[FM22] The Ballad of Benjani - Phase 4 - The emotional high point has been reached - How far long will he keep this up?

[GIMN]

2 hours ago, 13th Man said:

[After a net transfer spend of only £3m after a late season purchase - more on that later - the board was actively encouraging Benjani to spend, something I’ve never seen!]

I had that this season, too.  I hadn't been too frugal the previous seasons either.  Having narrowly survived, I can understand the board's desire for you to strengthen the squad with all the resources available to you!

[13th Man]

26 minutes ago, GIMN said:

I had that this season, too.  I hadn't been too frugal the previous seasons either.  Having narrowly survived, I can understand the board's desire for you to strengthen the squad with all the resources available to you!

Must be a new feature! I usually think of the suits as being super frugal, but I guess when it comes to football they’re desperate for success and you can’t get that (usually) without spending.

[SixPointer]

10 hours ago, 13th Man said:

Must be a new feature! I usually think of the suits as being super frugal, but I guess when it comes to football they’re desperate for success and you can’t get that (usually) without spending.

I’m surprised at this as well because if your a shrewd spender usually keeps them happy! Did you have many signings last year that the board weren’t happy about?

[DefinitelyTaylor]

The board are incredibly supportive of Benjani which is a massive advantage. Too often relationships can be quite strained between management and the board, however this is no problem here. 

I appreciate the encouragement from the board for Benjani to go out and spend cash. 

[13th Man]

4 hours ago, SixPointer said:

I’m surprised at this as well because if your a shrewd spender usually keeps them happy! Did you have many signings last year that the board weren’t happy about?

They were overall happy with the value for money. Issue was that Benjani spent a net £0 upon promotion, and then barely hung on. Benjani’s not going to make the same mistake twice…

 

2 hours ago, DefinitelyTaylor said:

The board are incredibly supportive of Benjani which is a massive advantage. Too often relationships can be quite strained between management and the board, however this is no problem here. 

I appreciate the encouragement from the board for Benjani to go out and spend cash. 

They’ve actually been very reasonable and supportive, yeah. They’d get mad about some of the results, but never expected anything beyond that Benjani “fight bravely against relegation.”

[haier_fm]

18 hours ago, 13th Man said:

So Portsmouth will be playing their home games in the newer, bigger stadium than their rivals in their city

Brilliant. Seems like the Southampton fans are happy. 

[13th Man]

12 minutes ago, haier_fm said:

Brilliant. Seems like the Southampton fans are happy. 

I’m kind of hilariously baffled - Tom Kinney Stadium? 53,000 capacity? In Southampton? Brand new? Why?

So Portsmouth will host a South Coast Derby in a newer, bigger stadium…in Southampton. As the home side.

[13th Man]

Transfers

With £45m to spend and an extra £200k/w added to the wage budget, bringing it to £725k/w, there was no shortage of funds available, and after a painful season, Benjani had no qualms about spending a lot of it.

Needs, in order of priority 

CB cover

Portsmouth had missed Raggett’s aerial presence in the center of defense. However, the still club captain and fan favorite was so limited in every other area of his game that his appearances had been limited - and he’d done little in any of those games to give Benjani reason to play him more. Faes was a intelligent and a good footballer, but often struggled against physical forwards. Benjani planned to use him more in the right where he wouldn’t be up against big center forwards as much.

 

So, a solid defender was needed to shore up the center of Portsmouth’s defense. He needed to be intelligent, strong, and good in the air. Benjani is willing to spend to get a very good player. Maybe some future season Benjani would try for a better ball playing defender, but for now he wanted solidity.

Left WCB

With Gibson disappointing, Benjani  hoped for a left footed WCB that was much more solid but also decent on the ball. Benjani was open to having a player who was ‘just’ okay on the ball but solid defensively.

Right WB

RWB Lawrence was another player who’s progress had disappointed. He was the player with the worst average rating in the side (6.5), with his backup looking just as poor. 

 

Lawrence was intelligent (decisions 16) and quick enough (14 pace/acceleration) but he was technically limited and, worse, didn’t progress much during the year.

Benjani would be looking for a well rounded player to push and maybe replace Lawrence.

Forward

Portsmouth needed an out and out goal scorer. Fiabema’s 12 goals led the team, and while this wasn’t terrible, Portsmouth needed someone who could make the most of limited opportunities. Fiabema’s pace and trickery wasn’t backed up by enough skill or intelligence to beat premier league defenders and keepers.

And we’re off!

Benjani’s resolution to spend the vast budget at his disposal had actually come well before the end of the season, when he’d made an offer on an excellent looking prospect ahead of the key Brighton game. Notice, though, that his position is not among the team needs…

 

 

[Enter the South American Wonderkid, only this one is from Uruguay instead of Argentina or Brazil.]

 

Izquierdo was a solid DNA fit - very intelligent for his 19 years, reasonably determined, a decent athlete, and while his bravery left something to be desired his aggression could make up for that to some extent. Technically, though, he was a perfect fit for Benjani’s DLP position - close to an elite passer, composed and able to make the right decision at the right time. At only £3m, it was a no brainer to bring the young man to Portsmouth. His minimum fee release clause of £32m would represent a huge profit for the club if it was met, yet Benjani also expected his valuation to reach that before long. For now, however, it would do.

 

Yet midfield was the one area in which Portsmouth had been decent (other than the good-but-not-great goalkeeping of Stolarczyk), as showed by the fact that DLP Levitt - who's place Izquierdo was likely to take - had been one of the more consistent performers in his two and a half years at the club. While there was no harm in improving upon what was already a strength, Benjani’s focus over the coming transfer window would be firmly on the defense.

 

For his part, Levitt would likely rotate with Morrell in the support MEZ role and fill in at DLP when needed.

Right WB

Neco Williams

Cost- Free

Wage - £30k/w

 

Neco Williams wasn’t a top player, but he arrived on a free from Liverpool as a significant upgrade on Lawrence, especially from an offensive point of view. Benjani had tried to bring him in the previous summer, only Liverpool's £8m price tag made Benjani balk. On a free, though…

 

With only a few first team appearances, and two half season loan spells, there wasn’t a lot to judge him on. The scouts thought highly of his potential, however, and Benjani hoped that the two youngish right wingbacks could push each other to improve. 

 

Maybe he’d follow in the steps of DLP Levitt and forward Da Graca, and find a place to thrive after failing to make it at a top club.

Cover CB 

Benjani found two excellent looking CBs in Daniel Ballard and Nathan Collins, of relegated Blackburn and Burnley respectively.  Both were transfer listed after relegation, but neither would come cheap by Portsmouth’s standards.

 

Daniel Ballard

Cost - £9.5m

Wages - £53k/w

An excellent DNA fit.  Aggression, bravery, determination, teamwork, workrate, decent natural fitness, solid pace, good stamina, and reasonable strength.  He was even perfectly decent on the ball with 11 passing/vision.

 

Nathan Collins

Cost - £19m

Wages - £62k/w

 

Like Ballard, Collins was an excellent DNA fit, though a bit lower in a few of the DNA categories.  

 

Comparison - Ballard left, Collins right

 

There wasn’t a lot between them, and with Collins costing exactly twice as much, Benjani was feeling partial to Ballard.  Until it became clear that Collins’ game benefited from a significantly superior ability to read the game, remain calm, and concentrate throughout a full game.  He was also significantly quicker and fitter.  Benjani decided that, considering the huge amount of money in the transfer budget, he would be better off pushing for the better player, even at the expense of diminishing returns.

 

The choice, though, turned out to not be a choice as Ballard chose Crystal Palace over Portsmouth. So it was that Collins, the player Benjani had decided on, joined Portsmouth.

 

Forward

[Okay, full confession.  I savescummed.  Hear me out before you judge. I was originally going to bring in two forwards. With that likely putting Da Graca on the bench for much of the year, Benjani decided to sent him out on loan. The deal was done, the new forwards both appearing ready to sign, but I had this pit in my stomach. Da Graca was one of the few positives from the last season, and, full disclosure, was a player that didn’t reach his full potential during a previous save of mine (FM19 I think?) when I abandoned the save just as he was coming into his own.  I couldn’t do it.  So I went back to my last save before that loan and undid it.]

 

With Banjani impressed by Marco Da Grace’s progress and mentality - and, truth be told, Benjani saw a lot of himself in Da Graca - he only planned to bring in one forward in the transfer window.  Benjani was unimpressed with many on the scout’s lists, until he asked the recently hired DOF for suggestions….

 

 

In cane Enrique Sesma, a young man with impeccable taste.  I mean - Look. At. That. Hair!

 

 

Fantastic.

 

Enrique already had two years of first experience in the Spanish La Liga 2 with Oviedo, racking up 22 goals in 73 appearances…as a seventeen and eighteen year old.  He also averaged just under one tackle a game and an 87% passing percentage, generally showing great intelligence for a 19 year old.  He wasn’t the finished article yet, either, and while his finishing wasn’t elite, it wasn’t far from it. While he wasn't all that fast, he wasn't slow either, and he had a good all around physical ability - strength, jumping, balance, and excellent natural fitness - that would serve him well in the highly physical English game. Benjani had no doubts that Enrique would do well - even if it was only because the defenders were distracted by his fantastic hair - though it may take time for him to adjust.

Left WCB

With Gibson disappointing, Benjani needed a reliable replacement.  Several long shots of potentially elite talents out of Belgium, Holland and Germany turned down Benjani due to their respective clubs being in the Champions League or because of astronomical wage demands compared to their ability, so he eventually settled on a player he’d looked hard at already.

 

 

Tyrone Mings was a player that Benjani had liked a lot, and strongly considered buying the previous summer.  He hadn’t wanted to curb Gibson’s development, and Mings was (then) 31 and surly in the last few years of his top level career and his physicals would slowly drop off.  In the summer of 2025, however, Benjani had no such issues with replacing Gibson or buying a temporary solution that would add a good footballer as well as solid defender to Portsmouth’s backline.  Hopefully, over the next season, Gibson would either develop a bit more without as much pressure on him, or Benjani could find a long term solution.

 

 

With the arrival of Mings, WCB Kean Bryan was no longer needed.  Though he was a good cover at left wingback, Benjani didn’t feel it was worth it to keep him around.

Left WB

 

Prior to Mings’ arrival and Bryan’s departure, Benjani had decided to send backup left WB to Hull on loan in League One.  The player hadn’t quite reached the potential that Benjani had hoped [in real life, he actually just moved to Chelsea in January, funnily enough as you'll see below].  The coaches were thinking he wasn’t good enough to be a part of the first team, so Benjani gave him another chance to prove his worth…or find a more suitable club.

