How we get there we don't know or care - Pompey need to find a way

It's masterful in so many ways.
Pompey got back on track on Tuesday with victory at Crawley. Picture: Joe PeplerPompey got back on track on Tuesday with victory at Crawley. Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey got back on track on Tuesday with victory at Crawley. Picture: Joe Pepler

Partly, because it perfectly sums up the emotions of where Pompey stand with 11 games to go.

There’s more than a flavour of the frustration at following a side who’ve now unequivocally proved their greatest consistency is their inconsistency.

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Pour in some frustration at the squabbling over the manner in which you choose to follow your team and display your emotions.

Throw in a sizeable dash of giving up knowing what will come next and stir in the hunger to see the back of the footballing wasteland the Fratton faithful have been entrenched in for four years.

Finally, add the leap of faith which was made in the decision of 2,300 travelling fans to loop those sentiments endlessly at Broadfield Stadium on Tuesday night,

We’re on our way-we’re on our way/League One we’re on our way/How we get there we don’t know/How we get there we don’t care/All we know is Pompey’s on their way.

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Whoever dreamed up the chant which now looks certain to be the theme to the season’s finale take a bow.

In the space of three days, Pompey fans had gone from vehemently asking what was the debacle they’d witnessed against Crewe all about to chanting about promotion.

Around 76 hours on from once again demanding for his head, Paul Cook and his blue and white army were being incessantly feted in West Sussex. Confused? You bet. And who can blame Pompey fans for that?

After the boos on the final whistle on Saturday, a line in the sand appeared to be drawn on Tuesday night, however.

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This side may not go down in the Fratton annals as one of the vintage Pompey teams.

As much as they have shown their inconsistency there has been enough evidence of their quality to be confident they can stand toe-to-toe with any of their opposition on their day.

But will the real Pompey stand up?

In fact, it seems they already have with fluctuating performances the truest hallmark of this team.

No wonder everyone’s exasperated.

‘We played well but I understand why people get frustrated with the performances going from like it was on Saturday to this one,’ said skipper Michael Doyle, sent once more unto the breach to deal with press and keep a lid on hyperbole after the game. ‘We get just as frustrated.’

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How can a side produce 17 shots in the first half against Morecambe then not get one on target in 90 minutes against Crewe?

How can such strides be made defensively at the same time as attacking creativity seesaws wildly?

A source of frustration is it appears this Pompey don’t need to be as good as they can be to get out of this division. Evidence of a modicum of consistency and putting anything remotely approaching the kind of runs produced by the likes of Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon last term would do it.

League leaders Doncaster have won one in seven, Plymouth one in six while Carlisle have now lost three on bounce. Luton remain a danger, but are one win in four in all competitions. Stevenage, the form team, have won seven and drawn one of their last eight to sit four behind Cook’s side.

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Of the rest, Exeter (one win in six), Mansfield (one in five) and Colchester (two in six) show none of the potential contenders are grasping the nettle.

Aside from a few very insightful number crunchers, most Pompey fans have given up trying to analyse and draw too many conclusions from their team’s behaviour. It’s futile.

How we get there we don’t know. How we get there we don’t care. Finding a way to get on their way is what Pompey need to do now.