“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. The consensus was very positive at half-time with fans very happy with their team’s first-half display. 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?” There is a stark contrast of teams' comfort in possession. “Ten minutes gone, 79 per cent Pompey possession”, “Ipswich are second best all over pitch. “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.” They were happy with their starting XI (above) despite it having a makeshift central defence and Michael Doyle’s absence in midfield. Murphy Davies Barton Webster Stevens Hollands Close Roberts (c) McNulty Bennett McGurk I see it being fairly even and a good game.” I had us down to lose but not so sure now. “McCarthy doesn't see it as a reserve team but there are players in his selection who need fitness. Pompey fans gave our manager credit for naming his starting XI early and they were buoyed by the absentees. 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.” “Mick McCarthy gave his reasons behind his team selection, most of which makes sense and seems fair enough. “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.” Most supporters just wanted to see their team play to their potential irrespective of the result. “I really hope that whatever the outcome, we come away with our deserved reputation as a good footballing team enhanced.” “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.”įinal 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. Pompey Fans’ Reflections Before and During Our First Game I fancy us to make it five years in a row that McCarthy hasn't made it past round three.” “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. “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.” Our visit to Fratton Park is now keenly anticipated. 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. 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.” The question is ‘Are we as good as we appear to be and more than capable of performing at this level?’.