The lights are on, we're raring to go...

[Rich Pullen]

Malpas didn't name any names. Good.

[Dazzza]

Malpas didn't name any names. Good.

Suspect it could be Maher.  Just name checked as well.

[STFC_Chris]

We played some decent football, first 30 minutes or so in particular. It always looked like Portsmouth could step up a gear or two if needed.

Amankwaah looked decent, Kanyuka was pretty tidy too bar a couple of dodgy clearances. McNamee was different class, their fullback (Cranie?) didn't stand a chance... clapped off by Portsmouth fans when he was subbed, I think they were probably pleased to see the back of him.

Ground looked good, pitch was excellent...although the real test will be in December/January. It might take some getting used to queueing 5 minutes to get in!

[blinkpip]

They still need to sort out the food kiosks in the Don Rogers Stand. Has the food improved?

[Batch]

The queue in the DR for food was very, very long. I didn't wait to find out.

Marshall looked like a headless chicken. Quick but devoid of quality. That said, he must have been nervous playing for a contract against prem opposition.

Paynter had a carthorse of a game.

JPM put some good work in, something you can't always say. He has quality too as we know.

Amankwaah looked solid but unspectacular. Not a criticism, early days yet.

Kanyuka did OK, I think Ifil edges it just now but he's got stiff competition.

Vincent was frustrating at times. As was Jack Smith when he came on.

Brez took the man when clean through, and would probably have got red in a real match. Likewise Cox was hauled back and (was it Campbell) for our pen.

Phil Smith did nothing wrong

I thought Allen did well too, up for it and didn't look out of place. Not quite ready for a first 11 chance yet, but promising.

Saving the best until last,

McNamee had a stormer. I swear he delayed some of his crosses to draw the defender so he could take the piss out of him again and again. He must have had 10 high quality crosses in the game creating at least 3 or 4 excellent goalscoring chances.  He did have one bad cross though, nobodies perfect!

In fact after the game I heard one pompey fan call him Awesome, and another guy asked us who he was - "Anthony McNamee and he's not for sale"

So all in all, If I was assessing the squad I'd say this, good base, but we need a goalscorer, a left back and a spare winger. We may get the goalscorer out of what we already have.

Good performance. I guess Pompey showed premiership quality finishing, and had a bit more of the ball, but we competed well and could have won the game if someone could get on the end of McNamees crosses.

Good crowd too, much more than I tought would be there!

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

based on that performance i see no reason why we can't be challenging for the top two. McNamee put in his best performance yet, everyone held their breath when ever the ball went to him

[Panda Paws]

Macca was awesome tonight, lets just hope he can continue his form into the season. Cox looked sharp first half but tailed off in the second, Amankwaah looked solid, strong and quick but lacking any real quality on the ball. All in all it just reaffirmed what we already know, we need a left back and a right midfielder, and quickly!

The young trialist tried too hard. He looked quick and tricky, but it just seemed that he wasn't playing his usual. Instead of beating one and delivering or playing the easy ball, he wanted to do something outstanding, but in his defense, it was clear he had something about him and is just desperate to impress and secure a pro deal.

Ground looked tidy, pitch was lovely and it all seems a bit more of a professional set up around the ground, apart from the service in the Don Rogers...absolute shambles!

[PHIL!!!!]

It's great to see Macca and Coxy doing so well, but my only concern is that if we take these two out of the team (i.e. they get injured), i can't really see where the goals are goin to come from!? Like i know it's only pre-season un'all, but so far it would seem these two are the only ones grabbing the headlines....It would be nice to see Paynter, JPM etc getting more involved with the goals....I don't mean to sound all negative, but we need goals from players other than Cox, and have players grabbing the headlines other than Macca.

Like i've said, i realise it's only pre-season, and we've only played 4 games, but it paints a picture as to what to expect in the forthcoming season.

[Chubbs]

i thought we'd brought back ricky shakes for a trial.

[axs]

mmm, pub and football. I've missed that combo.

[chalkies_shorts]

For a friendly it was a good game. Macca was brilliant. He really took the piss out of whoever was in front of him. Pompey players got quite lary in the second half. A 2-2 draw would have been a fairer reflection of the game. Cox really turned Campbell inside out for the pen. Depite the result, we looked fit and relatively organised. The Malpas haters will no doubt look at the result not the performance. 

[michael]

So, is Aljofree seriously injured? Someone near me said "Oh no, he hardly ever goes down". Yeah right, he's the biggest wimp in the squad.

[michael]

And what still impressed me about Macnamee is that, every time, everyone knows he is going to go outside... he never cuts inside... and yet he still, somehow, manages to get a wicked ball in.

A man the size of Billy Payner really should be looking to hit the middle of the 6 yard box everytime Macnamee gets the ball, he'll score 15+ easy if he gets on the end of those crosses.

[DV]

Short one...

we played well, we passed it around fairly well, we pressed very well and were on the pompey players like a shot. Timlin played really well. Paynter did well up top, looked alot sharper.

Myself, Si and Rich thought the winger in the second half was Ricky Shakes.

We created more chances than they did and they by no means had a weakened side. The quality of crosses from JPM and McNamee were pretty good.

3-1 flattered Portsmouth. Their first goal however was really good.

Watched the replays on SSN and still not convinced either was a penalty.

McNamee is awesome and waaay too good for Swindon. He was up against some pretty good defenders in Lauren, Distin, Campbell, Paramoe and even Craine and he tore them all apart and made them look stupid on many occasion. Give him a life time contract now and I find it absurb that Watford couldnt find a use for this little magician. All his crosses were top notch as well.

One of the best and most skillful players we've had since Mark Walters, a joy to watch and every time he got the ball something was going to happen.

*awaits for the McNamee to Pompey rumours to start*

Also Peter fucking Crouch is fucking shit and is in no way shape of form worth 11 million. Missed an easy chance and other than that couldnt get past Ifil. Such an overrated footballer. They looked much better with Defoe and the trailist upfront.

[michael]

Just under 8,000 there tonight.

Will that performance stimulate ST sales?

I really want a free 1969 top.