HarryfromBath assesses the mood in the opposition camp ahead of Tuesday night’s FA Cup third round replay at Fratton Park by delving into their forums.
"I am not really sure about this one. The question is ‘Are we as good as we appear to be and more than capable of performing at this level?’. This will test us and we will be up for it”, "This might well come down to who wants it the most”, "I still believe we can do them.”
With no midweek fixture last week and with Saturday’s game at Accrington having been postponed due to an unplayable pitch, Pompey have not kicked a ball competitively since the final whistle sounded at Portman Road last Saturday week. Our visit to Fratton Park is now keenly anticipated.
"Ipswich fell out of the play-off places into seventh yesterday and they play the team in eighth on Saturday in what is now a fairly massive fixture for them”, "The dice is loaded in our favour now as they will have had only a two-day break between Saturday’s match and Tuesday’s.”
"Clearly Saturday’s home game against Oxford is a big fixture for us as well, but with an added week's rest I believe we can win this one, particularly given how dominant we were at Portman Road. I fancy us to make it five years in a row that McCarthy hasn't made it past round three.”
"It’s nice to have a game come up where I'm super relaxed about the result”, "Anything other than a draw please”, "I'm going to this so I'm hoping for a win, if not then a battling narrow defeat to give me some cheer on the drive home”, "We just need our players to give it their best shot.”
Final prediction polls ahead of the first game were closely split between all three outcomes with 40 per cent of fans forecasting a draw and 35 per cent a Town victory. "I really hope that whatever the outcome, we come away with our deserved reputation as a good footballing team enhanced.”
Most supporters just wanted to see their team play to their potential irrespective of the result. "I just hope the team can hold their heads high at the final whistle”, "I'm hoping for a good performance so we make a game of it and impress a few people but after that anything's a bonus.”
"Mick McCarthy gave his reasons behind his team selection, most of which makes sense and seems fair enough. Credit to him for announcing it early because it gives Ipswich fans prior notice that a so called ‘weakened’ team is being played so they can't say they didn't know.”
Pompey fans gave our manager credit for naming his starting XI early and they were buoyed by the absentees. "McCarthy doesn't see it as a reserve team but there are players in his selection who need fitness. I had us down to lose but not so sure now. I see it being fairly even and a good game.”
They were happy with their starting XI (above) despite it having a makeshift central defence and Michael Doyle’s absence in midfield. "That’s a strong side, go get them Pompey”, "I can see us winning this”, "It sounds really exciting there, Pompey fans make such a noise.”
"Ten minutes gone, 79 per cent Pompey possession”, "Ipswich are second best all over pitch. There is a stark contrast of teams' comfort in possession. Town not had a touch of the ball, they can't get it off Pompey”, "We need to score when we're on top”, "Where's Nugent when you need him?”
The consensus was very positive at half-time with fans very happy with their team’s first-half display. "That was a great first half, we should be at least two up”, "I love Paul Cook, just for giving me back a competitive football team for the first time in five seasons. Cheers mate, a glass raised to you.”
"Ipswich will probably get a half-time rocket from McCarthy and sneak the win”, "We are dominant in this game and should be at least 3-0 up. The only worry is that Ipswich can't possibly be as bad as this in the second half. Their fans haven't sung one song or chant and it's like a home game for us.”
They weren’t shocked that former Bournemouth striker Brett Pitman was involved in Tommy Oar’s goal to the put the Blues in front eight minutes after the break. "Brett Pitman, quelle surprise”, "Kyle Bennett makes it 1-1”, "Conor Chaplin, 2-1 to us”, "Chaplin manufactured an opportunity for himself out of a counter that resulted in a cracker of a goal”, "A Brian Murphy mistake, 2-2”, "It was a big mistake giving this clown another six-month contract.”
"Come on lads, a replay would still be a cracking result. The extra cash might even pay for a new keeper”, "We need a new keeper”, "Murphy is a liability, the only player that Cook persists with that I really don't agree with”, "I hate it when we give away goals - that's why we're League Two I guess.”
"Full-time, 2-2”, "Are we happy with a replay? I guess it means more cash in the bank and a chance for some fringe players to get a run out”, "We cocked up at the end but we dominated a side who are in a play-off position in the Championship. We can be very proud of the lads today.”
"Let's face it we were bloody good today.” Pompey supporters were immensely proud of their side’s showing in their post-match assessments. "Can I add words of praise to the Pompey fans in Suffolk today? The team did us proud, but you reminded everyone that we haven't gone away.”
"So very proud”, "What a great performance, one that I hope will really instil some confidence in this team. I haven't felt this good about being Pompey since winning the Cup”, "Who would bet against us in the replay after that performance? We can take a lot of encouragement from today.”
"Just back from the game, what an absolute pleasure to watch”, "A great performance and Mick McCarthy seems to have been impressed with us”, "Our passing and movement looked far better than Ipswich”, "We were so comfortable playing a Championship side it was unreal.”
"That is the best I've seen us play in around five years. We absolutely bossed the game from start to finish apart from a five-minute spell at the beginning of the second half and right at the end. They couldn't get near us with our passing. You would have thought we were the Championship team.”
"A cracking result today against a Championship club”, "Put it in context, I guess. We go away to a side two divisions above us and come home with a good draw. Yes, they played a 'reserve' team but that was the team they put out and you can only deal with what you have in front of you.”
