New Player: New Home Shirt
A couple of friendlies against Bienne-Biel and St Gallen ended in a 3-3 draw and a 1-0 defeat respectively. The first two goals we scored in the Biel match were from Connolly headers from Holmes crosses. They have a telepathic understanding which was implanted by the medical staff at the Staplewood Convalescent Home where they spent so much time together. The third goal was scored by Chamberlain which is kind of surprising considering he’s signed for Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool.
Try as I might I couldn’t really see answers to the most pressing questions regarding the make-up of the team for the Leeds game. You would assume that central midfield will be Jack Cork + one of Hammond, Chaplow and Schneiderlin. In the one game he played, Cork was paired with Schneiderlin. Up front, Sir Rickie was with Connolly against Biel and the Gulyman against St Gallen.... and it all proves nothing aside from the fact that we have a lot of options. Intriguingly, Nigel hinted at a couple more players being in the building and on the bus by the time the Markus Liebherr Memorial Cup rolled around.
By the time it did, we had added a Belgian winger called Steve de Ridder who looks handy enough on You Tube but we reserve judgement as we all remember when we all got a dose of Delgado Fever, all frothing at the mouth as he looked like a World Beater on You Tube. Anyhow, welcome Steve and let’s hope you have a massive impact. Like I say, he looks good on highlights but the only worry is why hasn’t he played for Belgium yet as after all, they’re about as good as Wales. He’ll be either competing with or replacing Alex Chamberlain who upped the ante regarding his moving by giving interviews in two national papers, basically saying he wanted to play for a top 4 club and that he was ready. I’m not going to have a go at him as he’s a kid being advised by others with vested interests but I can’t stand it when you get players trying to engineer moves for themselves. No one has bid this summer so it’s not as if anyone’s preventing him from moving. One of the most boring / switch it off / I don’t give a fuck stories of pre-season has been Carlos Tevez trying to arrange a move for himself, closely followed by the Luka Modric issue at Spurs. Back to Alex – careful what you wish for as personally, an hour against Man Utd reserves doesn't mean you've got it all sussed yet.
Both Sir Rickie and Lee Barnard have signed new 3 year contracts which is really positive news, as was Sir Rickie’s interview in which facially anyway, he looked like he hadn’t touched a pie or a pint all summer. The new home kit was released and it’s back to stripes as we all knew that it would be. A fabulous picture of Jose Fonte looking like a zombie was used to promote the release. Seriously, how can they take hundreds of photos and think that was the best one.
Fonte: Red and White Stripes
A bolt from the blue arrived with the news that it’s only 5 subs instead of 7 next season – apparently to ease financial pressure so clubs don’t have to have so many players in their squad. As we’re right on top of a new season and most clubs (not Pompey obviously) have set their squad sized based on (amongst other thing) needing 7 subs, surely this rule comes in for next season or maybe in three years as most players have 3 year contracts ? Nope, it comes in now which is completely retarded. Is this going to keep the wage bill down at clubs who are skint? Let’s take Pompey as an example as it’s funny - If they need 20 players now instead of 22, will they spend less money overall or just pay higher wages to the 20? We all know the answer to that one. Give me one good reason for this rule change. Why not leave it – Pompey hardly put 7 on the bench all season so just let teams decide how many subs they want between 3 and 7. Nigel Adkins is against it as it makes it more difficult to keep players happy and restricts youngsters coming through. He’s right – as an experiment, I picked a random-ish first XI and 5 subs and I was left with the following players not even on the bench.... Harding, Martin, Butterfield, Barnard, Schneiderlin, Forte, Holmes – not to mention Doble, Reeves, Ward-Prowse and Stephens.
Skates: 2 less subs to find
Anyway, rant over and the Memorial Cup Triangular 45 minute matches thing. We beat Werder Bremen 3-0 with a lovely goal worked between Cork and Connolly, a neat finish by the Gulyman and a Lallana tap-in, set up by Connolly. In our 2nd game, a totally changed side, decked out in our new ‘Brazil’ away kit, lost 2-0 to Athletic Bilbao who took home the trophy but we played pretty well by all accounts. The crowd was quite sparse for this but anyone expecting a 20,000+ crowd for this was deluded. For me personally it was too expensive, having just forked out for a season ticket and when you’re 42 with 3 kids, a mortgage and an expensive wife... you try affording it all. In younger days of disposable income, I’d have been there but some things have to change unfortunately. I’ve see it asked on another Saints blog if it was a snub to Markus Liebherr’s memory that so few turned up. Of course it fucking wasn’t. The word ‘snub’ implies people didn’t turn up because they in some way, reject what Markus did and don’t appreciate it, which is a suggestion that is 100% wrong, it’s as simple as that.
Meanwhile, back to the pitch and Jack Cork’s partner in midfield today was Dean Hammond (which is how I expect the season to start) and Danny Seaborne was in defence with Jose Fonte. The day did see the unveiling of the Markus tribute flag which was the brainchild of JustMike (as he’s known on Saintsweb) or as I call him, Mike who can’t bat or bowl or throw. I think it looks superb and well done for all your efforts fella. A real selfless labour of love but well worth it in the end. May I suggest not taking it to Fratton Park this season.
Two weeks to go...COME ON YOU REDS... once more.
Mike: Nice one mate!!!
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