Gaffer: Forget the hype, ex-Millwall and Gillingham man Ben Thompson isn't the player he was, Portsmouth have better in current midfield

How do you regard that Pompey performance?

Professional, very calm, we totally controlled the game – and I got the impression we had another gear to go up.

I know people get very frustrated when we play the ball sideways, up the line, then back again and sideways, but that’s just us controlling the game.

For the first goal, we must have had two minutes of possession, then the ball comes through, Harness breaks the line, crosses and bang it’s 1-0.

Still, it has had an end-of-season feel for a couple of weeks now. I watched Morecambe on iFollow and half of them were on the beach – Football cliche number 72!

Who was your man of the match?

It has to be Joe Morrell, he totally bossed that midfield and his combination with Louis Thompson was outstanding.

He has got better and better and, for his size, is a real fighter in there, he really puts the challenges in and gets a lot of attention.

If you look at the way Gillingham set up, they had Stuart O’Keefe on Morrell and clearly he wasn’t able to do the job because he kept fouling him and had to be taken off at half-time.

It was noticeable in the second half we had more space in midfield and it’s great that Morrell is so composed on the ball and happy to get it.

What did you make of Ben Thompson’s ‘homecoming’?

I thought he had a decent second half, but he’s not the player he was.

When he was with us, Thompson was great, just what we needed at the time, someone in midfield who was going to drive forward.

He was the catalyst for so much under Kenny Jackett, so important to the team, players played well when he did. Then he left and we were a totally different side and missed out on promotion.

I have no doubt that if Thompson came back to us, which I don’t think is ever likely to happen, he will probably do a good job, but he’s not the player he was, he doesn’t seem to have the legs.

Sean Raggett is The News/Sports Mail’s Player of the Season. Agree?

I think Raggett has consistently been our best player this season and would love for him to stay.

Look at his strength from set-pieces, even if he doesn’t score, look at how opponents normally put two men on him. He has been phenomenal.

Bearing in mind that, not so long ago lots of Pompey fans were thinking he was a bit of a joke, they didn't really fancy him at all.

When he first arrived, I didn’t think he was good enough to be in the team, but when he and Christian Burgess started to play together, that was the start of it.

Of course, Raggett winning the coveted award on Saturday means he won’t be with us next season, no winner ever is!

Gavin Bazunu – 6

Hayden Carter – 7

Sean Raggett – 7

Clark Robertson – 7

Connor Ogilvie – 7

Joe Morrell – 8

Louis Thompson – 7

Marcus Harness – 6

Ronan Curtis – 7

Michael Jacobs – 8

George Hirst - 7

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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