Pompey v Notts County: The Opposition View

And John Sheridan hasn’t shied away from suggesting that has to be the case.

He thinks that’s achievable and we haven’t seen the best of this Notts team – and I agree with him.

It’s been a solid start and I think most people would have taken the position the team are in at this stage.

They were on a fantastic run of form, but the game against Mansfield, a derby, came at the wrong time.

A game like that can be a flip of a coin. They could’ve won and been two or three up after 25 minutes, before Mansfield got a foothold.

There’s been two defeats and a draw, and, as seems to the case in football these days, it feels like a crisis after one loss.

Everyone is singing the team’s praises one minute and saying it’s rubbish the next! That’s football everywhere, it seems.

The biggest problem for the team has been the mistakes they’ve been making.

As a unit they look quite solid but are making defensive errors.

Pompey fans will know Richard Duffy, who has been excellent since he came in.

He’s definitely been one of the best signings and added experience to the defence.

Richard has led the back line well but the habit of conceding stupid goals has been costly.

Carl Dickinson is also here and has been okay.

Notts lacked any kind of leadership and that hurt them on several occasions.

So Sheridan has added experience and character. Carl is one of those men.