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Thursday, 9th September 2010

GALLERY: O'Hara talk inspired Freddie

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Published Date:
08 March 2010
Jamie O'Hara revealed some diplomatic Anglo-French discussions helped bring the best out of Frederic Piquionne as Pompey claimed a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The on-loan midfielder faces possible Wembley heartache, however, with the Blues drawn against Spurs or Fulham.

If parent club Spurs were to defeat the Cottagers in their quarter-final replay, it would mean O'Hara is Cup-tied for the eagerly-anticipated return to English football's HQ.

On Saturday O'Hara was his usual influential self – and was quick to have a quiet word at half-time with Piquionne following a less-than-impressive first 45 minutes from the French striker.

And after the impromptu pep talk, Piquionne was transformed from the moody forward who struggled to get into the game into a fearsome striker who netted the goals that took Pompey through.

O'Hara said: 'He was a different player in the second half. We had to get on his case a little bit in the first half and we had a few words with him at half-time.

'We told him to relax a bit because maybe he was a bit nervous. As the front man, he knows it's up to him to provide the goals, but we told him to play his normal game and it would come.

'But I think it got through to him because he was a totally different player in the second half.

'With Fred, he can go in and out of games at times. He looked a bit lost in that first half. There is a lot of responsibility on him to score goals playing that lone-striker's role.

'I just said to him "go out there, play your own game and show everyone what you can do". The centre-backs couldn't handle him in the second half when he turned it on. He looked fantastic.

'He poached the first one and the second goal was a fantastic finish. When he's on form and he's up for it, he's a great striker.'

Piquionne was in the right place at the right time to poke home from a yard for the opener, but his second was a goal of genuine quality as he latched on to O'Hara's pass and created the opening to fire home.

But O'Hara admitted that Pompey enjoyed a long overdue slice of good fortune as Liam Ridgewell's header – that replays showed had clearly crossed the line – was ruled out when Birmingham could have found a way back into the contest.

O'Hara smiled: 'I was standing on the other post and it looked like it hit the net! But you know what – who cares?

'I've seen the replay – but at the end of the day, I think we deserve a bit of luck considering all the stuff that has gone on this season.
'With everything that's gone on at the club, it's a bit crazy that we're going to Wembley. But I think we deserve it.'

Considering he is only on loan, O'Hara has clearly been bitten by the Pompey bug in his short time at Fratton Park.

He said: 'You can't not get wrapped up in it. It's a fantastic club and the fans are magic. They were unbelievable again.

'You would think that we're playing in an 80,000-seater stadium sometimes with the noise they make.

'It's just fantastic to give something back to them.'

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  • Last Updated: 08 March 2010 3:02 PM
  • Source: The News
  • Location: Portsmouth
 
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08/03/2010 10:36:16
Comment Reported Unsuitable By User
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donnyblue,

Doncaster 08/03/2010 10:47:07
It's good that he is scoring and doing so in important games. I do hope that O'Hara doesn't miss out on a trip to Wembley.
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HarryStotle,

Blackheathstone 08/03/2010 10:51:17
Typically, the national press are again trying to rain on our parade today. The Express is flagging up the possibility of us getting thrown out of the competition.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/162161/Portsmouth-facing-FA-axe-for-Wembley
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Phil JACKielka,

Portsmouth 08/03/2010 10:54:56
GET O'HARA AND PIQUIONNE PERMANTLY, WE WILL NEED THEM IN NEXT YEAR'S PROMOTION BATTLE!!
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pmpycj,

portsmouth 08/03/2010 10:55:07
I hope that next season wherever we be we can get o'hara back, he's so vital to us
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pfcCornwall,

08/03/2010 10:57:40
Absolutly donnyblue.

There have been a lot of doubters on this site in regard to Freddy, but 4 goals in 3 games shows that he is a quality striker and has now got to grips with the premiership.

He certainly started to link up well with O'Hara in the second half.

7

Scumstomper,

08/03/2010 10:59:02
Let's sse a couple more tomorrow night then eh!!??
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pfcCornwall,

08/03/2010 11:01:27
I would suggest that, if we pull of the miracle of retaining premiership status and have new owners, there's a possibility that we could sign both of these guys. Jamie obviously loves it down here, and it appears Freddy's pretty happy too (not withstanding the financial issues).

However both players are premiership players and if we're relgated I'm sure will be lured by the money and kudos of premier league football.

Good result for us between man U and Wolves on Saturday. While there's a mathematical chance, there's hope, hoewver small and forlorne...

PUP
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HarryStotle,

Blackheathstone 08/03/2010 11:27:42
I wouldn't take anything awya from the 2008 Cup winning side - including the achievement of Harry Redknapp - but I am enjoying this run much more for a number of reasons. I believe we had huge doses of luck on the way to lifting the cup in 2008 and often the football was dire, backs-to-the-wall stuff.
That cannot be said of today's team who have played with verve, aplomb and style. Birmingham can have their disallowed 'goal' and we'd still be through, saints were swept aside, Sunderland couldn't cope with Utaka and Coventry fought us all the way to a replay. No doubt about it, we have EARNED the right to be in the semi.
The other thing that makes it especially satisfying is that we are doing while fighting the taxman, the PL, the media, Uncle Tom Cobley and all who want to see us fall flat on our faces.
At the moment, it's them who look a bit silly.
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fatheed,

GALLERY? 08/03/2010 11:30:46
Worst gallery ever. I know this site template has to conform to all of the other Johnston Press websites - but they are all in desperate need of modernisation.

I can't stop coming back here for the banter, but this website and the crappy quality images look they're straight out of 1996. I noticed the actual paper has had a bit of a redesign last time I went home. Any chance of that extending to the website?
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Today's Vote

Can Nadir Ciftci go on to really establish himself at Pompey?
Absolutely, he's a star of the future
Maybe, but he's got a long way to go
He needs a loan spell away, then we'll see how good he is
No chance, he'll fade away


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