Pompey v Plymouth: Gaffer for a day

Gaffer for a day Alex Judd previews Pompey's clash with Plymouth.
Pompey defender Adam Webster Picture: Joe PeplerPompey defender Adam Webster Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey defender Adam Webster Picture: Joe Pepler

It is the old cliché, with every game at the moment season-defining.

We require six more wins to guarantee automatic promotion, but even then that might not necessarily be enough.

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We have the quality to do that, yet consistency has been the issue. Sometimes we run teams ragged and score a hatful of goals, other games – such as Barnet and Newport County – it doesn’t click.

Not so long ago Plymouth appeared to have third spot sewn up, but now have thrown it away and it’s a game we can win 2-1.

Defeat, though, and results going against us this weekend could be the end of our own automatic promotion hopes.

Paul Cook has named the same team for three successive matches, but I would make three changes.

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Ideally, I would bring Ryan Fulton back in for Paul Jones, although obviously that is not going to happen through his thigh problem.

The Liverpool loanee has had a couple of mishaps but, broadly, has displayed confidence in the penalty area when charging out to grab the ball.

Having said that, Jones has done really well since returning from Crawley.

At the start of the season Brian Murphy had us biting our nails!

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I would also take Matt Clarke out and bring back Adam Webster. Clarke looked a bit lost against Dagenham & Redbridge and it was concerning Ashley Hemmings was allowed to pull off an overhead-kick to score inside our box.

Finally, I’d switch Adam McGurk for Gareth Evans.

McGurk is a good squad player but I don’t believe has the flair to really light up a game.

The quality of Evans is a little bit better and he also has a more impressive goal record for Pompey.

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