Michael Appleton's first match in charge of Pompey was the away defeat to Watford at Vicarage Road a few weeks ago. It was a very poor performance. What a contrast to this match!
Pompey played some very good football at times and deserved their victory with goals from Mark Futacs (his second in two games) and Hayden Mullins.
Liam Lawrence is starting to look like his old self - at last! He looks fitter, brighter, more quick-witted and as a result was more effective. He had an excellent game, it was great to see.
With both Greg Halford and Joel Ward suspended for this match following their bookings at Leicester City, Aaron Mokoena retained his place in the starting line-up. Despite one slightly 'dodgy' moment where he let a ball fired in to the penalty area during the first half go past him, for a goal kick, he had a really solid game in central defence and grew in confidence as the match progressed. He's definitely better in the middle than he is at right back.
Tal Ben Haim returned to the starting line-up, playing at right back rather than left back, and once he'd settled he had another one of those games where you can see why he has played at the top level. He defends well but just as importantly he gets forward well too and has the knack of being able to dribble the ball forward in to dangerous positions.
Joe Mattock, playing in his last match before his loan spell from WBA ends, has started to look 'the real deal', especially in the second half when he made a number of telling runs down the left hand side getting good crosses in to the box. He grew in confidence as the match progressed and looked to be enjoying his final minutes, for now anyway, on the Fratton park turf.
Finally, some comments about the Hungarian striker Marko Futacs: he had a terrific game, his second start in Pompey blue.
He has added something extra to Pompey up front and as a result Dave Kitson doesn't look quite so isolated. It wasn't clear if the formation was 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2 but whatever it was Pompey looked much better, far more threatening.
Futacs wins a lot of aerial balls, holds the ball up well, links up the play and he can unleash powerful shots with either foot!
On Saturday at The King Power Stadium he scored with a fierce right footed shot. In this match, during added time, he unleashed a piledriver from outside of the box with his left foot, hit it perfectly but saw it divert off the crossbar and in to the Fratton End.
His goal came following a Liam Lawrence shot that had been well saved by Loach for a Pompey corner (before he got sent off). Quick thinking by Lawrence and Huseklepp to take the corner kick led to a perfect cross to Futacs, unmarked in the box to majestically head home. It really was 'futacstic'! On his showings from the last two matches he fully deserves to be wearing the number 9 shirt. On Twitter he has his own hashtag #MF9. Look out for it!
For the vistors, Loach in goal had a very good game until he ventured off his line and was adjudged to have handled the ball outside of the penalty area to see red.
However,Watford's most impressive player on the day was Kightly, on loan from Wolves. He was quick and powerful down the left flank and was the one player who looked like he could cause Pompey's defence problems.
So, another home win, three more valuable points, the 'ghost' of the Watford away performance has been exorcised and all of a sudden things are starting to look a little bit more positive for Pompey. What better time to play Chelsea away in the FA Cup - a repeat of the 2010 FA Cup Final!
Match Action Pictures
The best (I use that word advisedly, LOL!) pictures I took at this match all show action from the first half with Pompey attacking the Milton End.
Portsmouth team versus Watford: Stephen Henderson, Tal Ben Haim, Aaron Mokoena, Jason Pearce, Joe Mattock, Liam Lawrence (c), David Norris, Hayden Mullins, Erik Huseklepp, Dave Kitson and Marko Futacs. Substitutes not used: Jamie Ashdown, Hermann Hreidarsson, Ryan Williams, Benjani and King Kanu.
Attendance: 14,362
Pompey MOTM: the official award, selected by Len Phillips' widow, went to goalkeeper Stephen Henderson. There were a number of other good candidates including Aaron Mokoena and Marko Futacs.
Next up for Pompey: Chelsea away on Sunday 8th January 2012 at 3PM in the FA Cup
Source: www.portsmouthfc.co.uk
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