Pompey 0 - Arsenal 3
Fratton Park provided a fascinating glimpse of the future.
Not the thrilling prospect of Arsenal's starlets forming the basis of the club's continued success, mind.
Rather Pompey life without Glen Johnson and Niko Kranjcar.
The Blues' most bankable assets were robbed of the chance to feature against Arsene Wenger's side through injury.
In their absence, Paul Hart's men were engulfed by a squad boasting the average age of 21 and considerably more class.
The 3-0 scoreline didn't flatter the Gunners, there really was that much of a chasm between largely their reserves and Pompey.
To think many were rubbing their hands together in rich anticipation of a home victory over Wenger's also-rans.
The problem is, without Johnson and Kranjcar, the Blues are simply not the same team.
With the vultures bound to circle in the summer, the worry is they'll be missing a lot more next season. Most likely all of it.
Saturday's omission of the England right-back was down to a troublesome hamstring.
With Younes Kaboul still not ready to return from a thigh problem, his replacement was Noe Pamarot, who was sent off 12 minutes from time for a professional foul.
As for Kranjcar, the cold, hard truth is he cannot be replaced in the current squad. Instead Hart has been coping in his absence with an extra defensive midfielder.
Granted, Pompey did create chances against Arsenal, particularly early in the second-half with a positive switch to 4-3-3.
Yet the visitors won at a canter and it would take a brave man, woman or child to insist the presence of the Blues' two international stars would not have made a considerable difference.
Both were present at Fratton Park to witness Arsenal's classy youngsters pass their team-mates to death.
Bearing in mind the current climate, however, they could well not be around either on the pitch or off it for the next Saturday fixture on the south coast.
Rumour has it Johnson has a 15m clause in the contract he penned in January. It's certainly a pretty penny but one which still might tempt any ambitious club to invest in the best right-back in the country.
A leading contender for The News' player-of-the-year accolade, he was honoured with three such awards before the kick-off on Saturday.
As for Kranjcar, the 24-year-old shelved contract talks in January announcing he was prepared to see out his contract until the summer of 2010.
It leaves Pompey faced with the prospect of letting a multi-million pound asset slip through their fingers for nothing or selling to the highest bidder.
Coupled with the expiry of contracts belonging to no fewer than five of the starters against Arsenal in Pamarot, Sol Campbell, Hermann Hreidarsson, Jermaine Pennant and Sean Davis, Blues fans may well have to do without many more of those on show.
The summer promises to be an interesting one.
Still, the pre-match gossip at Fratton Park was Peter Storrie had spent the previous two days abroad seeking new club ownership.
He had returned in time to take his seat in a packed directors' box, which once again failed to contain Sacha Gaydamak.
Let's just hope he came back with good news, otherwise that Arsenal result could well become commonplace.
Not that many were expecting a three-goal home reverse upon studying an Arsenal team-list which would have left even the most ardent Gooner struggling to identify.
The first XI, headed by the sublime Andrey Arshavin, consisted of eight changes to the side which suffered an Old Trafford Champions League defeat in the week.
Yet it was a substitutes' bench with a staggering average age of only 19 and just two previous Premier League appearances between them which really raised eyebrows.
Incidentally, Linvoy Primus is five months older than the combined ages of unused substitutes Emmanuel Frimpong and Francis Coquelin.
Regardless, Wenger threw three of them on during the second half and still Arsenal maintained their dominance.
The youthfulness, however, was not merely restricted to those fringe players in the Fratton Park dug-outs.
Their line-up included Carlos Vela, Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Denilson and Nicklas Bendtner all aged 21 or below.
Asmir Begovic aside, every member of Pompey's squad was older than that.
Quite what Wenger's youngsters can go on to achieve in years to come is enough to make any of their rivals shudder.
In fairness, while the fresh-faced visitors did control the match for large periods, Pompey did still carve out their chances.
Nadir Belhadj burst through the middle with characteristic boundless energy which had the visitors back-tracking.
Unfortunately, his left-foot effort screwed wide and eight minutes later it was Arsenal that broke the deadlock.
The outstanding Arshavin's corner was initially cleared but his volleyed return was headed towards goal by Bendtner with David James allowing it to squirm over the line.
Pompey came back through Peter Crouch, yet after carving his way through he poked his effort past the far post.
Arsenal proceeded to dominate and bagged a second five minutes before half-time amid controversy.
Sean Davis slid in to challenge Arshavin inside the area with referee Lee Mason awarding a penalty.
Even the felled Russian disagreed. Yet, after consultation with the linesman, the decision still stood and Bendtner finished.
The interval saw Hermann Hreidarsson and Jermaine Pennant sacrificed for Kanu and John Utaka as Hart switched to a 4-3-3 system.
It had an instant effect, Utaka going close on several occasions as they pushed on to reduce the deficit.
Yet it was game, set and match on 56 minutes when Vela sent in an angled drive past James.
All that was left was for Pamarot to be dismissed having pulled back Arshavin on the edge of the area, while the final 10 minutes was brightened by the sight of Primus warming up amid a tumultuous reception.
It wasn't without irony that the oldest player from either side would receive the biggest cheer.
The chances are he'll get plenty more if he's still around next season.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Sunday 12 February 2012
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