Gaffer: Portsmouth have nothing to lose against Southampton after typical away victory at QPR

Gaffer for a Day, Rory Murphy, aged 50 from Cosham, gives his verdict on Pompey's 2-0 Carabao Cup win at QPR...
John Marquis is challenged by Queens Park Rangers defender Yoann Barbet. Picture: Nigel KeeneJohn Marquis is challenged by Queens Park Rangers defender Yoann Barbet. Picture: Nigel Keene
John Marquis is challenged by Queens Park Rangers defender Yoann Barbet. Picture: Nigel Keene

What are your thoughts on the win?

It was a typical away victory for Pompey, soaking up the pressure and defending resolutely.

QPR passed it well first half, they also moved it better than us, but without threatening.

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Then a flash of cleverness from John Marquis, rolling the defender, earned us the penalty.

QPR fell away quite dramatically in the end. Our game management was definitely better than a week ago!

What did you make of Kenny Jackett’s team selections?

Well, I don’t know what it will do for Anton Walkes’ confidence, but it was a surprise!

Putting Christian Burgess in at right-back does put into question not keeping Nathan Thompson, we are struggling desperately there.

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While Tom Naylor at centre-back shows we are patching ourselves up, which is a concern.

It actually made us quite defensive and I wouldn’t like to see them in those positions for a league game.

Who was your man of the match?

Marcus Harness was the only bit of creativity we had for 80 per cent of the game.

It was a solid performance from Pompey, but we lacked flair, and on the other flank Ronan Curtis wasn’t doing a lot.

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I really like Harness, he has hit the ground running since coming here.

I remember him impressing against us for Burton last season - and he’s carried that on.

And drawing Southampton in the next round?

It’s very exciting, we have nothing to lose.

You live for those games, it has been seven years of waiting, there’s a generation of youngsters who have never seen a south-coast derby.

It has to be worse for Southampton, they have absolutely everything to lose.

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To have them at Fratton Park is fantastically exciting - I think it’s a really positive thing to happen.

Your match ratings?

Craig MacGillivray 7

Christian Burgess 7

Paul Downing 8

Tom Naylor 7

Brandon Haunstrup 7

Ben Close 7

Ross McCrorie 8

Marcus Harness 9

Gareth Evans 7

Ronan Curtis 7

John Marquis 7

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