portsmouth vs liverpool

for the 1st time, it actually seems plausible to get 3 points from portsmouth.

it just shows the gap in class between liverpool and chelsea. chelsea would be expected to get 3 points against pompey even at fratton park.. but for liverpool, getting a point there would be considered an achievement, especially considering we've already lost there twice last season

unfortunately, a draw is no longer an acceptable result. if we want to get that 4th spot, it has to b 3 points or nothing.. the good thing is i think most liverpool players have recognised that and even the game against spurs showed some determination and passion to win, even if they only started to get going after 30 mins or so. ( they did play against juve after all..)

yet again, liverpool face a club who just had a change in management.. it was like that against southampton, man city and now pompey.. so far, a change in management has been a bad omen for us. it's 2 losses out of 2 when the opposing club changes manager..

however this time, i just can't help thinking it will be different.

pompey's strengths are in their attack. lua lua, yakubu can give alot of problems upfront but can be contained.. other than that, i do not see any player who stands out.

the 4-2 win against charlton to me flatters to deceive.. it seems like just about anyone can beat charlton nearing the end of the season..

pompey survive in the premiership for a very simple reason: they win enough home matches and draw enough away matches..it's not to say they are that much of a fortress at home but it's never easy to get a win at fratton park..

all in all, considering liverpool's terrible away form and pompey's reasonable home form, this is another tough match to predict. on neutral ground, you would have to go with liverpool but the new management and liverpool's tendency to concede goals away weigh horribly against them..yet, we cannot forget that pompey is only an average team..player for player, liverpool really does out class everyone of them..

in the end it'll all boil down to who's got more hunger, which to me is always more valuable than skill or technique.

what i can predict is it will not end goalless.. that i dare say...

both will need points but for contrasting reasons.. so it's not easy to say who would be more hungry for the win..i think it'll end 1-0..if i was a neutral i can't say who the winner will be..but oh well i'm a liverpool fan so here we go again..

final score: pompey 0 liverpool 1