Portsmouth v Torquay

[PhilGull]

After the win at Wimbledon hopefully Hargreaves will have learned at Oxford that sometimes you need to change a winning formula, even if it means dropping a player who has performed well.
I think he'll go for

Poke
O'Connor Downes Pearce Nicho
Labadie Lathrope Manse
Bodin Stockley O'Brien

[okehampton gull]

that's twelve. !!!!!!!!!!

[okehampton gull]

brucie , I mean...

[OllieGull]

Quite an odd team change according to BBC Devon Sport, apparently Tonge, Bodin and Goodwin in for Downes, Mansell and Hawley. Can only guess it's a different formation?

[hector]

We seem to have so many players at the moment and comings and goings, that I have almost lost track of which players we have. I haven't really got a clue what our best team is but I would prefer not to see three up front for an away game at Fratton Park. Possibly would play a Ling style formation.

My team would be:
Poke
O'Connor
Pearce
Downes
Nicholson
Chappel
Labadie
Lathrope
Mansell
Bodin
Stockley

[PhilGull]

4-4-2 I guess with Bodin Lathrope Labadie Goodwin across the middle

[hector]

I'm miles out then...

[AustrianAndyGull]

After the win at Wimbledon hopefully Hargreaves will have learned at Oxford that sometimes you need to change a winning formula, even if it means dropping a player who has performed well.
I think he'll go for

Poke
O'Connor Downes Pearce Nicho
Labadie Lathrope Manse
Bodin Stockley O'Brien

That includes taking decisive action in terms of subs if it is apparent things aren't working. This lack of action at Oxford shocked me if I'm honest as it was patently obvious that barring a set piece like a Nico free kick there wasn't a cat in hells chance of us creating anything nevermind scoring. I'm sure it was because he wanted to place faith in those that were out there to see if they could turn it around so I'm happy to give him the benefit of the doubt. It did surprise me however.

We were really poor at Oxford even with an extra week off and that also shocked me but part of me thinks that the squad just aren't up to it. That is why I am happy with whoever Jesus can bring in to freshen things up a bit. As we know, a win here and there after a string of dismal results isn't going to propel us out of the bottom 2. We need some solid form at some point. Hopefully today we can get a win and that would be 2 out of 3 for Hargreaves with the Oxford match hopefully proving a blip. Oxford are in the promotion hunt so it's not a bad result at all on the face of it but today, despite the association of Portsmouth and the term 'big club' the players have to remember that they are only a few points better than us and have a comparably poor squad so there is nothing to fear whatsoever, just that they will be playing in front of about 10,000 fans more than usual which if anything should be an inspiration.

I'm going for a 0-0 in this. I think defensively we will keep it tight after a few inept showings at Oxford so we will improve on that but I just don't believe we have enough going forward to get on the scoresheet here. Perhaps a set piece? The Oxford performance shocked me like I say, I thought we would just take the game to them as they are apparently notorious for parking the bus at home and see what happened but I saw nothing different in the general attitude and performances of the players. It was really, really poor. It's only one game though and I have to forget about it and just hope it was a blip. After all there are teams around us that we can beat so plenty of points to play for. Starting with Pompey today. Whatever team Hargreaves puts out he needs to get some creativity out of them and a high tempo or we'll find it tough today. Good luck Chris!! Bring home the bacon lad!!

COME ON YOU YELLOWS!!!!

[brucie]

That seems a real shock team selection to me. We have only conceded one goal in two games under Hargreaves - I can only assume that Downes must be injured. I guess that Mansell probably isn't fully fit.
Really fearing the worst this afternoon.

[OllieGull]

Full line up:
Michael Poke 1
Dale Tonge 2
Anthony O'Connor 29
Krystian Pearce 5
Kevin Nicholson 3
Shamir Goodwin 17
Damon Lathrope 6
Joss Labadie 18
Elliot Benyon 26
Jayden Stockley 19
Billy Bodin 10

Subs: O'Brien, Downes, Mansell, Hawley, Chapell, Rice and Cruise.

[brucie]

Cannot see the point in bringing Tonge in - O'Connor is comfortable at right back and Downes is a better centre half than O'Connor. Who is actually on the bench?

[brucie]

Dammit - where is Stevens. No Rudge either.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I love Downes to bits but he was atrocious at Oxford and not for the first time. He is superb with his head but more recently has looked like bambi on ice with the ball at his feet. He does score goals however and with a strike force as inept in front of goal as ours that will be a source we can't call upon today if he is out.

[bixieupnorth]

no bets involving us today, gonna be a tight affair, think we'd all take the draw beforehand given all the upset with the hotel overnight

who knows with us tho, could easily be an upset

will say 0-1 stockley

[PlainmoorRoar]

brucie you're such an idiot, the guy has clearly posted the line up above (which you've seen) and put subs....

or you could just look on the BBC website

its not hard

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25892622