 

With his and Bryan’s departures, though, Portsmouth were light on WBs.  Starter Zamura had performed fairly well, and RWB Lawrence could fill in if needed, but Benjani wasn’t comfortable having only one natural left wingback in the side.  He decided to try again for a previous target in Daam Foulon.

 

 

A full transfer was discussed, and several other clubs came in with bids for the solid Belgian left wingback, but Chelsea wanted £10m+ for a decent player in the last year of his contract.  With no one willing to match their demands, Benjani came in and offered a loan deal with £1.6m in loan fees and to pay his wages.  There was also a fee for Portsmouth if they avoided relegation.  All in all, Benjani hoped to, possibly, sign him permanently in the following summer.  He might get taken by a continental club, but if Benjani could foster a relationship, it might just be £8m saved. Of course, the other danger was that he'd impress enough to convince Chelsea to give him a new contract, but the London club had been trying to shove him out the door for two years at that point.

 

Foulon would be fighting it out with the pretty good Zamura for the starting role, with very little between the two.

Another Departure 

 

With Izquierdo’s arrival, room had to be made in the center of midfield. Summer of 24 signing, 31 year old Norgaard had not impressed - he was not quite good enough at anything to earn a regular place in the team - so he was sold. The deal almost wasn’t worth it, but 23 year old Clarkson had impressed on loan, and Benjani wanted to clear a path to the first team for Clarkson - who was a better passer of the ball anyway. 

Needs Met

Benjani was incredibly pleased with the summer business so far.  He’d brought in a high quality cover CB and an excellent - if short term - addition in the left WCB role.  With Faes moving to the right, his backline looked massively improved.  In Neco Williams, he’d brought in a solid right WB to challenge Lawrence and hopefully give the young player the time and space to improve his game.  With Enrique, he had a proper goalscoring forward who had a good mentality, physicality, and also intelligence beyond his years.  Likewise with Izquierdo, who would add quality to an already decent midfield.

 

£30m spent and a little over £6m from player sales (including backup rightback that I didn’t mention) and Benjani had spent a solid but not insane net of £24m.  He’d brought in a lot of quality and hadn’t parted with anyone he didn’t want to…

Here we go again

 

Then Milan and Juventus came sniffing around for solid goalkeeper Stolarczyk.  £15.25m wasn’t bad on the face of it, but knowing that Stolarczyk would be a backup at either club and with his release clause set at £20m, Benjani rejected the bid.  The player was a bit annoyed at first, but when Benjani promised to let him go if a club matched his release clause, Stolarczyk agreed that he owed the club that much.  Benjani’s staff had a few keepers in mind, but he was definitely hoping to keep hold of the still youngish Poland international.  

 

 

He wasn’t the greatest shot stopper, but he was as good as it got for keepers below the elite level in his pace, command of the box, and decision making ability.

Happily for Benjani, Milan and Juventus decided not to pay £20m for a backup keeper, and, for the time being Stolarczyk would remain at Portsmouth.

Possible young player of the year

 

There was a bit of buzz around new Portsmouth signing Izquierdo, with some in the media tipping him to be a dark horse contender for the Premier League young player of the year.

Preseason Fixtures

 

While Benjani normally preferred a less packed fixture list in preseason - preferring to spend the time on intensive training instead - with the number of new faces he decided to add several matches to integrate the new signings into the team.

 

For the first three matches, Benjani wondered if the season would be a never ending slew of 1-1 draws, though drawing away to FC Porto was a nice accomplishment.  Bath proved just the romp the side needed and they went on to beat Champions League side Bayer and a decent Deportivo side.

 

The tactics looked much the same as they had the previous season.  The one change, however, was that Benjani would press more.  Portsmouth’s tackling numbers had been low for a few seasons running, but in the Premier League it became clear that this was not due to being the dominant team.  They weren’t getting close enough to the opposition to effectively disrupt their game, and with their high line and desire to play possession football, they needed to be more proactive. 

 

UP NEXT - Shouldn’t you have done this during preseason?

[MattyLewis11]

Pompey playing their home games in Southampton, can you actually imagine the scenes! 

 

[haier_fm]

1 hour ago, 13th Man said:

There was a bit of buzz around new Portsmouth signing Izquierdo

And rightly so. The guy looks the real deal!

[13th Man]

25 minutes ago, MattyLewis11 said:

Pompey playing their home games in Southampton, can you actually imagine the scenes! 

 

First derby is in September at this new mystery stadium. Sure to be bedlam with 53k available seats, most of them for Pompey supporters!

11 minutes ago, haier_fm said:

And rightly so. The guy looks the real deal!

benjani’s really exited about the young man from Uruguay.

[GIMN]

Mings and Collins look like great additions.  Really beefed up that backline!

[Hootieleece]

Neco Williams made a great Right Back for me on FM20 with Clermont after coming in on a free......just saying. 

And he can probably play Cover CB in a pinch.

 

I always love smart use of big budgets! 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Hootieleece

[13th Man]

10 hours ago, GIMN said:

Mings and Collins look like great additions.  Really beefed up that backline!

Even though Benjani's playing a pretty progressive system, I've generally been all about defensive solidity.  The previous season was brutal to watch.  There needed to be reinforcements.  Forgot to mention too that Collins came from Benjani's tendency to look for the best performing players in poor teams (Collins with foot of the table Burnley) and it's proved a good tactic so far.

 

8 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

Neco Williams made a great Right Back for me on FM20 with Clermont after coming in on a free......just saying. 

And he can probably play Cover CB in a pinch.

 

I always love smart use of big budgets! 

I like the look of Williams a lot.  Scouts weirdly put him as a League One player currently, with Premier League potential - which I find a bit harsh.  He's doesn't have Premier level intelligence, but he's skillful and well trained and hopefully he'll grow into it.

[13th Man]

Shouldn’t you have done this during preseason?

 

On the face of it, these were both perfectly reasonable results - a credible 1-1 draw with a strong Everton side at Goodison Park featuring six new starters for Portsmouth, was nothing to slouch at, even if a 0-0 draw with promoted Brentford at home was a bit disappointing.  Neither had calamitous defending or much wasteful shooting, but neither did Portsmouth look comfortable.  It was after the Brentford result, as Benjani re-watched the game, that he noticed something that was so obvious he was furious with himself that he hadn’t seen it sooner - his midfield was spread too wide to effectively bring the ball out of defense under pressure.

 

 

[Look at the gap between #6 and #10 on the left and #10 and #5 on the right! I know this isn’t a heat map, but it’s more indicative of where players are in possession and where they are receiving passes. Also, CF positions were switched halfway through, which is why the two make a point.]

 

When bringing the ball out of defense, the WCBs and Levitt [DLP] had few options if the opposition was pressing high.  The WBs were often marked tightly, and the two other CMs were too high or two wide. With both acting as mezzalas tasked with attacking the channels and half spaces, their first move was to go wide.  In the lower leagues, when Portsmouth had the better players, the movement was enough to beat other sides, and Portsmouth were able to progress the ball high enough to take advantage of overloads. Not so in the Premier League. They needed to be able to more reliably get the ball out from the back.

Original Tactic

 

This had been very effective in the Championship when Portsmouth could overload the channels in the opposition half, but in the Premier League they were struggling to get the ball out of their own half.  When they lost the ball, there would be far too much space in the midfield as well, which could be easily exploited by quality players.

 

They needed to be more compact, both to allow them to play progressively and to guard against quick passing through the middle.  Benjani puzzled on these things that evening. Soon, with the problem finally identified, he came up with a simple but (hopefully) effective solution.

New Tactic

 

Instead of two mezzalas flanking a DLP, Benjani settled on a box-to-box midfielder on the left and a simple attacking center midfielder on the right. Both would have license to drift into space, both would play similar roles to when they were mezzalas, but they would start more centrally, giving more and better options for building from the back, as well as being more compact defensively, as they were less likely to be caught so wide. They would still create a 3-4-3 shape in attack, but simply be more narrow.

 

A League Cup tie against Fulham proved a perfect, low stakes, opportunity to try out the tweaked tactic.

 

 

It worked a charm, with the squad players absolutely crushing a hapless Fulham side - in London.  Granted, both sides rotated heavily, most of Portsmouth’s second eleven had been playing together for years, and Fulham had been in the relegation scrap with Portsmouth the previous year, so weren’t top class opponents. Still, the difference was clear.  The more compact central midfield allowed Portsmouth to dominate possession, create plenty of chances, and kept Fulham from registering a shot on target.

 

A more significant test came away to Aston Villa.

 

 

It was a hard fought game, with Villa probably feeling hard done by.  Portsmouth weren’t fluid in their understanding of the new tactical setup, and it showed at times, but it was a massive improvement overall in the passing game [right sided WB Williams was carted off early, hence the strange absence of passes in the graph].  The highlight of the game was Enrique’s first goal for the club.  Fellow new signing Izqueirdo picked out an excellent run by Bayliss from his deep position just ahead of the halfway circle.  The attacking midfielder squared the ball to Enrique - who’d seen how the play would pan out - and the new signing sidefooted the ball cooly into the back of the net.  Villa huffed and puffed for the rest of the game, but despite registering a lot of shots, could not create a clear chance.

Stat Attack

 

How different things looked in the 25/26 season!  It was only three games, none against top class sides, but the comparison was night and day.  Defensively, they were still forced into more blocks and clearances than Benjani would like, but they’d gone from horrible to elite (statistically) seemingly overnight. The more intense press had the desired effect of upping the rate of tackling and the percentage win. They were also one of the Premier League’s early possession leaders. Tougher tests were ahead, of course, and they weren’t scoring much either, but Benjani was thrilled with his side’s newfound solidity.

Deadline Day

With interest in Stolarczyk waning, Benjani didn’t expect a busy Deadline Day, but he should have known that something always comes up.  In this case, it was a surprise bid from Wolves for right WB Henry Lawrence.

 

There was a lot to like about the still youngish Lawrence, but he’d been consistently poor in the Premier League with an average rating of 6.5, and hadn’t shown much to say that he’d improve with his appearance in 2025. Wolves first bid was a paltry £2.5m or something like it, but when they accepted Benjani’s counter of £9.5m (+40% of future profit), it was hard for Benjani to say no.  It was deadline day, however, and he wanted to make sure he had another option than Neco Williams, who’d even suffered injury against Aston Villa.

 

Several players were contacted and bids were made, but wage demands were again astronomical for only decent players who weren’t even as good as RWB Williams.  Then Benjani settled on a veteran who would be a huge improvement over both Williams and Lawrence. He wasn’t fully scouted, so it was a risk, but the stats showed a reliable player in France’s Ligue 1 with Stasbourg for the past several years and Benjani felt confident in bringing him in.

