Another clash at the top this weekend, following 3rd place Oxford’s triumph over leaders Plymouth, Pompey host 4th Mansfield in a big tie at Fratton tomorrow.
What’s noticeable about the fixture, is that both sides are much better away from home than in front of their own crowd. Both Mansfield and the Blues have picked up 5 wins on the road, compared to just 2 at home. This could prove troublesome for Pompey, who have failed to win at the Fortress in 3 games, drawing twice, with the last victory stretching back to September 12th.
However after being cruelly denied by Stevenage midweek, with a rather fortunate header looping over ‘keeper Aaron McCarey in the 4th minute of injury time, nothing less than a win in expected this Saturday now.
Yet The Stags had some late action of their own in midweek, finding an injury time winner vs Yeovil. And winning 4 of the last 5 will certainly give Town the motivation to beat a Pompey side that has struggled at home this campaign.
Although hope is not all lost for the Fratton Faithful, albeit a draw that ran out on Tuesday night, there were considerable signs of improvement compared to recent home matches- notably chance creation and shots being one of them. Despite the gutting leak of a goal in the final seconds, the general play from Pompey seemed open. Shots came in after incisive balls, and possession was again a strength- there were positives from the game.
Another thing that Pompey could relish in this game is the prospect of an open one. As we saw with struggling Stevenage, the visitors didn’t set up to defend like every other team on the South Coast this season. Mansfield are unlikely to set up camp at the back either, as they search for that 4th win in 6 to make it 2 wins on the bounce, and overtake Pompey’s leading away record.
Vital Quotes: More Quality Needed
Manager Paul Cook, the man I very much like to feature in this section, is no fool. He knows exactly what’s going on at home, but I think lots of fans are neglecting the fact that it’s not easy to implement immediate change.
The calls for 4-4-2 at home are all well and good, but when you look at the practicalities of it as this very moment, does it work?
What with the tall Jayden Stockley and physical Adam McGurk both still out with ankle injuries, who do we partner with Tubbs up front? Lavery? Chaplin?
When you look at it, yes Chaplin is bagging goals as is Tubbs, and yes Lavery is supposedly this future talisman, yet can two of them play up front together?
None of the 3 are tall, and whilst Lavery and Chaplin possess could pace, who do they have to hold up the ball or flick it on? Tubbs isn’t that player, we know he’s a poacher and he won’t be winning those aerial battles against the 6ft3 centre-backs.
So I think it’s fair of Cookie to claim: ‘there’s no magic formula’.
We haven’t to let him and the team work it out- it’s what they’re paid to do, and if they couldn’t work it out eventually, then they won’t be here.
I have faith, Cook earns my respect when he heads into those press conferences and the reality is, we’re still second. Although it hurts a little to lose point at home, it’s not like we’re falling down the league’s again.
“We`re huffing and puffing, but don`t quite look like we`re going to get on top of someone. It`s more about effort than quality.
“We`ll go back to the training ground, look at the DVDs and then prepare for Saturday`s game against Mansfield.”
I hope it changes this Saturday, as we all do. Let’s just keep the faith- it’s got us to 2nd and 2 points behind the leaders, plus we’ve only lost once. We just need that end product on Saturday.
Pompey Team News:
New injury news coming out the Pompey camp today announces that Gary Roberts will be out for a projected 2 weeks with an ankle injury.
The problem that initially kept him out last month, has returned so he will need to recover once more.
He joins strikers Stockley and McGurk, who suffered ankle injuries some time ago and are yet to return. It’s surfaced in the last few days that it is unknown whether Stockley will return for the Blues at all before his loan spell from Bournemouth expires.
Gareth Evans serves the last game of his 3 match suspension, allowing room for either Kal Naismith to return on the wing, or for Rommy Boco to keep his place following a decent display in midweek.
Brian Murphy will return between the sticks for the Blues, after loanee ‘keeper Aaron McCarey returned to parent club Wolves after his loan spell expired. McCarey was good in his 6 game spell, keeping 3 clean sheets, however leaving with the criticism that he should have saved Stevenage’s injury time header on Tuesday.
Again, Jack Whatmough remains out with his long-term injury. However with his pursuit of regaining fitness, he could be back in around 6 weeks time.
Player to watch: Matt Tubbs
Following a quiet performance on Tuesday, Tubbsy is surely looking for a return to Fratton goals.
It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on, with limited chances coming his way at home. Despite these limitations, he’s still netted 6 times in 14 games.
This earnt him the nomination of League Two Player of the Month, of which votes are now being counted for.
But hot on his tail for the starting place up front his Pompey’s own Conor Chaplin, who is now adored by fans. With his goal that should have been the winner vs Stevenage, he’ll be striving to take that striking position from Tubbs.
Mansfield Town Team News:
Veteran Nicky Hunt returns to the Stags line up following suspension, however fellow defender Krystian Pearce remains sidelined with a ban.
Malvind Benning is unavailbale with a long-term knee injury. Stags boss Adam Murray dedicated the win against Yeovil to full-back Benning, whilst Blair Adams was brought in on loan to full in.
Player to watch: Craig Westcarr
Westcarr returns to Fratton after departing in the summer for Mansfield.
The striker has nearly equalled his Pompey goals return in the first quarter of the season with the Stags. Westcarr has netted 4 times, compared to 6 times in 33 appearances for the Blues.
It was a disappointing season with Blues, following his 19 goal-haul for Walsall in the previous season, so Westcarr will be striving to silence the Pompey fans on his return to his former club.
Match Facts & Stats
Points are often shared between the two sides upon their meeting.
Pompey have only claimed victory once vs Mansfield, whilst the Stags have only triumphed over the Blues once in their history.
As for at Fratton, the 3 meetings have all ended in a stalemates.
The most recent fixture saw Pompey victors on their travel to the Field Mill. Tubbs and Jed Wallace on the scoresheet for the 2-1 win in Nottinghamshire.
Ref Watch:
Jeremy Stacey
Match Prediction:
I think it could be surprisingly open in the clash tomorrow. Despite Pompey’s stuttering home form and Mansfield’s excellent run, I think it could for once be goals, goals, goals.
3-2 Pompey for me. We may even go 2 down initially, but we’ve already seen going behind hasn’t stopped the Blues. Notably the draw with Morecambe in which Pompey came from 3 behind to secure a point, courtesy of a injury time Stockley header. Perhaps not the tension this time though, please?
Next Fixtures: Notts County Away
Pompey travel to play another side from Nottinghamshire on Halloween.
Mid-table Notts County welcome Pompey to the Meadow Lane, the oldest club in world football looking to extend their winning run against the Blues to 4 matches.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
POMPEY PLAY UP!