Capitulation!!

The result was more than predictable, especially after seeing the line-up Pompey put out, 1 up front hasn’t worked all season, why we thought it would yesterday is beyond me.
Our midfield contained both Hughes and Mullins once more, both are honest grafters but we will nothing with the pair in the same side.

I think I mentioned in my preview we would get turned over if we set up for a draw, hardly needed Nostradamus though did it?

Piquionne was asked to the lone running up front again, webber was out wide and Dindane omitted, Boateng also found himself on the bench after a few lacklustre outings of late. Rocha John Rocha stepped straight in with Ben haim moving to left back allowing Belhadj to push further up field.

For a game where we never had a look in, we actually could of been two up without James of being threatened, first Vanden Borre got forward to force Van der Sar into a save, and then Belhadj beat the Utd ‘Keeper only for Jonny Evans to clear off the line. But that was as good as it got, Pompey had made out their stall to defend, and defend they did, it took until 40 minutes for Rooney to score, he was allowed to ghost in and stoop to head home, criminal defending really, James must question his decision not to come for a cross inside his six yard box as well.
Once the deadlock was broken though, Pompey fell apart as a unit, Nani burst down the left and sent in a cross which took a wicked deflection of Vanden Borre and beat James at his near post, 40 minutes of repelling Utd had all counted for nothing.

The second half and it was wave after wave of red attacks, Hughes managed to join the og club, deflecting a shot from Carrick over James, Pompey were not defending well, but luck was hardly with us either.
Next up came Berbatov, to highlight Pompey’s inefficiency in defence, he was allowed to cut back out from the left and then shoot from the edge of the box past a stricken James, he was wasteful first half, ruthless with this finish.
Not happy with a four goal defecit, Marc Wilson got the goal of the game, he smacked a lovely volley home, shame Van der Sar wasn’t facing him.

5-0 and could of been more, as Rug has pointed out in another article, it is time to sod defence and go all out for goals, if we are to drop, let’s go down fighting and kicking all the way.