 

 

As he became familiar with the player, he proved better on the ball and also had much more intelligence and defensive abilities than either Williams or Lawrence.  A hardworking, determined, and fit player, he was a good DNA fit as well.

 

The deal was done, and with a profit of £6.5m, Benjani had again improved his side considerably.  Granted, this deal would be not unlike the one for Mings - a short term solution - but Benjani hoped Williams would progress in that time and it wasn’t like they were short on money to buy another player in the future!

 

 

The transfer window closed with Portsmouth spending a net of £20.25m and making significant improvements across the squad.  Benjani was extremely pleased.  Of course, with Stoke, Brentford and Wolves returning to the Premier League, Portsmouth were again the minnows - with a wage budget less than half of any other club.  There could be no doubt that the task of survival was still an uphill battle, but Benjani felt far more confident in his sides’ abilities than he had the season before.

 

UP NEXT - Holding out for a hero

[Hootieleece]

Nice Tactical Adjustment.  I would have thought the Mezzala's would get in the way of the Wingbacks offensively IF you weren't playing so defensively in the Premier League.

Also, it always takes time to settle a large number of players into a team.....make good use of the Teamwork, Team Bonding, and Community Outreach Blocks!

[13th Man]

20 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

Nice Tactical Adjustment.  I would have thought the Mezzala's would get in the way of the Wingbacks offensively IF you weren't playing so defensively in the Premier League.

Also, it always takes time to settle a large number of players into a team.....make good use of the Teamwork, Team Bonding, and Community Outreach Blocks!

The mezzalas and wingbacks tended to make really nice overloads in the opponent's half.  Problem was, Portsmouth were struggling to get into the opponents half!

And yes, bonding sessions have been a significant part of the weekly routine...

[13th Man]

Holding out for a hero

 

Following the deadline day excitement, it was time to rekindle the South Coast Derby. Make no mistake, this is a bitter rivalry.  For those not familiar (I’m no expert), Portsmouth is a port for the Royal Navy while Southampton is a commercial shipping hub. The history is unclear, but in Portsmouth lore, it was a group of Southampton “scummers” (Southampton City Union Men) who broke a dock strike in the 1930s, crossing the picket lines while Portsmouth stayed on strike. It is a city/cultural rivalry as much as a footballing one.

 

On the football side, Southampton had been on top for a while. After recovering from their own administration, Southampton had met Portsmouth in the Championship as they dropped down in 2011/2012. Southampton went up, and Portsmouth continued down.

 

More recently, Portsmouth had been humbled by their south coast rivals the previous spring, and while this game could be an opportunity to right that wrong, it could also be the turning point that ruined a promising start to the season.  Southampton had a lot of pace up front, and were good at keeping the ball - two things which Portsmouth had struggled to cope with the previous year.  The forward line itself, however, wasn’t as skillful as many in the league, and so Benjani picked the pacier Hamilton over right WCB Faes, knowing that the Scottish defender could pose a significant attacking threat as well.

Despite his reservations, Benjani decided to go for it rather than play scared.  He would play balanced, but with the WCBs and WBs in support roles to push up the pitch and take the game to the Saints.

 

[Tom Finney Park - No it's not real, and yes this pictured stadium is probably more like 70k+, but I'm not going to go make a model for one blog post]

 

Adding a bit of intrigue to the affair was the strange venue in which the match would take place.  With Fratton Park undergoing significant renovations and expansion, the game would be held in the new, 53,000 seater Tom Finney Park…in Southampton. [Ok yes, the picture above is more like 70k or more, but whatever]. The building of the stadium was mired in controversy.  Originally pitched as an all purpose stadium/concert venue and part of the Home Islands bid for EURO 2028, Southampton FC had rejected the terms of rental that the developers had proposed, wanting a stake of their own considering they owned St Mary’s outright.  With little use for the stadium outside the occasional national team appearance and that single tournament, many thought the project dead and buried.  Which is why everyone was stunned when plans were approved and construction began.  Southampton FC contacted the developers again, hoping to renegotiate.  The developers then demanded even greater rental fees and Southampton FC withdrew in protest.  Worse, it came to light that several prominent MPs and government officials had significant stakes in the construction company contracted to build the stadium. Because none of them were directly involved in the planning and approval, however, an investigation found ‘no unlawful activities’.  So a 53,000 seater stadium was finished in 2024 in Southampton, remaining generally empty while Southampton played across town.  Then, protests exploded across the city when news broke that Portsmouth FC would use it as their ‘home’ ground while they expanded and updated Fratton Park.  Locals called it a ‘kick in the teeth’ and horrible accusations flew about how this was allowed to happen.  As if the rivalry needed any kindling, having Portsmouth play in the new stadium which they had been denied access to, added plenty of bitterness to the old rivalry.

 

[The above is, of course, entirely made up in an effort to explain the game’s inexplicable placing of a brand new stadium in Southampton, but not for the Saints.]

 

However this stadium came to be, this would only be Portsmouth’s second “home” game at Tom Finney. With nearly 40k ticketed Portsmouth supporters making the trip into Southampton for the derby, there were sure to be fireworks. Security was on high alert, with corridors established between transit and the stadium. Various authorities around the UK and abroad were consulted, and hundreds of police, including some from London, would be on duty to try and keep things under control.

 

Now onto the match…It was a slow burn, a cagey affair, neither side could establish early dominance. Then, after 30 minutes... an innocuous enough looking clearance from GK Stolarczyk sailed through the evening sky.  Forward Enrique put his body against his marker and, making only a slight attempt to play the ball, cheekily put the CB marking him off balance.  Enrique then reacted first to the missed header, and after a few touches, let fly from just outside the box…off the crossbar and into the goal! 

 

 

[Yeah it's kind of garbage quality, but the music is...well, music.]

Portsmouth 1 - Southampton 0

 

 

There was pandemonium in the stands!  The stewards struggled to hold back the blue waves!

 

After a good chance for Southampton late in the half, with cover CB Collins using every bit of his considerable pace to get a last second block in, Benjani decided to pull his WBs and WCBs back to defend duty. It would be another 45 minutes before Southampton got another chance that would be more than a blip on the xG chart.

 

Enrique was not done, however. He was determined to not just introduce himself, but instantly make himself a hero.

 

After a throw in deep down the right and a one-two between Da Graca and debutant WB Guilbert, the latter crossed into the box.  Enrique drifted to the back post, got goalside of RB Walker-Peters, and powered a header into the net in the 62nd minute.  The defenders appealed to the ref, saying his rock hard hair was an unfair advantage, but Andre Mariner waved their complaints away.

 

Portsmouth 2 - Southampton 0

 

A good exchange of quick passing between BBM Morrell, DLF Marquis, and CMa Mallamo saw the Italian tee up Enrique as he surged into the box.  A low, hard shot across the face of goal…it was a hattrick for Enrique…in the south coast derby! 

 

Portsmouth 3 - Southampton 0

 

As the away end emptied long before the whistle, the ground echoed with a cruel song - one that would plague the city long into the night.

 

Oh when the Saints, (oh when the Saints)

Go marching down (go marching down!)

Oh when the Saints go marching down.

Way, way down

To the foot of the table!

Oh when the Saints go marching down!

 

 

After breaking the deadlock, other than a late half Southampton surge, it was all Portsmouth.  There would be quite a night in Portsmouth and Southampton as the Saints went marching down to the foot of the table.

 

That’s it, shut it down. The season can be considered a success. Crush your favored rivals 3-0? 

 

Of course, the season had only begun, and after an international break, it was a trip to the Black Country to take on Wolves.

 

 

First half was more Wolves than Portsmouth.  High pressure was making it tough for Portsmouth to play out of the back and then Wolves would move the ball quickly to their pacy forwards when they got the ball back. It wasn’t as if Portsmouth had their backs to the wall, but Wolves were clearly the better side in the first half.

 

Benjani made tactical changes at the half.  He moved the DL and LOE up to much higher and higher and moved to extremely urgent pressing in an effort to put Wolves under a lot of pressure.  Their buildup had been short but quick, like Portsmouth’s preferred way of playing, and Benjani hoped to force them into bad passes.

 

The other change was to tell his players to reduce the tempo of passing.  Wolves were pressing high and hard, but Portsmouth’s high tempo meant they were passing before they needed to, and Wolves could retain their shape. Benjani wanted to force Wolves to commit fully to press so they could be pulled out of shape.

 

The second half saw Portsmouth score twice, with Enrique adding another to his already impressive tally and Bayliss getting on the scoresheet as well.  Portsmouth created several other chances, but, more importantly, Wolves only managed two shots in the second half - neither of them especially dangerous.

 

 

Liverpool would come along to knock them off their perch hours later, but for a club that had been mired in the relegation dogfight, it was an incredible feeling to top the table…even for a few hours.

 

 

A League Cup romp against League 1 Plymouth finished out a wonderful start to the season, with Fiabema showing what he could do against a lower league opponent by scoring two and setting up a third.

 

 

It took seven games for Portsmouth to register their first Premier League win the season before. This season it took them two, and by mid September had registered half the wins (3) they’d earned the whole previous year combined (7)! Even better, they hadn’t lost in five games, and hadn’t conceded since the opening day.

 

 

Portsmouth were at dizzying heights not seen since their all-too-brief surge to prominence in the late 00’s. 3rd in the Premier League? Supporters were pinching themselves.

 

 

Until they looked at the upcoming fixture list…

 

UP NEXT - Look out, here comes trouble

[SixPointer]

Frightening start for Benjani and the men for the south! Clean sheet machine and a epic derby win there is a lot to be very happy about! 

[13th Man]

3 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Frightening start for Benjani and the men for the south! Clean sheet machine and a epic derby win there is a lot to be very happy about! 

The clean sheets are so nice after being so sloppy last season. The derby to was as good as it could be.

[SixPointer]

3 hours ago, 13th Man said:

The clean sheets are so nice after being so sloppy last season. The derby to was as good as it could be.

Think shifting to the more central roles in midfield have really helped. Great when something like that pays off. 

[GIMN]

What a derby.  If Benjani wasn't already a hero, he would be after that!

[13th Man]

12 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Think shifting to the more central roles in midfield have really helped. Great when something like that pays off. 

It's too bad.  I really liked the movement of the 2 mezzalas, but only in the final third.  When bringing the ball out of defense they kept both charging forward and wide too much, and with teams pressing high, that meant it was tough to get out of their own half - it was impossible to link between the two flanks without long passes which could often be picked off.

9 hours ago, GIMN said:

What a derby.  If Benjani wasn't already a hero, he would be after that!

Somehow still only considered "favored personel" despite leading the club from League One to the Premier League...

