Some things are worth waiting for, and I guess this is something that both us as fans and him as a player can say was worth the wait as far as Jason Pearce goes.
Having been suspended for the opening 3 games of the season he was finally available for selection and came straight into the starting 11 against Reading for a debut, and what a debut eh!
On this, as he told The Pompey Site, he said: ‘I was delighted to get out there and play in front of the Pompey fans. It’s been a long time coming and I loved it.
‘I didn’t expect my chance to come so early but I think I did alright. The gaffer’s shown a lot of faith in me by putting me on early. I just wanted to repay him.
‘I enjoyed playing alongside Greg Halford and if we get the chance to play together again then the understanding between us will get even better.’
I have to say I did not ‘expect’ him to come straight into the starting line-up but must say Steve Cotterill played a blinder in handing this opportunity to him.
Would it be going ‘too far’ to say that his inclusion ensured we came away with all 3pts?
For me I would say no…
I thought he was outstanding!
Apart from one dodgy moment towards the end when he totally missed the ball when trying to clear that ‘almost’ cost us, he did not put a foot wrong. He was diving in front of people to stop shots, throwing his head in where it hurts, playing by the old ‘if in doubt put it out’ defenders code and generally had a quality all-round game.
If this is the standard that we are going to see from Pearce then I would say that the 23-year-old, even at this early stage, is a real candidate for the player of the season!
A good old-fashioned defender is what he is like and the pairing with Greg Halford worked surprisingly well – they seemed to compliment each other.
His organisational skills also looked top class, without a doubt a future Pompey captain in the making, right?
And to think he cost, what a mere £300,000!?
Then again has we not given him away he would not have cost anything! That said I think his time away, and the apprenticeship served with Bournemouth, has benefits everyone to be honest.
Pearce said that he was hopeful of showing ‘the Pompey fans what I can do’, well as said he has made a pretty good first impression…
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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