Gaffer: On our day Portsmouth can beat QPR

Gaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, aged 33 from Paulsgrove, casts his eye over Pompey’s FA Cup clash with QPR.
By Neil Allen
Published 24th Jan 2019, 16:14 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2019, 18:57 BST
Gaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, wants Dion Donohue to feature for Pompey against QPR. Picture: Joe PeplerGaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, wants Dion Donohue to feature for Pompey against QPR. Picture: Joe Pepler
Gaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, wants Dion Donohue to feature for Pompey against QPR. Picture: Joe Pepler

This is probably the best Pompey team I’ve seen since Harry’s side which reached the Premier League in 2002-03.

I like the way they are playing, how the team have gelled, the players know where each other is on the pitch, you cannot teach that sort of stuff.

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I’m not concerned about losing the last two games. If, at the start of the season, somebody had told me we would be top in January with 57 points I would have laughed.

Gaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, wants Dion Donohue to feature for Pompey against QPR. Picture: Joe PeplerGaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, wants Dion Donohue to feature for Pompey against QPR. Picture: Joe Pepler
Gaffer for a Day, Kyle Banbury, wants Dion Donohue to feature for Pompey against QPR. Picture: Joe Pepler

I thought it would be the play-off positions, never where we are. A lot of people expect the earth, don’t they.

On our day we can beat QPR. Steve McClaren’s side have won one of their previous five games, yet beat Leeds in the last round. It all depends who turns up on the day.

Looking at the side, I’m hoping Dion Donohue will start against QPR. He’s been used at left-back but, as a holding midfielder, can ping balls and make stuff happen, he has the vision.

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Getting his last injury in October against Burton was a right kick in the teeth for him, happening at a time when he was really finding form.

I rate him a lot, hopefully he can get through to the end of the season without injuries, he is definitely one to keep an eye on.

I’d also like to see Louis Dennis feature, hopefully recovering from the knock he picked up on Tuesday night.

I feel a bit sorry for him, I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes and Kenny Jackett has said he is not ready, but maybe he will get that chance now.

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Obviously we need to strengthen during the transfer window and must bring in another holding midfielder and at least one attacking player. Brett Pitman’s looking tired and Oli Hawkins cannot do it all by himself.

We are missing Hawkins – and have no Plan B without him.

 

Craig MacGillivray

Anton Walkes

Jack Whatmough

Matt Clarke

Lee Brown

Tom Naylor

Dion Donohue

Louis Dennis

Gareth Evans

Ronan Curtis

Brett Pitman

Related topics:PortsmouthKenny JackettPompeyPaulsgroveQPR