[13th Man]

Look Out, here comes trouble

 

Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham… in a row. The only good thing about this run was that there was a week between most of the games.  There was two weeks between Chelsea and Manchester City, but several key players would be off playing for their countries (mostly Ireland and Wales). Benjani was hoping for a point or two, but generally was glad the morale was high going into what could easily be a demoralizing set of matches.

 

First up, Tom Finney Park would be the site for a visit from Manchester United, boasting the 2nd best attack in the League with a staggering16 goals in 5 matches (Liverpool with 23!!!). Surely this would be the game that brought Portsmouth back to earth.

 

 

Benjani set up in his more defensive shape, as he would for this string of games, with the WCBs and WBs tasked with being more careful. He also gave instructions to waste time when possible, hoping to break up United’s rhythm. DLF Da Graca is tasked with marking DM Ndidi out of the game. Otherwise, it was the same shape, the same system.

Manchester United

 

At the thirty minute mark, Benjani couldn’t believe how well it was going. 70% possession! Attacking CM Bayliss has broken through on three separate occasions, and while none of them were clear chances, Portsmouth could easily have been in front.

 

[Of course, nearly conceded a goal the minute after this screenshot.]

 

Then, in first half stoppage time, Mings is given a lot of space to run into after Man Utd clear their lines.  He takes his space, chips one up for CMa Bayliss, who intelligently heads it down into the path of Enrique - who sees it coming and is already making his run.

 

To quote Cryuff - “Speed is often confused with insight. When I start running earlier than the others, I appear faster.”

 

Enrique (acc 12, pace 13) was quicker to the ball than CB Niklas Sule (acc 13, pace 16) and sidefoots it home with aplomb!

 

Tom Finney explodes. 1-0 up against Manchester United??? Benjani fears the goal will wake up the Red Devils, but it gives them a much better chance at a draw.

 

 

The second half goes much the same as the first, with Portsmouth looking undisturbed by United’s previously vaunted attack. In the final fifteen minutes United up the pressure, but Portsmouth stand firm.  Benjani had his heart in his mouth as United won three corners in stoppage time, but cover CB Collins was massive on two of the three, and Portsmouth escaped with a well earned victory!

 

 

The stats show this was no smash and grab. Portsmouth were the better side and a late United surge was the only time they looked dangerous.  Portsmouth simply smothered United with possession and found times to break through and look dangerous beyond just the goal.  Portsmouth controlled the pitch, completely dominating the middle and even slightly edging possession in United’s third.

 

 

The difference between the passing maps was fantastic.  Portsmouth completely marked forward Myron Boadu out of the game - only one United player exchanged passes with him all game.  For their part, Portsmouth zinged the ball around the pitch at will, creating a compact shape broken only by Enrique’s forrays forward.

 

Could it be that Portsmouth were actually a team ready to push for the European places? Or was there some element of United underestimating them and/or simply being a bad match up?

The answer would be emphatically answered in the following weeks…

 

First though, some love for Enrique who, unsurprisingly, won Player of the Month and Young Player of the Month after scoring five in three appearances in September, including that South Coast Derby hat trick.

 

 

No more stalling…onto the rest of that tough, tough run.  How’d that go?

 

 

“Wait, hold on!” you say, “What’s that fourth one?”

 

Why, dear reader, that’s Portsmouth losing to Huddersfield Town in the league cup courtesy of  Sean Raggett howler as the CB failed to track the easily defended run of the Huddersfield striker.  He shouldn’t have been in that position if the squad players had taken care of a lower Championship side like they should have, but Benjani knew that would be the last game Raggett played for Pompey barring an emergency.

 

Back to the Premier League games, though, there was no shame in their defeats, even if the Chelsea one looks rough.

Chelsea

 

Truth was, it was a case of Chelsea’s quality showing rather than Portsmouth being especially poor.  The first half was actually an even affair, with Bayliss again breaking free but unable to score on a few decent chances - several of them after Chelsea went ahead.  The first goal - and first conceded since the opening day of the season - came from a pinpoint pass that found Lukaku in stride from deep, and the Belgian finished with power.  With the dam broken, the goals flooded in. There was the chance that fell kindly in a crowded box with Stolarczyk unsighted, there were two absolutely pinpoint crosses - one that grazed a Portsmouth head, another that was just beyond an outstretched toe - that made the finishes easy, and there was an unstoppable howitzer from distance. Other than the opener, Benjani wasn’t sure how much more his side could have done. Chelsea were merciless, simply in their groove, and there was little that Benjani could do but applaud.  To save a tiny bit of face, Enrique scored a stunning goal in the 74th minute - volleying in a cross across the face of goal that nearly broke post as it rattled into the goal.

Man City

Despite the solid Manchester City scoreline, Portsmouth played well on the whole. Alisson was forced into several good saves, especially at 1-0, and on another day Portsmouth may have stolen a draw.  Instead, it was human cheat code Haaland who won the day.

 

The now 25 year Haaland made WCB Faes look silly for the opening goal, going outside then cutting in front of Faes to meet a low Sterling cross for the opening goal. Benjani was frustrated at how easy it appeared, but it was clever movement and Faes wasn’t the first defender that had fallen victim to Haaland’s tremendous all around game.  In the second half, RWB Guilbert brought down Jesus in the box and Haaland doubled his tally from the spot.

 

Benjani could take encouragement from the fact that his side didn’t allow any other decent chances for the visitors.

Tottenham

 

The Tottenham game was the only one in which Benjani felt his side were well and truly outplayed.  After Enrique (who else?) scored from a Da Graca cross - totally against the run of play - Portsmouth did very little to deserve anything.  Still, while Tottenham were on top most of the game, it wasn’t as if they created chance after chance.  Kane scored from distance after some excellent pass and move football and then they got another off a corner just after the half.  Da Graca himself should have equalized in the second half, but the chance fell to his left foot and his shot lacked the power to beat the Tottenham keeper, even from close range.  Benjani could have no complaints with the loss, however.  Tottenham manager Ancellotti’s 4-4-2 completely stifled Portsmouth and wreaked havoc on them with constant movement.

Embarrassment

[Portsmouth in red]

 

Then, of course, there was that Hudderfield game.  It was supposed to be a relief after the trials of the previous four games…a chance for starters to rest and the squad players to get game time and enjoy a romp against lower league opposition.  Instead it was a grind.  Fiabema and Marquis looked blunt as they had the year before up front, the midfield struggled to progress the ball, and the backline was shaky - especially Raggett.  Only RWB Williams acquitted himself well in this game.  It looked as if Levitt had broken the deadlock with a free kick, but then Huddersfield responded with a corner and then Raggett forgot how to defend and Portsmouth were out of the League Cup. Benjani couldn’t really complain, having rested all starters other than Stolarczyk in goal.

 

 

After the stunning win over Manchester United to finish out September, October was brutal.  Unsurprisingly, Portsmouth dropped out of the European spots and got their goal difference hacked to bits.

 

 

Of course, if Benjani had been offered 9th place after nine games he would have bitten a hand off.  Adding to the fun for those in Portsmouth was that Southampton were propping up the table. It took a little luster off their 3-0 win, but there were many chances to sing the refrain When the Saints Go Marching Down. West Ham and Leeds make up the other two of a surprising trio of early season strugglers.

 

Up next was a much more manageable run of games against Brighton, Newcastle, struggling West Ham and Crystal Palace in November before the insanity of the holiday season fell upon them.  After a strong start to the season, Benjani needed to turn things around after a tough month. What better way to do that than by beating semi-rivals Brighton at home? It was the same fixture the year before that had helped keep Portsmouth survival hopes alive.

 

UP NEXT - A tactical  tweak for you, a tactical tweak for you, EVERYONE gets a tactical tweak!

[SixPointer]

2 hours ago, 13th Man said:

Look Out, here comes trouble

 

Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Tottenham… in a row. The only good thing about this run was that there was a week between most of the games.  There was two weeks between Chelsea and Manchester City, but several key players would be off playing for their countries (mostly Ireland and Wales). Benjani was hoping for a point or two, but generally was glad the morale was high going into what could easily be a demoralizing set of matches.

 

First up, Tom Finney Park would be the site for a visit from Manchester United, boasting the 2nd best attack in the League with a staggering16 goals in 5 matches (Liverpool with 23!!!). Surely this would be the game that brought Portsmouth back to earth.

 

 

Benjani set up in his more defensive shape, as he would for this string of games, with the WCBs and WBs tasked with being more careful. He also gave instructions to waste time when possible, hoping to break up United’s rhythm. DLF Da Graca is tasked with marking DM Ndidi out of the game. Otherwise, it was the same shape, the same system.

Manchester United

 

At the thirty minute mark, Benjani couldn’t believe how well it was going. 70% possession! Attacking CM Bayliss has broken through on three separate occasions, and while none of them were clear chances, Portsmouth could easily have been in front.

 

[Of course, nearly conceded a goal the minute after this screenshot.]

 

Then, in first half stoppage time, Mings is given a lot of space to run into after Man Utd clear their lines.  He takes his space, chips one up for CMa Bayliss, who intelligently heads it down into the path of Enrique - who sees it coming and is already making his run.

 

To quote Cryuff - “Speed is often confused with insight. When I start running earlier than the others, I appear faster.”

 

Enrique (acc 12, pace 13) was quicker to the ball than CB Niklas Sule (acc 13, pace 16) and sidefoots it home with aplomb!

 

Tom Finney explodes. 1-0 up against Manchester United??? Benjani fears the goal will wake up the Red Devils, but it gives them a much better chance at a draw.

 

 

The second half goes much the same as the first, with Portsmouth looking undisturbed by United’s previously vaunted attack. In the final fifteen minutes United up the pressure, but Portsmouth stand firm.  Benjani had his heart in his mouth as United won three corners in stoppage time, but cover CB Collins was massive on two of the three, and Portsmouth escaped with a well earned victory!

 

 

The stats show this was no smash and grab. Portsmouth were the better side and a late United surge was the only time they looked dangerous.  Portsmouth simply smothered United with possession and found times to break through and look dangerous beyond just the goal.  Portsmouth controlled the pitch, completely dominating the middle and even slightly edging possession in United’s third.

 

 

The difference between the passing maps was fantastic.  Portsmouth completely marked forward Myron Boadu out of the game - only one United player exchanged passes with him all game.  For their part, Portsmouth zinged the ball around the pitch at will, creating a compact shape broken only by Enrique’s forrays forward.

 

Could it be that Portsmouth were actually a team ready to push for the European places? Or was there some element of United underestimating them and/or simply being a bad match up?

The answer would be emphatically answered in the following weeks…

 

First though, some love for Enrique who, unsurprisingly, won Player of the Month and Young Player of the Month after scoring five in three appearances in September, including that South Coast Derby hat trick.

