Monday 19 May 2008

4-1 to the Out Column?

Having seen Gibbs (thanks readers), Powell and Sankofa shown the door since the end of the season, speculation is rife that we could see more activity in the next 48 hours. Interest in Norwich's Mark Fotheringham continues and this one looks to have legs. The fourth player to leave the Valley looks like being Marcus Bent who will hopefully make his move to Wigan permanent with a £1m transfer fee. Not the £2m we've been talking about for over a year, but I guess he's 30 (today) and I'd take the money.

The next moves could involve Madjid Bougerra and Stuart Fleetwood. Surprisingly for me, Bougherra has sparked interest from Real Betis and that looks like having alerted Wigan. I would have expected Bougherra to have seen out his contract, so maybe Pards is willing to let him move on. If Madjid does leave, he will enter the "disappointing signing" for me, not quite having shown emough of the promise of his arrival - all those internet clips of his last ditch tackles and marauding forward runs which for the most part look to have been reserved for Sheffiled Wednesday and Crewe. The Stuart Fleetwood signing from Forest Green Rovers won't go away. Fleetwood, a former Welsh U21 has had a decent season scoring 36 goals but his previous league career of 65 appearances for Cardiff (13) and Hereford (52) was undistinguished with an 11 goal return, all for Hereford.

Finally, I thought the F A Cup final was very disappointing. Once Pompey got the lead it was all over as a contest and Pompey played like they knew it. Amazingly, that was the 23rd time this season they have scored first and they have won every one of those games. We didn't get the reverse stat but they must be close to having drawn or lost every game in which they have conceded first. Overall, I wasn't impressed with Portsmouth and haven't been for sometime. They look like they have opted for the physical approach to the game at the expense of flair and unless their squad improves, could find next season a struggle.

3 comments:

  1. Surely he'd gone before the season ended?

    ReplyDelete
  2. No, you're right, I see he's only officially moved now - 4-0 it is.

    ReplyDelete

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