Portsmouth showing the traits of contenders

 

Counter-Attacking Class

Pompey's attacking strength proved simply too much for Plymouth to handle.

But it wasn't a case of all-out attack as the Pilgrims were comprehensively outfought and out-thought by Kenny Jackett and his players.

The Blues are now set up to be defensively stout and then hurt the opposition on the break.

That they did to devastating effect throughout the 90 minutes on Saturday.

Transition is the buzzword in the game at the moment, and the manner in which Pompey broke quickly turning defence into attack in clockwork fashion stood out.

Players knew exactly the positions they needed to take up, and the man on the ball knew exactly where his next pass was.

That saw Pompey breaking on Plymouth in three and fours on regular occasions.

The rampant Ronan Curtis and Jamal Lowe were key figures in doing so and quite rightly got the plaudits for their outstanding displays.

But Oli Hawkins was also a central figure in the first half before being taken off, with Gareth Evans again a stand-out player as the Blues burst out in numbers.

Jackett's predecessor Paul Cook was a disciple of dominating the ball, while the new man appears to favour effective possession.

The signs are there the Pompey boss is beginning to get a team in his image.

 

Defensive Dominance

Zeroes and ones is the oft-repeated mantra of Kenny Jackett.

It's a reference to the rate at which his side should be conceding goals if they are to be a successful side.

The good news is the Blues are now becoming the powerful defensive unit the manager is demanding.