 

 

No more stalling…onto the rest of that tough, tough run.  How’d that go?

 

 

“Wait, hold on!” you say, “What’s that fourth one?”

 

Why, dear reader, that’s Portsmouth losing to Huddersfield Town in the league cup courtesy of  Sean Raggett howler as the CB failed to track the easily defended run of the Huddersfield striker.  He shouldn’t have been in that position if the squad players had taken care of a lower Championship side like they should have, but Benjani knew that would be the last game Raggett played for Pompey barring an emergency.

 

Back to the Premier League games, though, there was no shame in their defeats, even if the Chelsea one looks rough.

Chelsea

 

Truth was, it was a case of Chelsea’s quality showing rather than Portsmouth being especially poor.  The first half was actually an even affair, with Bayliss again breaking free but unable to score on a few decent chances - several of them after Chelsea went ahead.  The first goal - and first conceded since the opening day of the season - came from a pinpoint pass that found Lukaku in stride from deep, and the Belgian finished with power.  With the dam broken, the goals flooded in. There was the chance that fell kindly in a crowded box with Stolarczyk unsighted, there were two absolutely pinpoint crosses - one that grazed a Portsmouth head, another that was just beyond an outstretched toe - that made the finishes easy, and there was an unstoppable howitzer from distance. Other than the opener, Benjani wasn’t sure how much more his side could have done. Chelsea were merciless, simply in their groove, and there was little that Benjani could do but applaud.  To save a tiny bit of face, Enrique scored a stunning goal in the 74th minute - volleying in a cross across the face of goal that nearly broke post as it rattled into the goal.

Man City

Despite the solid Manchester City scoreline, Portsmouth played well on the whole. Alisson was forced into several good saves, especially at 1-0, and on another day Portsmouth may have stolen a draw.  Instead, it was human cheat code Haaland who won the day.

 

The now 25 year Haaland made WCB Faes look silly for the opening goal, going outside then cutting in front of Faes to meet a low Sterling cross for the opening goal. Benjani was frustrated at how easy it appeared, but it was clever movement and Faes wasn’t the first defender that had fallen victim to Haaland’s tremendous all around game.  In the second half, RWB Guilbert brought down Jesus in the box and Haaland doubled his tally from the spot.

 

Benjani could take encouragement from the fact that his side didn’t allow any other decent chances for the visitors.

Tottenham

 

The Tottenham game was the only one in which Benjani felt his side were well and truly outplayed.  After Enrique (who else?) scored from a Da Graca cross - totally against the run of play - Portsmouth did very little to deserve anything.  Still, while Tottenham were on top most of the game, it wasn’t as if they created chance after chance.  Kane scored from distance after some excellent pass and move football and then they got another off a corner just after the half.  Da Graca himself should have equalized in the second half, but the chance fell to his left foot and his shot lacked the power to beat the Tottenham keeper, even from close range.  Benjani could have no complaints with the loss, however.  Tottenham manager Ancellotti’s 4-4-2 completely stifled Portsmouth and wreaked havoc on them with constant movement.

Embarrassment

[Portsmouth in red]

 

Then, of course, there was that Hudderfield game.  It was supposed to be a relief after the trials of the previous four games…a chance for starters to rest and the squad players to get game time and enjoy a romp against lower league opposition.  Instead it was a grind.  Fiabema and Marquis looked blunt as they had the year before up front, the midfield struggled to progress the ball, and the backline was shaky - especially Raggett.  Only RWB Williams acquitted himself well in this game.  It looked as if Levitt had broken the deadlock with a free kick, but then Huddersfield responded with a corner and then Raggett forgot how to defend and Portsmouth were out of the League Cup. Benjani couldn’t really complain, having rested all starters other than Stolarczyk in goal.

 

 

After the stunning win over Manchester United to finish out September, October was brutal.  Unsurprisingly, Portsmouth dropped out of the European spots and got their goal difference hacked to bits.

 

 

Of course, if Benjani had been offered 9th place after nine games he would have bitten a hand off.  Adding to the fun for those in Portsmouth was that Southampton were propping up the table. It took a little luster off their 3-0 win, but there were many chances to sing the refrain When the Saints Go Marching Down. West Ham and Leeds make up the other two of a surprising trio of early season strugglers.

 

Up next was a much more manageable run of games against Brighton, Newcastle, struggling West Ham and Crystal Palace in November before the insanity of the holiday season fell upon them.  After a strong start to the season, Benjani needed to turn things around after a tough month. What better way to do that than by beating semi-rivals Brighton at home? It was the same fixture the year before that had helped keep Portsmouth survival hopes alive.

 

UP NEXT - A tactical  tweak for you, a tactical tweak for you, EVERYONE gets a tactical tweak!

Great victory against United and really with the run of fixtures to come away with three points wasn’t bad at all really! 

[13th Man]

20 hours ago, SixPointer said:

Great victory against United and really with the run of fixtures to come away with three points wasn’t bad at all really! 

Honestly was hoping for two points from that run, so three was a bonus.  A bit annoyed that Pompey couldn't hold on for a draw in one more of those games, but it wasn't unexpected...other than the Huddersfield result.

[13th Man]

A tactical  tweak for you, a tactical tweak for you, EVERYONE gets a tactical tweak!

This post is all about those little tactical tweaks that can make a huge difference.  Sometimes they come off, and sometimes they don’t…

 

 

A much more navigitable November followed an overbearing October (took some doing to squeeze that alliteration in there). It would be a good test as to whether August and September were just a flash in the pan and October was more indicative of how the season would go, or if Portsmouth had simply lost to top teams.

Brighton - H

 

While the scoreline looked like domination, it was actually clinical finishing that won the day for Portsmouth. The game was a wonderful showing of just how much Benjani’s investment had strengthened the attack and defense. Brighton’s 4-1-2-1-2 threatened to overload even Porstmouth’s packed middle, but Benjani used the same strategy that had been effective the year before - defend narrow, mark and close down the WBs, and have DLF Da Graca mark the DM.  The strategy completely shut down Brighton, who didn’t register a single shot until after the 75th minute, while Portsmouth’s forwards put semi-rivals Brighton to the sword at Tom Finney.

 

Da Graca ended a long goal drought in the 20th minute, drifting to the far post and physically dominating hapless LB Ait-Nouri, to turn in a lofted Zemura cross. It was great to see the Italian score, if only to get the press to stop asking Benjani about the goal drought when Da Graca had continued to perform quite well, even if he wasn’t scoring much.

 

You’ll never guess the next goalscorer, with Da Graca gathering the ball just inside the Brighton half and sending it into the path of the rising star out of Spain.  Enrique ran onto the ball, paused in front of the Brighton keeper, picked his spot, and passed it cooly into the back of the net.  It was one of those goals that is just a kick in the teeth for a keeper. Little seen forward Fiabema came on as a substitute and rounded out the scoring with a rocket off the bar in the eighty-first minute. His goals per 90 would look good after scoring in his only 15 minutes of Premier League action…

Newcastle - H

 

This was a tough, hard fought game.  With Portsmouth again struggling against a team playing a 4-4-2.  Newcastle got a goal early, and though Portsmouth had more possession, they could do nothing with it - not registering a single shot in the first half.  In the second half, Benjani upped the pressure on Newcastle, upping the lines and switching his WBs and WCBs to support roles.  Within minutes, Da Graca laid a ball across the top of the 18 yard box, and Enrique was on hand to apply the finish from just inside the box with Portsmouth’s first shot of the game.  Portsmouth really didn’t create nearly enough, and the draw was warranted.  Benjani would need to work out how to do better against teams in the 4-4-2.

 

 

A hilarious headline - the win over Brighton had  put Portsmouth back into the European places but they fell out again with the draw.  Benjani wasn’t worried in the slightest.  He was relieved to be far from the relegation dogfight.

West Ham - A

 

It was a funny game in that the xG made it seem as if West Ham should have won the game, but the Match Momentum shows a dominant Portsmouth performance.  They also held a clear possession advantage, enjoying a dominant 63%.  A lot of it, however, wasn’t very useful possession, especially in the first half.

 

Bayliss scored a stunning, left footed volley after only five minutes following an excellent run from deep.  West Ham controlled the rest of the first half and forced Stolarczyk into some excellent saves, if mainly on the counter.  Benjani considered pulling his lines back, but instead went the other direction - bringing the game to West Ham in the second half and pushing his lines up.  He did pull back the tempo, with him finding that Portsmouth were passing before West Ham came close, allowing the Hammers to sit back and stay in shape.  Wanting a bit more penetration, Benjani also went for support roles for the left WCB Mings and left WB Zemura.  He kept the right side in defensive roles, to keep things tight at the back and cover for CMa Bayliss’ rampaging runs.  

 

The left sided switch paid off only minutes after the half, with WCB Mings charging forward, pulling a midfielder to him, before passing it to left sided BBM Morrell.  Morrell turned and launched a ball down the left flank for the pacey Zemura to run onto - his support role giving him more license to push forward.  Zemura cut inside, and sent a diagonal ball into the path of, you guessed it, Enrique. His movement was excellent, opening up space for himself, and he took a touch before smashing it into the net from about fifteen yards out.  Finally, Zemura’s license to get forward paid off again as he beat the West Ham rightback on the dribble and put in another of his crosses which was met by Bayliss for his second at the far post in the 85th minute.

Crystal Palace - H

 

A frustrating evening saw Crystal Palace keep Portsmouth’s attack at bay. In this game Benjani tried a lot of different things - going wider, different midfield roles. In the end, it was grasping at straws and probably did more harm than good as Benjani couldn't clearly identify where to attack Palace. Still, Portsmouth really should have won the game, and had every chance to do so after Levitt hit the bar with a free kick.  The rebound fell to Hamilton inside the six hard box, but the WCB hit the post and that was as close as Portsmouth really came to scoring. Two times off the woodwork in quick succession and two points dropped. The positive was that the defense stayed firm and defended Palace’s scattered attacks fairly comfortably.

Summary

 

Overall, it was a good, solid month that saw Portsmouth clinically dismantle two sides, and settle for two frustrating draws.

 

 

The uptick in form saw Portsmouth head back up into the European places.  With just about a third of the season gone, Portsmouth could begin to believe that they were not only going to be able to stay in the division, but possibly even push for more than mere survival.

 

UP NEXT - It’s that time of year again

[Hootieleece]

I think that anything more than mid-table with your current team is a "pipedream".

That being said the improvement is good to see and will allow you to build the team.

[DefinitelyTaylor]

This is much more like it. A complete contrast to the struggles of last season. 