Visiting supporters were full of praise for all of their players but were happiest to dwell on fringe players who contributed to the result. One player regularly singled out for criticism however was former Town glovesman Brian Murphy.
"I have to believe [Pompey manager] Paul Cook is really looking for a keeper”, "Brian Murphy has cost us points this season and let in a schoolboy error yesterday to cost us the win at Portman Road. He has 10 clean sheets this season but much of that is down to an excellent defence in front of him.”
"To be fair the Ipswich second is often given as a foul, but a bigger keeper would have made that ball his”, "Sorry but no foul for me, had Murphy moved for it he would have been in the air before the player [Luke Chambers] put his hand on him”, "That's the fourth or fifth error this season from him that's cost us.”
"Adam Barton has slotted in at centre-back seamlessly over the last few weeks. Being comfortable on the ball is a key trait for defenders in our formation so it makes sense that a natural midfielder would fit in, but he's offered much more than that. He reads play well and puts in a good tackle.”
"Adam Webster at centre-half got turned really easily for their first goal but apart from that was superb. So many good moments where he won the ball in difficult conditions, strode out brilliantly or gave a good ball. It's really great to see the homegrown player become a first team regular.”
There was similar praise for fellow youth-product Ben Close in midfield. "Close was utterly superb”, "He was a brilliant deputy for Michael Doyle. I would love to see the pair of them together”, "He has played against three Championship teams this season and been outstanding in all three.”
"Michael Doyle is surely back in for Danny Hollands.” One important likely change for the replay is the probably return of the former Sheffield United midfielder after his regular partner Danny Hollands fractured a bone in his leg in training, ruling him for around two months.
"It looked like Kyle Bennett had a game and a half as well”, "He worked his socks off. He has really added this to his game lately and he certainly deserved having his own song sung today” "He looked fantastic again”, "Ipswich could not cope with Marc McNulty and Bennett's movement in particular.”
"That was a superb goal by Conor Chaplin”, "Chaplin will be some player. He is being guided just right.” The 18-year-old youth product replaced former Blue Gary Roberts on 77 minutes and scored Pompey’s second goal nine minutes later and was frequently singled out for praise.
"Chaplin's contract has to be looked at and if he does leave here it must be for an infrastructure-changing fee of millions. He is a star in the making”, "He is best used as an impact player at this stage in his very early career”, "He showed he had a lot to learn starting a few games early in the season.”
"Will it be on? Their last three home games have been postponed and amazingly their last home game was on 14th November”, "It's guaranteed to be postponed looking at long range forecasts for Accrington. Every day either has rain or snow with temperatures dropping to minus six.”
"I fancy it to be postponed due to frozen pitch.” Pompey fans were speculating as early as last Tuesday that Saturday’s league fixture at the Crown Ground would fall victim to the weather and the postponement after a pitch inspection at 10 am on the day of the game came at little surprise.
"I spoke to someone in the area and it is frozen solid all over. Why they didn't have the inspection earlier I don't know. It wasn't even a marginal decision in the end”, I admire their enthusiasm to get the game on especially after so long without a game there but it was blatantly obvious.”
Bristol Rovers’ 2-1 win at Oxford saw the Pirates claim fourth place from Pompey but many fans were philosophical about the postponement. "On the one hand this would see us slip further behind our promotion rivals but on the other see us fresher for the fight with Ipswich.”
"Their pitch is in no state to play football”, "I feel sorry for the people travelling up there”, "Hand on heart, I think we all knew this was highly likely to be called off. They have had problems with their pitch for some time, but we can concentrate now on the Ipswich game on Tuesday.”
"Ipswich drew today against Preston to fall out of the play-off places. With a big game against eighth placed Birmingham next weekend, you have to think they will now be prioritising that. Mick McCarthy hasn't got past the third round with Ipswich too. I fancy us to win on Tuesday.”
"McCarthy is not interested in this competition. A weakened Ipswich team will be thrashed by a full-strength Pompey in 90 minutes”, "We do have one thing in our favour. Since Mick McCarthy took over they have not won a FA Cup game. The last time were in the fourth round was 2009/10.”
"I would welcome a go at Bournemouth at Fratton Park if we're good enough.” With just over 60 per cent Pompey fans forecasting a home win on Tuesday, they are guardedly optimistic about entertaining the Cherries in the next round. "We will win this game. We have had a weekend off.”
"Ipswich will not want the embarrassment”, "McCarthy will play a stronger side at Fratton”, "He won't rest so many next time.” Pompey supporters feel that much will depend on the strength of the team Mick selects. "I don't think Ipswich will give us second chance but hope I'm wrong.”
"It will be down to which side feels it is less of a distraction to the principal matter in hand, namely promotion from its league”, "I think it will be a hard game and tougher than the one at Portman Road with only a goal in it either way”, "Hopefully not penalties as we have a big game on Saturday.”
"We have not beaten Ipswich at home in any competition for 50 years, since a 4-2 league win. The underdogs also normally get one big chance and this was spurned at Portman Road”, "We haven't beaten Ipswich at Fratton Park since 1966, covering 15 games. I reckon that run will continue.”
One Pompey fan was quite unequivocal: "I want us out of the competition. We have gone far enough and need to concentrate now on closing the gap to Oxford in third place.”
The busiest Pompey message board is the polite and very knowledgeable Pompey Online for which registration is required. Some informative blogs and match reports can also be found at PompeyFans.com.
Notes for the original Portsmouth Cup game, including an in-depth look at their team, can be found here.