Murphy's Law

Our performance at Fratton Park last season was dire (we lost 4-2) and for an hour yesterday, it looked like more of the same with a disjointed performance against a Portsmouth side who may not have much quality, but who realised the importance of the game. After two games without a win, Curbs bravely dropped Powell and rearranged the midfield to accomodate Ambrose who offers a different option to the injured Thomas, as his regular goal attempts (and goal) proved.

We were fortunate to go in at the interval only 1-0 down, the goal coming from a specuative punt upfield which Hriedarsson dealt with horribly allowing Silva time and space to deliver a terrific finish across Andersen's despairing dive. David Pleat attempted to blame Andersen but this was unduly harsh since the Icelander was clearly at fault, and moreover to beat the keeper from that angle Silva had to rifle the ball an inch inside the post, and he duly did so. However, if Pleat was correct, Andersen certainly made up for it with a terrific save early in the second half which won us the game as much as the two subsequent goals did.

Our success this season has revolved around Danny Murphy's instinctive passing and vital goals, and it's clear the team clicks into gear when he does. If only he had some pace, and we would have the best midfielder in the country (then again, if he had pace he probably wouldn't be playing for Charlton). I haven't checked the Fantasy Football stats for his 'assists' this season, but I can recall several (Rommedahl at 'Boro, Bent at home to Spurs, etc..) and he came up with two sublime passes again at Pompey to secure the points and our fabulous 100% away record.

I recorded the game and re-watched the two goals, and the first was a superb example of patient 'passing and moving' with several players involved (note to Kishishev-bashers: he was inovlved twice) before Murphy delivered that inch perfect pass into Ambrose's feet (thanks to the open legs of the defender) and he finished with aplomb. If that goal was scored by Chelsea or Arsenal, everyone in the media would have been drooling over it.

Ambrose had proved in the first half that he has a far narrower interpretation of 'wide midfield' than Thomas, and whilst the latter provides pace and guile, Ambrose will doubtless provide more goals and it's good to see the healthy competition Curbs loves present again.

You sensed that the equaliser finally relaxed the players and we kept probing and it was another slick Murphy pass into the path of Rommedahl who delivered a rocket finish thus continuing his unusual record of only having scored away from home. The goal was delivered on a plate to be fair by the failure of the Pompey defence to step up in unison, and if Perrin is given the boot eventually, it will be these types of goals which will seal his fate.

We looked comfortable thereafter and it was notable in my view that we dealt far better with crosses into the box, thanks in part to Spector's extra height. As mentioned before, if Curbs is (rightly) going to select Perry then I think his lack of inches needs to be overcome by the addition of either Spector or Hreidarsson at left-back, and a six-footer alongside him. We had the benefit of Bartlett's defensive heading ability (the 'best defensive striker' as Curbs once called him) last season but not this time around.

So after a slightly dodgy period, we are back in 2nd place and with Man Utd and Arsenal regularly slipping up, the Premiership is wide open behind Chelsea. As Curbs pointed out in his post-match interview, 19 points from 9 games would be title form during a 'normal' season. We have perhaps not had the hardest fixtures so far, particularly away from home, but we have had a terrific start whichever way you look at it.

All being well, I will attend my first match of the season next weekend against Bolton, and that game takes on extra resonance since the only black spot on the season so far has been our patchy home form, something which should concern Curbs if only because it seems so illogical.