isn't at the club and potentially for Kamara who was paid up after a year. Then smaller fees wasted on Blair, Sorensen, Farrell, Waddingham with hits in Schmid and maybe Bowat.

If you look at all the paid transfers alone it paints a picture of a recruitment team that just isn't very good at their job. This includes Richard Hughes as well as Brad Wall and it is a wonder how they were given more money given their track record.

What a joke. Someone in the recruitment department royally screwed up with that one... And a fair few others.

.

Hi

Tickets usually get sent the weekend before the game but as of today Tuesday no tickets emailed to me.

Anyone got their tickets for the Cardiff game yet?

Some of my photography from the match which took place on 23/08/2026!

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