[haier_fm]

Very interesting to see the contrast. In my experience, if I am a newly promoted side, I would be severely underestimated and hence snatch very impressive wins and draws to ensure a mid-table finish. Then, I would have a second season slump, a reality check, finishing WAY further down the table (Wilder's Sheffield United anyone?).

But it seems to be the opposite in this case, and I am happy to see it going that way for Benjani. Good stuff!

[13th Man]

6 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

I think that anything more than mid-table with your current team is a "pipedream".

That being said the improvement is good to see and will allow you to build the team.

Absolutely agree. It’s a very average side with a good system. The first team is maybe good enough to do pretty well, but there’s very little quality depth. Been lucky with injuries so far - only minor ones to players who have good backups. Can’t hold up all season surely.

 

5 hours ago, DefinitelyTaylor said:

This is much more like it. A complete contrast to the struggles of last season. 

Been a bit more fun this session, yeah. There were times I just wanted that first season done, relegation or no.

3 hours ago, haier_fm said:

Very interesting to see the contrast. In my experience, if I am a newly promoted side, I would be severely underestimated and hence snatch very impressive wins and draws to ensure a mid-table finish. Then, I would have a second season slump, a reality check, finishing WAY further down the table (Wilder's Sheffield United anyone?).

But it seems to be the opposite in this case, and I am happy to see it going that way for Benjani. Good stuff!

That’s often been my experience as well. But when Benjani only put £6.5m into the squad (ended up being less after a January sale) a largely mid/high Championship side struggled mightily. With £35m spent (£25m net) in the last window, the quality is there to compete. Might have a third season slump though…

[13th Man]

It’s that time of year again

 

Ah!  The holiday season!  Families gather. Well, non footballing families, because the games are so packed together.  For once, though, it was a month where the games were a mix of the tough and the reasonable…at least on paper.  Fulham, like Portsmouth, had surprised everyone by starting off the season strong and were actually a point ahead of Portsmouth - despite having a negative GD.  Games away to both Liverpool and Arsenal would certainly be stern tests, and Stoke had been Benjani’s boogie team in the Championship.  Struggling Leeds and a mid-table Norwich side filled in the spaces in the schedule.

Benjani now had confidence that his side could perform at this level, but he also knew that every game would be a challenge. Portsmouth would have to stay clinical with their chances and vigilant in defense. An injury or two could also but all kinds of strain on the side’s form, and with the games coming thick and fast, he would be forced into more rotation than he would like.  Would the squad players be able to perform?

Fulham - A

Fulham had started the season strong and were a point ahead of Portsmouth in the table going into the game, despite playing a part in the relegation battle the previous year.  They were one of the few sides in the Premier League still playing a 3atb system - theirs being a 5-2-1-2.  Benjani marked the wingbacks and set his side to play a bit wider than usual.

 

 

Enrique scored an absolute belter after 30 mins. Yet even before the celebrations died down in the away end, Fulham responded after being given way too much time to play in Portsmouth’s box.  It all looked ready for a stalemate between two overachievers until another clever run by Enrique was found by BBM Morrell.  Enrique’s angle was too narrow, but the keeper couldn't hold his shot and the rebound fell kindly to Da Graca, who steered it into the goal.  It was a big three points in a hard fought game.

Stoke - H

Past Results

 

Benjani drew with Stoke.  That’s just how it went.  In four meetings with Stoke, Benjani’s sides had lost one and drawn three - despite outplaying them every time.  Striker Sturrige just loved playing against Benjani’s Portsmouth, scoring in three and assisting in the other. Would it happen again?

 

 

Guess who scores the first?  I’ll give you one guess…an excellent run from right to left by Da Graca pulled Enrique’s marker to him.  The Spanish phenom drifted into space and a reverse pass from Da Graca found him in stride to blast the ball home. Then DLP Izquierdo found an excellent Bayliss run from his CMa position. He rounded the keeper to esure all three points.

 

The game was certainly all Portsmouth, and featured Benjani’s new reduction of tempo when it came to playing sides that were sitting back.  It meant more possession, but also more danger with that possession as the other side had to really press and get out of position…or risk giving Portsmouth time and space to pick out passes to its dangerous forward three [CMa Bayliss being included in that trio].

Liverpool - A

 

Then came a trip to Anfield to visit Guardiola’s Liverpool. It was clear from the first few minutes that Portsmouth’s cause was hopeless. The gulf in quality was just too great. It was tough to watch at times, but Portsmouth defended bravely.  The first goal was pure skill, and the second came in the last few minutes when Benjani decided to push forward for a point.  It was a defeat, but it had been fully expected.

Norwich - H

 

This one was a slog.  Though Portsmouth were on top for most of the game, Norwich defended well, looking to nick a goal on the counter.  Portsmouth couldn’t find a way through for a full 60 minutes, though both sides had some decent chances.  Da Graca again showed his utility by sucking a CB up into midfield, opening up space for Enrique to run into.  CMa Bayliss saw that space and put the ball between the sucked up CB and the FB.  Enrique, through on goal, again paused before the keeper, waiting for him to commit before sending a chip over his outstretched hand and into the goal.  It was another composed, veteran finish from the teenager, and was enough to earn a tough win.

Arsenal - A

Portsmouth traveled to London to face an Arsenal side that had dipped heavily into the Italian market for its strike force, including Premier League leading scorer Immobile, and featuring Chiesa and Berardi (though he came off the bench).

 

 

Portsmouth have not liked going to London.  First the 5-1 thrashing by Chelsea, and now this.  It was brutal, but while Arsenal certainly deserved all three points, a 4-0 loss was unlucky.  [Yes they beat Fulham, but that doesn’t fit with the narrative.]  While the Chelsea game was all about Chelsea’s quality, this game was a series of unfortunate events for Portsmouth.  The first gave Benjani flashbacks to the year before, with Sancho running inside WCB Faes far too easily and finishing well.  A cross field ball then found Chiesa, who somehow managed to sneak the ball inside Stolarczyk’s near post.  The otherwise consistently excellent cover CB Collins then intercepted a ball with his head only to pass it straight to an Arsenal shirt, who one timed it for Immobile to run onto and score one-on-one.  Finally, a comedy goal, with Portsmouth’s LWB Foulon attempting to head an interception back to Stolarczyk only to hit the post as the keeper scrambled.  The rebound fell to Sancho who put in his second of the game.

 

It was brutal, but it also felt like one of those days that everything just went wrong. A 2-0 scoreline, 

Leeds - H

After a heavy loss, it was a relief to play bottom of the league Leeds…though Benjani’s sides often struggled against teams that sat back and defended for their lives.  Leeds, recently managerless, set up in a 5-1-2-2.  Knowing they’d be sitting back, Benjani pulled back the tempo, asked his side to play out of the back, and went a bit wider - along with marking and closing down the wingbacks.

 

Cover CB Collins had been showing signs of fatigue after playing almost every minute of every game in addition to extensive Ireland duties, so Benjani sent him on holiday for a week after the Arsenal game, meaning he’d be unavailable for this game.  He also rotated a bit with Mallamo stepping in for CMa Bayliss, and RWB Williams stepping in for Guilbert, both of whom were one game away from suspension.  This being the 19th game of the season, however, they’d get a fresh start on their yellow card count so long as they weren’t carded here.

 

 

The slightly rotated side got it done and then some, and it was even more pleasing as it was one of the few games Portsmouth had won without Enrique scoring.  This game was all about LWB Zemura, who notched three assists.  

 

Two tactical tweaks opened up Leeds after the first few minutes.  First, Benjani decided to play Mallamo as a mezzala (rather than CMa) to move into the half spaces and pull the Leeds midfield wider.  Second, he instructed his players to cross low.  The combination created the first goal.  

 

LWB Zemura was released down the flank by Mings, and charged down towards the byline before firing a pacy, low cross into the six yard box.  Mallamo charged towards the far post for a tap in.  Zemura set up another, this time for Da Graca, though this cross was floated to the far post.  Da Graca outmuscled his mark to power a header home.  Faes later turned in a Levitt corner - only the second corner scored by Portsmouth in their year and a half in the Premier League - before substitute Marquis turned in another pacey Zemura cross as the game wound down.

Summary

 

A very good month for Benjani.  They’d not only beaten but outplayed all but Liverpool and Arsenal - though the heavy 4-0 defeat was a tough one to take.  Benjani had found success in lowering the tempo a bit against teams that sat back, with the tweak seeming to work a charm against Stoke and Leeds.  It was something to mull over as the season progressed. Tempo can unlock teams, but only if their shape is being pulled apart, or if the passing and movement is immobilizing them. Teams who pressed a bit but generally sat back, could just wait and watch Portsmouth ping the ball around. On a lower tempo, Portsmouth were able to take their time and pick better passes.

 

 

With 12 points from 18 possible in December, and half the season gone, Portsmouth were now mounting a true challenge for the European spots.  They were only two points out from the CL spots, but their inability to get even close to a result against the top teams - other than the shock result against Manchester United - made Benjani sure that they did not have the quality in the side to make the top four.  Benjani had every expectation that his side would fall off a bit, have a bad spell or form, or some off days, but for the moment they were enjoying themselves.

 

There was no doubt, however, that Portsmouth were enjoying a massively successful season.  How different it had been the year before - mired in the relegation battle.  At the same time the previous year, they’d been teetering on the edge of relegation in 17th place.  At the end of 2025, only halfway through the season, Benjani’s side had amassed more points as they earned all the previous season.  However the second half of the season might go, it seemed that Portsmouth were, at the very least, safe from relegation.

 

UP NEXT - Enrique doesn’t care about your xG

Edited March 27, 2022 by 13th Man

[Hootieleece]

I think that you are on to something with lower tempo helping to breakdown buses. I generally try to lower my mentality instead. After years of going to Very Attacking! when faced with parked buses. I find that either lowering the defensive and line of engagement and or mentality works wonders.....more often than not. 

Several questions: how much do these tactical tweaks ruin your tactical familiarity? Do you implement it in a Match Tactics session before a game? Or just while the game is going on?

 

 

[GIMN]

Big result away against Fulham.  Looks like they might be challenging alongside you for European places; otherwise looks like the month went like expected.  Glad to see De Graca doing well, too.

[SixPointer]

The cat is firmly among the pigeons! Great month, what a hit from Enrique and your little tactical variations really are paying off it’s time for Howedes to pay attention to Benjani’s small shifts that’s paying dividends….. Europe is certainly achievable on your current form for sure 

[13th Man]

5 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

I think that you are on to something with lower tempo helping to breakdown buses. I generally try to lower my mentality instead. After years of going to Very Attacking! when faced with parked buses. I find that either lowering the defensive and line of engagement and or mentality works wonders.....more often than not. 

Several questions: how much do these tactical tweaks ruin your tactical familiarity? Do you implement it in a Match Tactics session before a game? Or just while the game is going on?

