But obviously there will only be one team in blue at Fratton Park on Saturday, that’ll be Pompey as we play host to Carlisle who will be wearing…erm…not blue as the 2015-16 season begins.
All in all I’ve got to say that I’m happy with the squad Paul Cook has put together this summer, the departures have made way for arrivals who (in my opinion) in basically all cases offer at least what those before them (overall) did and in many cases more.
I think perhaps some offer more ‘potential’ wise, at least ‘promise’ wise…
Clearly we’ll feel the loss of Adam Webster, a player as cultured and able as him will be a big miss for any club whatever level you play but with or without promotion last season I reckon we would have struggled to retain him at Fratton, right?
Missing out in the play-offs made it a dead cert.
When fit Matt Clarke (part of the player plus cash deal that saw him come in from Ipswich for keeps) will be an able deputy who defensive offers more perhaps with the potential to improve.
On the ball he’ll (Clarke) not be as cultured, although that ‘should’ (fitness permitting) be where Jack Whatmough comes in, but as for defensive ability wise he’s on par with Webster the same applied to Whatmough (but he’s more cultured too) but can he stay fit? When he is will he be the player he threatened to be before his serious knee injury?
The shock exit, certainly a shock in as much as he left Pompey to join a club in the Championship on the eve of the season, of Paul Jones means we need another goalie. David Forde, in my mind is the better option on the two, which makes Jones’ decision to be unhappy to sit on one bench all the more surprising he’ll be happy to do so at another (at best) but it’s a couple of steps up the ladder and good luck to him.
In an attacking sense we seem to have a better balance of what will be offered from midfield with it looking as though we’ll have the right blend to link together and make some players (such as Gary Roberts) as effective as they threatened to be last season and history suggests they can be.
As for the strikers look like they could share the goals around with Noel Hunt’s arrival particularly pleasing for me. All will chip in I reckon, if they take the chances they get, but should Conor Chaplin be given a greater role this season I could see him being the player that bags a hatful, even though Cookie doesn’t think we need to be too worried about that.
The main question mark that needs answering though is have our problems, the costly ones, from last season been answered?
CAN WE BREAK DOWN THE ANTI-FOOTBALLING TEAMS!
We know, arguably more so this season, we’ll have a team of footballers who can play good stuff, breathtaking stuff at times, that can cope with most at a level up to and including Championship, but can we break down those teams that aren’t looking to go toe to toe…if they do (in fairness, they have no obligation to do so) we ‘should’ win such a battle more often than not. If not can we beat ‘the bully boys!’
Chances created need taking too with costly points dropped at Fratton another thing we cannot afford this season. Away from home we’ll do well enough again I’m sure but at the Park we need to turn more of those draws into wins.
We’ve no ‘divine right’ for success and it isn’t a case of just turning up and winning but the expectation, rightly or wrongly, will be high.
Admittedly I’ve no idea what Carlisle have done this summer but they shouldn’t be a pushover, and I’ll not view them as such but (always a but isn’t there) if we’re not able to win to kick-off the season I’ll be disappointed, wouldn’t you?
I think that is more than enough from me, lets hear from you…
Ahead of this we’re looking for your views, as always, on what way you think and how you feel this will go.
That obviously requires you to vote on the latest poll in one of 3 ways?
What the poll is asking – Pompey v Carlisle?
Options to vote – Pompey win
Draw
Carlisle win
You have until kick-off to vote.
Remember you also have until kick-off to make a prediction in the Pompey Predictions League.
Carlisle (h) – Saturday 6th – click here.
Thoughts?
PLAY UP POMPEY!
Follow @VitalPortsmouth.
2016-17 Prediction League – August
Carlisle (h) – Saturday 6th – click here.
Crewe (a) – Saturday 13th – click here.
Morecambe (a) – Tuesday 16th – click here.
Colchester (h) – Saturday 20th – click here.
Exeter (a) – Saturday 27th – click here.
