Pompey v Mansfield: Gaffer for a day

This is a must-win game now that the league has our complete attention.

Although I think the Checkatrade Trophy is an awful competition, I felt it was important to beat Bristol Rovers in the week.

That ended the run of three successive Fratton Park defeats, removing the monkey from our back, and we go into this game against Mansfield with a bit more confidence.

I believe we can get promoted this season, it’s just that we are really inconsistent.

Paul Cook still gets my vote, although around me in the North Lower there are quite a few who want him out at Pompey.

They think, considering the team we have, we should be doing better, while we do get bullied sometimes being quite a small side.

I would bring back Drew Talbot for this match now he is fit. I thought he was doing okay before his injury.

Gareth Evans is not a right-back and although does a job you want a player who has operated at a higher level, like Talbot.

Going forward, Talbot is not as great as Ben Davies, who I would liked to have kept, while I haven’t seen enough of Adam Buxton.

Instead of Evans at right-back, I would move him up to the right of the attacking three in place of Carl Baker.

I was really impressed with Baker in the first game of the season against Carlisle, but he didn’t do that well at Cambridge recently and can be replaced by Evans.

Evans always pops up with a goal – like he did against Wycombe in the FA Cup – and his heading is good as well.

At Cambridge, we did quite well, digging in to get a good result. However, too many times at home this season we have conceded the first goal.

If we get that first goal I expect us to go on and win.