 

 

The balanced idea was something I noticed working with Livorno, and it’s been working here too. The key is they have to be defending deep and narrow, and you need good passers of the ball. Means they either have to get pulled out of shape to press the ball, or your good passers can ping pinpoint passes, waiting for teammates to be open and available. 
Dropping the lines and such can help, but it goes against the ethos of total football and taking the game to the opponent. I often will actually up the LOE but keep the DL the same to give “safe” options in midfield, but then having the press trap them. Forgot about that! Want to include that in an upcoming tactics post.

Tactical familiarity - I’ve found it doesn’t change much. It’s little tweaks here and there but the system stays the same. I haven’t checked the familiarity bars that much, but the players perform. It goes poorly when you do too much, or just change stuff for the sake of it without knowing what you’re missing (draw against Crystal Palace in November), but a few tweaks here and there can be handled by decent professionals.

5 hours ago, GIMN said:

Big result away against Fulham.  Looks like they might be challenging alongside you for European places; otherwise looks like the month went like expected.  Glad to see De Graca doing well, too.

That was a big one, yeah, and by no means assured. Benjani would like to find a way to be a bit better against the top sides, but when you’re built to play possession football, it’s hard to match up against world class players.

Benjani would like Da Graca to score a bit more, but he’s performing really well, and has the qualities that exemplify the new Pompey spirit if you will. A hard worker, and a good physical mismatch for both CBs (speed) and FBs (size/strength). I’ll go into more detail in a proper post, but he’s also been massive in marking deep midfield players out of the game, constantly harassing a player who is supposed to be recycling possession.

1 hour ago, SixPointer said:

The cat is firmly among the pigeons! Great month, what a hit from Enrique and your little tactical variations really are paying off it’s time for Howedes to pay attention to Benjani’s small shifts that’s paying dividends….. Europe is certainly achievable on your current form for sure 

The little things are the way you go from a point to three, or a loss to a draw. I notice that when I’m able to notice things and make in game tweaks, the results are massively better.

Also, I’ve been getting more success following what you mentioned you do - watching on comprehensive for the first 15-30 mins before returning to extensive. I don’t have the patience to watch every set-piece, offsides, and yellow card all match, but the first 15-30 can really tell how well the game plan is going - and helps with those tweaks.

[13th Man]

I’m back after taking a bit of an FM break.  I didn’t play, think about, or read about FM for more than two weeks, which is a record since FM became my coping mechanism during the pandemic.  Probably a good, healthy thing. But now, dear reader, your long, painful wait for more has finally come to an end.

 

Enrique doesn’t care about your xG - aka Mid season stat attack

 

Looking at the stats made for far more enjoyable “reading” this season.  The biggest difference  compared to the year before was in defense, where Portsmouth were the joint fourth best defense in the league. [We’ll talk about the xG and shots/game later.]

Defense

Portsmouth’s defending had been frequently commercial during the 24/25 season, with the backline alternating between chasing shadows and daydreaming.  The defense in 25/26 was almost unrecognizable.

 

 

Without the two massive outliers against Chelsea (5-1) and Arsenal (4-0), if they’d lost by a goal or two as they should have, they’d be the second or third best. In fact, Portsmouth had only conceded 3 against sides not in the “big six”, which explains why they had the second most clean sheets after Liverpool with 11 out of 19.

 

 

This wasn’t just last ditch defending either, as Portsmouth were in the company of only the big six when it came to defensive efficiency.

 

 

They faced less shots per game than all but those six, and only Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United had a lower opposition conversion rate than Portsmouth’s 9%.

 

With half the season gone, it was clear that Portsmouth’s defense was massively improved from last year. The additions of Tyrone Mings and Nathan Collins to the backline and moving Wout Faes to the right - making him go from one of the players with the lowest rating to the player with the highest average rating in the squad - had transformed Portsmouth’s defense.

 

Collins especially had been massive in the center of defense - literally and figuratively.

 

 

Collins was not only among the leaders in the league for headers won (6th) but he was second only to Issa Diop for shots blocked.  This spoke to his ability to read the game, his composure, and his excellent pace.  Of course, the company he kept was mostly players on teams lower in the league who were forced to block more shots, but a high line will lead to more blocks needed, and many of those 20 could have easily ended up in the back of the net without Collins’ interventions.

Last but not least, there was simply nothing not to like about the player.  Even the coaches couldn’t come up with a single negative thing to say about him.

 

 

From Benjani’s point of view, he wished Collins was better on the ball, but he was good enough and you can’t have everything.

Keeping the ball

Another stat that stands out is that Portsmouth were among the league leaders for possession, averaging 54%.

 

 

They were the league leaders for passes completed, beating out even Guardiola’s Liverpool.

 

 

This was all pleasing for Benjani, not only in striving for total football, but also because it helped his defense when they could keep the ball. The tactical shift to a more compact midfield had certainly helped the side keep possession, but the system was already all about passing. In fact, Portsmouth had three of the top seven players when it came to passes attempted, with both WCBs and DLP Izquierdo all constantly on the ball.

 

Goals

But we’re not here to talk about possession percentages and passes attempted are we?  Okay, maybe you are. Point is, if you look at the general stats graphic, what really stands out is that Portsmouth’s xG and shots for are well below the league average, but they are slightly above average for goals scored. Looking more closely, Portsmouth were far outperforming their xG, scoring an extra goal for every three expected.  

 

 

The xG table makes this even clearer - according to xG, Portsmouth should have scored 6-7 less goals, gained 10 less points, and be in 10th instead of 6th.

 

 

Portsmouth were the second most efficient side in the league, converting 14% of their chances. The season prior, Portsmouth struggled to convert, with only Fiabema approaching his xG. Even more telling, Portsmouth had only created 40 good chances this season in the league, good for 16th.

 

What happened?

 

You better call Enrique with the good hair.

 

 

Enrique happened. It hadn’t taken long for the 19 year old Spanish phenom to take the Premier League by storm. Announcing himself with a derby hat trick, he’d gone on to score 14 in 19 appearances. He was ‘only’ fifth in the Premier League scoring charts, but with names like Immobile, Haaland, Salah and Kane in front of him, Benjani knew he had a gem. The press kept asking about Enrique outperforming his xG, but he kept doing so consistently.  In fact, his xG (7) was half his actual goals scored tally (14).

 

 

Here’s the thing. Enrique doesn’t care about your xG. Enrique doesn’t need elite pace to score goals. Enrique didn’t need space to score goals. Enrique scores one on one with the keeper. Enrique scores under pressure. Enrique goes to where he needs to be and Enrique scores. Enrique just scores goals. 

 

Enrique is the kind of player that refers to himself in the third person and everyone is fine with it.

 

[Tragically, I haven’t come up with a good chant/song for Enrique yet. Better call Enrique with the good hair is nice, but a one off (two off?) at the end of a Beyoncé song doesn’t feel fitting and it’s not very chantable. The other one is an edit of The family Madrigal from Encanto when Mirabele is introducing her sisters. Apologies to any parents who (like me) have had to listen to these songs on repeat.

(Enriiiiiique) He scores the goals and the crowd goes wild

(Enriiiiique) He’s the perfect goooolden chiiild

(Da Graca, Da Graca) And Da Graca’s super strong,

The beauty and the brawn do no wrooong!

Not very terrace friendly though. Suggestions welcome. ]

 

All in all, £7m for the player was proving an absolute steal. There could be an argument that CB Collins had done more to improve the side, but no one could match Enrique for excitement, and a player that can score consistently from limited chances was worth his weight in gold. Actually, he’s worth a lot more than that, even at £7m [current price as of this writing for 76kg of gold is  £3.95m…though I could have gotten things wrong in various ways], and his value was rising fast, already approaching £50m.

 

 

Much of the credit must go to new DOF Anthony Goldrick (former DOF Whyley was let go after consistently failing to get simple deals done, forcing Benjani to step in and clean up the mess). When asked about strikers, Goldrick suggested Enrique off the top of his head - no Portsmouth scouts had caught a whiff of him, and neither had any big sides.  If they didn’t know about him before, they knew about him by the beginning of 2026.  Benjani was strongly considering renegotiating his contract to push his release clause up from the £40m that it stood at currently - even if it cost far more in wages.

 

Of course, the danger here is that, if Enrique gets an injury that keeps him out for any length of time, Portsmouth will likely struggle without his finishing ability.  Still, Benjani had what he felt was a truly special player at the club. Time would tell how long he could keep him.

Summary

Statistically speaking, Portsmouth had become the ‘best of the rest’ defensively, which speaks to the £24m that Benjani had spent on that area over the summer.  Enrique needs no introduction, single handedly breaking xG (not really, but that’s what Enrique likes to say).  The one new signing that hasn’t gotten a lot of love, but who’s quietly gone about his business is Uruguayan Izquierdo.  Don’t worry, though, more will come in the next tactical post…STAY TUNED!

 

UP NEXT - Tweaker (possibly)

[Hootieleece]

Enrique seems like a real "Fox in the Box"!

Does he play poacher for you?

I have never done well with that role......mostly because I am always afraid that player would be too isolated or not too useful defensively. 

And I am one who likes to be defensively sound first.....scoring goals just helps keep the Board off my back...LOL!

 

[SixPointer]

Solid defence due to keeping the ball is a hallmark off the style of play you’ve been on a quest to make this season total football has really started to take shape. The clinical but patient attack is phenomenal. 
 

Collins looks incredible for your central role and while you said he isn’t amazing on the ball he is capable and when flanked with two players who are suited to bring the ball out and pass it he becomes a good option to recycle out each side. 
 

Enrique looks to be godlike after a derby day hatrick he has went from strength to strength and Benjani he’s a real superstar on his hands. 

[Netm]

I was listening to Billy Idol's Rebel Yell while reading about Enrique. I'm not very lyrically gifted but thought of something like

Quote

Enrique from Spain he scored, "Goal, goal, goal"
One on one he scores, "More, more, more", oh
The kid from Spain scores, goal, goal, goal
Enrique we all want more, more, more

Original:

Quote

In the midnight hour she cried, "More, more, more"
With a rebel yell she cried, "More, more, more", oh
In the midnight hour babe more, more, more
With a rebel yell more, more, more

 

Doesn't fully fit, but maybe you'll have better ideas.

Edited April 13, 2022 by Netm

[13th Man]

On 12/04/2022 at 17:57, Hootieleece said:

Does he play poacher for you?

I have him as an AF. He’d make a great CFa as well, but it has disrupted the team balance with him dropping deep too often (already a trait). Poacher is definitely not a good role for total football, as everyone should chip in on every phase.

