Capital Collapse

We got into the half time break with a 1-0 lead and just following Jamie Ashdown saving Steed Malbranque's penalty. Despite flashes of possession Fulham have barely troubled our goal and, despite having many chances to score, we've just got the one. A good away performance thus far and we look in command.

And we lose 3-1.

Perhaps the single most depressing thing about today's result is that we really didn't deserve to lose quite so badly. In fact you could argue we didn't even deserve to lose at all. Yakubu's header at point blank range, Steve Stone nearly tapping in at the near post, Berger and Yakubu again firing just wide, the list goes on. And yet Fulham will hardly believe their luck that Linvoy and De Zeeuw - usually two of our most reliable and solid defenders - gifted them with two simple chances. Even the first goal was a result of Stone being easily beaten and sloppy marking in the box - quite how former England and Manchester United striker Andy Cole can be left in that much space inside our area beggars belief.

The first forty-five was just a perfect script. It could've been Leeds last season; a sunny day, white shirted opponents, a big relegation crunch match and us taking the lead. But unlike that game at Elland Road, we went and screwed it all up. The midfield of Cissé and Skopelitis just seemed to cave in by the end, and by the time Zajec decided to do something about the situation it was too late and we were throwing on every striker we had instead. What's more, another option in centre mid - Gary O'Neil - was clearly being saved to replace Steve Stone for when his legs failed (as they usually do) deep in the second half.

On the bright side, the first half performance was really good. Yakubu and LuaLua were linking up well. The defence looked solid. In fact, the same can be said in the second half, even if we were backing off slightly more (I can only presume we were somewhat naively trying to protect our lead).

Sigh.

That's what makes this whole thing so bloody irritating. We didn't play that badly. On another day we could've grabbed another couple come home with at least a point. On another day we could've scored when they were 2-1 up to equalise. On another day - ninety-nine times out of one hundred - Linvoy and De Zeeuw don't make such ridiculous mistakes, the type of which that in a combined 225 league games for Portsmouth I have never seen either of them make - let alone both in the same game.

And what a game to do it in. At least everyone else apart from West Brom lost so the gap to the drop zone stays the same. It's still in our hands. We should've had it wrapped up by half time. But Jesus are we making it difficult for ourselves. And who knows what confidence is going to be like in the dressing room considering that we actually didn't play that badly, and STILL lost.

No great surprise I suppose. Of the eleven games we've played in London since promotion to the Premiership, we've only one once - Crystal Palace on Boxing Day. Capital punishment lives on!