By no means disastrous!

No, I am not making reference to our Spanish mauling last night, which in itself was disappointing but also by no means ‘disastrous’, although it did highlight the right and wrong way to play.

As a text, sent to me this morning, said in comical fashion: ‘typically the Spanish were dishonest and DELIBERATELY passed to players on THEIR OWN TEAM unlike Pompey!’

Nope, the reference is to the transfer deadline day activities, or lack of should that be…

Whilst it would have been nice to bring in a player on deadline day – and I really did think that Grant Leadbitter would be signed, we can try again in a loan capacity I guess and/or wait until January and get him cheaper should he not sign a new contract – can few, hand on heart, really say that they are surprised that we did not?

This is not me knocking CSI, or PFC in anyway for not doing so, far from it…

We might not have brought anyone in, well technically we confirmed a deal from Lewes, but what we most certainly did do is keep the current squad in tact, unlike pretty much every transfer window in recent times. During these windows, and especially deadline day, you have ‘feared’ players going, and not always for their ‘true worth’ – of course at times you pray that a player, or two, would be moved on but sometimes they do not!

Quite clearly we have a couple of members of this squad that people would want moved on, and some that are being paid way more than our wage budget should see them getting paid but the fact that we have not been hawking players left, right and centre is a positive thing for me and another tick in the box of CSI.

Decent moves have been made in the transfer window while it has been open, and most encouragingly good moves have been made with players coming in on a permanent basis so we now know that we actually own a squad, and are not merely ‘renting’ most of it!

Permanent business has been done and now, when this window re-opens, I am sure that we will do some loan moves to bolster the squad yet further.

Now, in the meantime, all we need Steve Cotterill to do is find what his best 11 is – and picking this best 11 based on ability and nothing else – and then use these 11 in the way that best suits the players.

I am far from convinced that the way we have lined up for so long is the right way, and the way a number lined up against Cardiff with the players used as we did back along was, from my ‘expect managers opinion from the stand’, way off. At least if you are going to look to hit a target man you put a figure that can play as a target man as the man to hit, right?

We now know what we have, and what we have is what we will have until the turn of the year – unless we loan players out, which a youngster or two could see happen to them, although it is more likely that those really in the 1st team will stay and the movements made in the loan window will be to bring players in to further improve things than send them out.

Onwards, and hopefully, upwards eh…

PLAY UP POMPEY!



Frippy’s Virtual Bookies – link to update here.