Gaffer: Credit to Portsmouth boss for half-time changes, but why not start that team against Plymouth?
What did you think?
It was a game of two halves which was turned around after the interval with the substitutions.
Whatever formation it was in the first half, it was never a 4-4-2 in a million years, instead we had John Marquis up against a back three, so he had no chance.
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Hide AdIn the opening 45 minutes we were devoid of anything, there was no urgency, Rasmus Nicolaisen was having an absolute nightmare – then Jack Whatmough came on and stiffened up the defence.
We were far better in the second half and could have won it had it not been for Craig MacGillivray’s mistake.
Praise for Kenny Jackett’s half-time changes then?
Credit to him, but why didn’t we line up like that with the players available?
Fair play to him for the substitutions at the interval and not waiting. If he’d left it until 60 minutes, neither of our two goals would have been scored.
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Hide AdHowever, I still can’t stand him. If we don’t go up he leaves, if we do go up then that’s great because that’s what we all want.
I’m not having him, I don’t know anyone who is. We just want somebody with a bit about them.
Who was your man of the match?
It has to be Tom Naylor. Ever reliable, gets stuck in and produced a well-taken goal. The way he shaped up for it was excellent.
I know his passing is dodgy sometimes but it has definitely improved since the first season, when he would regularly give the ball away.
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Hide AdHe should have played in last season’s play-offs. Bryn Morris is anonymous most games and Cameron McGeehan is not a holding midfielder, he would have excelled in a flat midfield.
As for Whatmough, I love him. He was superb when he came on at half-time.
So is it a ‘Dockyard Derby’?
Sky Sports mentioned the phrase a couple of times, while repeated it at the end of the match as well.
I saw BBC Sport also used it on Twitter to go with their match report, which got a great reaction from fans across the country asking why it’s a derby.
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Hide AdI agree. Imagine travelling four hours for a derby! Nobody outside Plymouth can understand it.
Paul Cook and Derek Adams gave those fixtures an edge, the same rivalry as we have with Sunderland at present. But it’s not a derby.
Craig MacGillivray 7
Callum Johnson 7
Sean Raggett 7
Rasmus Nicolaisen 5 (Jack Whatmough 8)
Cam Pring 6
Tom Naylor 8
Ben Close 5 (Ellis Harrison 7)
Ryan Williams 7
Andy Cannon 7
Marcus Harness 7
John Marquis 7
A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron
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