Gaffer For A Day: Portsmouth deserved Derby point - and there are three worse sides than both of them

How do you view that Pompey performance?

Both teams had chances to score in the first half, while both defences were quite jittery and nervous, so it could have been 2-2. It was scrappy and a batting opening 45 minutes.

Derby could even have been down to 10 men after Jacob Widell Zetterstrom’s foul on Colby Bishop. Still, the penalty wasn’t scored, while Colby also missed a couple last season.

In the second half, both teams looked a bit more prepared and a draw was a fair result, we deserved it, we never gave up and kept on going, showing resilience.

I must admit, I couldn’t see us getting another equaliser, Derby had locked up shop. But, on the balance of play, we warranted a draw - and I don’t think Derby deserved to lose.

Who stood out for you?

When Rob Atkinson is involved, Pompey are a different team, he makes such a huge impact.

He’s so strong on the ball, clever on the ball, and solid at the back. When he’s playing, you can see he makes his team-mates around him more confident.

That own goal was probably a bit of rustiness, but perhaps that cramp he afterwards talked about was inadvertently a good thing because it made him go up front - then score the equaliser.

Who do you make of the Christian Saydee selection?

John Mousinho knew Derby would be direct and physical, so he put Saydee in there for his physical presence and to hold the ball up.

It’s the first time he has started since January and he showed a bit of rustiness. Having said that, he’s good on the ball and puts in so much effort, even if he isn’t really going to create anything.

He and Adil Aouchiche are talk and cheese. Adil is a creative, flair player, whereas Saydee is physical and makes it hard for the opposition.

I prefer Saydee as an impact player, he showed last season he does better in that role. I would have instead started Terry Devlin there against Derby.

How does the relegation picture look to you?

We are one point better off now, even though we have gone down two places. Still, it’s four points above the relegation zone after Saturday.

I’ve been saying since October that there are three teams worse than us in the league. Plymouth and Luton have too much work to do, so I think it’s one of Cardiff, Stoke or Hull to go down with them.

How many points do Pompey need? How long is a piece of string! I’d like us to be unbeaten between now and the end of the season, with four points enough to stay up.

Nicolas Schmid - 7

Zak Swanson - 6

Regan Poole - 7

Rob Atkinson - 9

Connor Ogilvie - 8

Freddie Potts - 6

Isaac Hayden - 6

Matt Ritchie - 7

Christian Saydee - 6

Josh Murphy - 7

Colby Bishop - 7

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