Gaffer: Fratton Park has lost its special feeling, there's no atmosphere. Portsmouth fans need to get behind their team
How do you assess that performance?
It had a very pre-season feel to it, so apt that the sun came out because it felt like August. The game really lacked tempo.
We were average at best and, considering Accrington are fighting relegation, I would have expected them to give more to the match.
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Hide AdJoe Pigott has been criminally underused this season and we performed better when he was introduced, which usually seems the case when he’s involved.
But, overall, you could see we didn’t have anything to play for. It was a flat performance in a flat atmosphere.
You mentioned atmosphere, there were a few tongue-in-cheek chants!
Singing ‘We’ve had a shot’ doesn’t help, we need to get behind the team.
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Hide AdI understand the frustration, we pay our money and the team wasn’t performing brilliantly, but we still have to support them, this is our club. Let’s get behind them as much as we can for the 90 minutes on the pitch.
Fratton Park can be such an intimidating place, but presently there’s no atmosphere, everyone is moaning from the start. I love going, yet it has lost a bit of its special feeling.
The last good atmosphere was this time last season when we beat Wigan 3-2 after going 2-0 down. Roll on to Saturday and compare the atmosphere.
What did you make of the team changes?
I was really pleased Harry Jewitt-White was given his full league debut, he wanted the ball, wasn’t afraid to tackle, and I’d like to see a bit more of him next season.
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Hide AdI’m not Ryan Tunnicliffe’s biggest fan and I think that’s now the end for him here, it’s the right decision. He’s put in a couple of decent performances since Jon Mousinho arrived, but we need to move on from him.
Reeco Hackett’s absence was a more surprising one, although he is frustrating. The talent’s in there, but he doesn’t do it enough.
As for Sean Raggett, he needs someone to challenge him for that right-sided centre-half role and he’s not had that for a long time. Although you always need a Raggett-type who puts his body on the line.
Anyone stand out for you?
It was between Ryley Towler and Paddy Lane, but I’m going for Lane because he always wanted the ball and was positive.
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Hide AdBeing left footed, he often cut in the right and had our first shot of the game, going quite close in the second half. I think he’ll have a really good season next year.
I’m a big Clark Robertson fan, I don’t get the hate for him from some, but it was good to see Towler return as the left-sided centre-half.
He started off a bit sluggish, missing a couple of headers, but grew into the game. He and Di’Shon Bernard were very forward-thinking with the ball at their feet.
Matt Macey – 7
Joe Rafferty – 6
Di’Shon Bernard – 7
Ryley Towler – 7
Connor Ogilvie – 6
Marlon Pack – 5
Harry Jewitt-White – 7
Tom Lowery – 6
Paddy Lane – 7
Colby Bishop – 6
Michael Jacobs – 7