OUR DARKEST HOUR

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Pompey Sound Podcasts 13 min 4 speakers 5 chapters transcribed

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What were the initial challenges faced by Portsmouth in the match?

Duncan Barkes 0:02

After a tough build-up already before a ball was kicked at Loftus Road, with Portsmouth posting financial losses and on a poor run of form, it could not have been a much worse opening half-hour for head coach John Massinio. It took his side only seven minutes to concede when a poor touch from Swift gave up the ball in midfield and Harvey Vale's deflected pass found Smyth, who fired home with the help of a deflection from 20 yards. Colley doubled the advantage with a peach of a 30-yard strike that squeezed past keeper Nicholas Schmid before Smyth ran through the middle onto another Vail assist, to calmly slot in a third. Swift lifted Pompey Spirits briefly by pulling one back with a fine finish from outside the area that crashed in off the post, but the visitors lacked the clinical edge of QPR despite having 20 shots to QPR's 9 and 33 touches inside their box.

Duncan Barkes 0:56

Unfortunately for the travelling Portsmouth fans, their nightmare afternoon continued as Collie's second came in the 55th minute, when he burst past his marker and drilled in from a tight angle to restore the three-goal cushion. Kone then converted from the spot after Colby Bishop's challenge on Escudena was penalised in the 86th minute, and he then sealed the emphatic victory moments later from another Vail assist following up a fast break. John Massino is asked how and why we got thumped 6-1.

John Massino 1:27

I think the why is something that we have to... dissect over the next couple of days, figure out what went wrong in terms of the way that we set the side up in terms of team selection, etc. And that's something that we have to take responsibility for. And I think in terms of the how, look, obviously, we conceded three goals in quick succession really early on. And every single goal, we're always going to pick the bones out of goals and say, you know, that's a poor goal to concede. There's never going to be good ones to concede. But yeah, they felt particularly poor today. considering the importance of the game and the nature of the game. We gave ourselves a bit too much to do. I think we got back in the game with that goal just before half-time and I had that belief that if we got another, if we did get the next goal, the game would change.

John Massino 2:15

But unfortunately, we had a bit of pressure at the start of the second half. We had a very good opportunity that went over the bar and next thing you know, the ball's in the back of the net from Kupi Al being very, very ruthless.

How did QPR establish their lead in the first half?

John Massino 2:26

So yeah, there's loads to unpick. I think in the moment we know that what we've produced today isn't anywhere near good enough and if you come away from any game losing, any game losing by this margin then you know you've got a lot of soul searching to do. That's just something I think we'll keep to ourselves at the minute I think. The positive is for me that everybody has been talking, but it's my responsibility. It's my responsibility in terms of how we've set the boys up today and what we've produced. It always is. That's why I'm speaking to you after the end of the game. That's why head coaches and managers are the ones that get hired and they're the ones that lose their jobs. That's something that I need to take everything that I've spoken about and heard in there and hopefully turn it into something positive.

John Massino 3:10

I think that where we've struggled recently is scoring goals, obviously. I think that we've had a lot of control of games where we've probably felt like we've had a lot of possession. We drop down and we connect really well. We get the ball in some wide areas, but no real impetus in terms of getting in the box. And I think Ibu gives us that energy. He gives us that energy to stretch in behind and to really connect with the centre forward. So that's why we do what we do. I think he's picked up a knee injury, so we're going to have to see how that one plays out, but he's just icing it in there at the minute.

Unknown 3:45

How big a blow would that be?

John Massino 3:46

It would be massive. We need every player at this stage, so with how good Ebu's been, it would be a real blow.