On 12/04/2022 at 23:58, SixPointer said:

Solid defence due to keeping the ball is a hallmark off the style of play you’ve been on a quest to make this season total football has really started to take shape. The clinical but patient attack is phenomenal. 
 

Collins looks incredible for your central role and while you said he isn’t amazing on the ball he is capable and when flanked with two players who are suited to bring the ball out and pass it he becomes a good option to recycle out each side. 
 

Enrique looks to be godlike after a derby day hatrick he has went from strength to strength and Benjani he’s a real superstar on his hands. 

The possession based, pressing defense has come on in leaps and bounds this season. Still need more quality in midfield and the flanks to elevate the attack.
Collins has just been massive. He’s everything you’d want in a CB. £19m, but very much worth it.

On Enrique - I fear this might be the only season he enjoys on the South Coast. If he keeps up anything like this form I see someone triggering his £40m release clause. Still would represent a £33m profit.

22 hours ago, Netm said:

I was listening to Billy Idol's Rebel Yell while reading about Enrique. I'm not very lyrically gifted but thought of something like

Original:

 

Doesn't fully fit, but maybe you'll have better ideas.

Ooo, this is brilliant. Maybe -

When Enrique scores we cry “more, more, more!”

With hair flying high he scores more, more, more.

Maybe not personalized enough (?) but I love the idea.

[SixPointer]

That’s a huge profit and suppose it ties in with the realism of the save!

[GIMN]

Great to see the defensive turnaround.  I'm a big fan of Mings irl, so glad to see him doing well.  Sure he has a mistake in him, but there's something endearing about a centre back who occasionally finds himself on the left wing!

[Jogo Bonito]

Nice to see you still going strong with this. The year 2026 is something I can only dream of reaching!

 

[13th Man]

On 14/04/2022 at 13:34, GIMN said:

Great to see the defensive turnaround.  I'm a big fan of Mings irl, so glad to see him doing well.  Sure he has a mistake in him, but there's something endearing about a centre back who occasionally finds himself on the left wing!

He’s been fantastic as a WCB, like him as a player in real life as well. He’s really good on the ball and quick, and has a handful of assists and key passes. As you say, he has a mistake in him (he was just responsible for a goal in one of the last few games) but is miles ahead of the previous player I had there.

On 14/04/2022 at 17:39, Jogo Bonito said:

Nice to see you still going strong with this. The year 2026 is something I can only dream of reaching!

 

Ha! Yeah, the saves all about building the club and it takes time!

[13th Man]

Tweaker - Tactical Interlude

Benjani had always been one to make small tactical tweaks throughout a game as well as from game to game.  This became especially important in the 25/26 season, with Portsmouth having added a lot of quality, but still operating on, by far, the smallest wage budget in the league. These small changes brought in a lot of points.  In November alone, Benjani felt like he gained five points due to small changes, an example being when he moved the WCB and WB from defend duty to support duty in the West Ham game leading directly to two goals, turning a draw into a comfortable win.  The key, Benjani found, was in making sure the small tweaks didn’t change the way the side played, and, crucially, addressed specific spaces he saw open on the pitch or in which Portsmouth were looking vulnerable.

 

With Benjani settling fully into a 3-5-2 shape - which really turned into a 3-4-3 in attack with the CMa joining the forwards in possession - he began to find ways in which to exploit certain spaces, counter opposition buildup, or react to goals for or against.

Wide midfield to compact

[Previous roles/duties on the left, newer on the right.  WBs and WCBs often on defend duty]

 

As mentioned previously, Benjani had been playing with two mezzalas (one on attack and one on support duty) and while it had been very effective in the Championship, with the high pressing of Premier League sides, the midfield had been too widely spread to effectively play out from defense.  Too often Portsmouth were funneled to one side and forced to clear the ball forward as they were trapped there without enough options.  

 

With the roles changed to BBM and CMa, the players were still allowed to roam into the half spaces and channels, but those midfielders stayed closer to the ball and could pull in to offer another passing option to beat the press.

 

Against sides with compact midfields, however, Benjani would still change the CMa role to a MEZa role to force the opposition out of shape.  This proved effective against Leeds’ narrow and compact 5-1-2-2 shape, as Mallamo (playing as the MEZa) was able to charge into the space opened up by forward Da Graca’s right to left run and score with a far post tap in.

Da Graca the Destroyer

Italian forward Da Graca was a player that Benjani couldn’t help but love.  He worked hard, was physically difficult to play against, and seemed to be underestimated by all, despite putting in a good shift.  His physical ability and work rate also meant he could play a crucial role in Benjani’s pressing game.  Taking on Cruyff’s philosophy of making sure the opposition’s worst players were on the ball, Benjani had often been instructing Da Graca to mark the opposition’s holding midfielder - especially if playing with a DM - out the game rather than focusing on the CBs.  AF Enrique did press both CBs, and Da Graca would often leave his mark to try and create a trap, but especially when the ball was in Portsmouth’s half, Da Graca would try to ensure that the opposition would have to play all the way back to the CBs to recycle possession, giving Portsmouth time to regroup and push out of their box. With Portsmouth pressing more urgently across the pitch this season, it helped trap the ball, and/or made the opposition start all over

Defenders attack!  Or not…

For Benjani’s first several years as manager, the defenders had been expected to play a significant role in the attack, with both wide CBs and WBs playing on support duty.  They overloaded the channels, especially with the twin mezzalas or IFs, and used position swapping and movement to overwhelm the opposition.  In the Premier League, however, Portsmouth no longer had the off the ball movement, speed, or passing abilities to get loose down the flanks, and the quality and speed of the top flight strikers meant there was no margin for error after Portsmouth lost the ball. Having the backline play it safer was an important change that Benjani didn’t like, but was all but forced to make.

 

Just as importantly, however, was the way in which the WBs and WCBs would too often make themselves too easy to mark.  Instead of waiting in open space, the WBs especially would push forward onto the opposition WBs and make playing out from the back very difficult.  The move to playing the defenders on defend duty not only solidified the defense, but also meant the WBs were more available to bring the ball forward, helping Portsmouth to control possession.

 

Sometimes, however, Benjani would notice more space on one or both flanks, or a mismatch of speed - especially on the left with the very fast Zamora.  Moving the players into support duty allowed for more penetration and pressure if the space was there to exploit.  Against high pressing sides, though, it was better to draw the opposition onto them and pass through them.

 

In games where Benjani felt he could go toe-to-toe with the other side, he still tasked his defenders with joining the attack, but often it was better to be a bit more conservative, allowing Portsmouth to both remain more compact and keep the ball better.

Lower tempo

While Benjani liked to play fast, to overwhelm the opposition with constant passing and motion, there were times when it played into the opposition’s hands.  Teams that sat back could just stay in shape, lightly pressing a Portsmouth player, knowing that they’d quickly pass the ball.  It would also lead to poor balls as the players rushed things a bit.  With Portsmouth’s quality still generally below the Premier League average, they couldn’t rely on pinpoint passing at a high tempo.  By lowering the tempo a bit against teams sitting in deep or mid blocks, Portsmouth could focus on finding the right pass, and if the opposition really wanted to press, they’d have to get out of their compact shape - thereby giving Portsmouth space to operate.

 

Interestingly, Benjani found some success in keeping the tempo high against pressing sides.  With the mentality a bit less progressive than it had been in years past, Portsmouth weren’t looking for hollywood balls, and would keep possession sometimes by pinging it around the backline.  With the WCBs often sitting a bit deeper, Portsmouth tended to have safe options, and were, somewhat surprisingly, able to keep the ball pretty well even against top sides.  Of course, this didn’t always lead to wins, but they usually made it hard on the other sides.

Izquierdo - the quiet metronome

 

This wasn’t so much a tactical tweak as a personnel tweak, but summer signing 19 year old Izquierdo had been a significant upgrade over Levitt in the DLP role.  Their passing numbers were pretty similar, but the Welshman couldn’t compare to Izquierdo’s defensive stats and willingness to get involved.  Whereas Levitt preferred to let the game come to him, Izquierdo was much more proactive, especially defensively.  He wasn’t exactly ‘brave’, the Uruguayan was regularly seen putting crucial tackles in and breaking up opposition moves before they could really get going.  Where Levitt had averaged 0.78 tackles per 90 the season prior, Izquierdo was making just under twice as many with 1.37 tackles per 90, a massive difference.

 

He hadn’t progressed as much as Enrique, but he, like Levitt before him, spent all match pinging balls left and right, acting as the team’s metronome.  He was also doing significantly better than Levitt under pressure - with the Welsh player occasionally getting caught on the ball, and his lack of physicality making him a weak link defensively.  

 

While Benjani had expected Levitt’s quality on the ball to keep him in the side on the left of the midfield three, the Welshman hadn’t performed as well as his countryman Morrell, who was a better dribbler, better off the ball, and was able to get more involved more often (comparison).  That said, the battle was set to continue as Benjani was feeling like his side were lacking a bit creatively, and Levitt certainly provided more in that regard.

Back to the Uruguayan though, he was incredibly reliable in possession, and while his average rating wasn’t anything spectacular, he did a fantastic job in playing the right ball at the right time, and managed a handful of highlight reel quality passes.

 

UP NEXT - YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!

Edited April 16, 2022 by 13th Man

[SixPointer]

Liking Benjani’s thinking. Seems be growing nicely tactically as the club grows in strength 

[karanhsingh]

Just had a catch up on this, great to see the excellent consistent progress made in this save! 

I just googled Tom Finney park, didn't realise it doesn't exist 

It's been quite an entry back to the premier league though. Up the Pompey!

[13th Man]

Alright I'm back after another break, this time due to being hired last minute to play in a musical on top of my usual teaching work and being in school - meant teaching all day, going to classes in the afternoon, and then going to rehearsals or performances at night every day for the last week.  14 hour days six out of the last seven.  "These runs are tough on the legs but the momentum they generate is fantastic."

No time in there for FM, tragically.  BUT - no more nights until next Thursday so the project can continue!

On 16/04/2022 at 16:22, SixPointer said:

Liking Benjani’s thinking. Seems be growing nicely tactically as the club grows in strength 

I've always enjoyed adjusting the tactics as the squad strength changes comparative to other sides in the league.  Trying to stay true to the overall philosophy of Total Football while also getting results has made the challenge even more interesting (and challenging).

10 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

I just googled Tom Finney park, didn't realise it doesn't exist 

Yeah, it's really silly and I'm not at all sure what made the game decide to build the stadium.  A 50k capacity stadium in Southampton but not for the Saints?  Why?  It was fun to come up with a backstory in which it was all about some graft and probably corruption, but it makes no sense at all.  Pompey will be back at a new and improved Fratton Park in 26/27 though.

[SixPointer]

Welcome back bud