Should we defeat Wigan tommorow it will represent our best start ever to a Premiership season, eclipsing the 8 points we took from the opening four games in our debut season in the Premiership. We'll have a decent chance to do this too as Wigan have their injury problems whilst ours are easing.
Whilst Chris Kirkland should be fit to play, Henri Camara is injured which is good news for us considering his knack of scoring goals against Pompey and Toddy is also not allowed to play under Premier League regulations. This means that Wigan will go with Heskey up front either on his own or to be partnered by new signing David Cotterill from Bristol City.
New signing Kevin Kilbane can't play because he is suspended whilst Lee McCulloch is also doubtful therefore the Wigan squad is virtually down to the bare bones. One player who will surely play though is our former captain and stalwert Arjan De Zeeuw. Harry knows him very well and will surely explain to our forwards how to exploit his weaknesses which may give us the upper hand however Toddy will no doubt have given Paul Jewell some insight into where our weaknesses lie so on paper this is a very intriguing game we have in prospect.
Harry has said that the new signings will need time to either get fit or fit in so he's likely to go with the core of the team that have been brilliant over the last three games though Rudolphe Douala Mbela has been tipped to start on the bench. Joining him on the bench will be fit again Dean Kiely who will replace Nick Jordan. I know this because I was speaking to Nick whilst getting my new home shirt printed at Fratton Park this afternoon, I tell you, for a 16 year old he is a giant! Lomana Lua Lua is also set to return to action after his injury in pre-season, giving us some extra pace and unpredictability coming on as sub.
Suprisingly, Glen Johnson and Pedro Mendes have both made great recoveries and should go straight back into the first team in place of Pamarot and Thompson respectively. I'm happy that Harry has chosen to go with virtually the same team that has done so well. We all know what happens if you try and introduce too many new faces into the team at once, it disrupts the harmony of the team and results go bad.
If we are serious about finishing in the top ten or even pushing for Europe then this is a game we should win. In fact, that can be said for every team we play at home outside the big four. I'd expect Primus and Campbell to dominate Heskey in the air as well as any long balls over the top as they did so well against Middlesbrough. The defence has a record to keep in tact too, having been the only team out of the entire football league to have not conceded a single goal. Who would have thought that Pompey would have such a mean defence after last season? That's not getting carried away of course, and if Wigan somehow manage to put three past us tommorow it will bring us right back down to earth!
Our midfielders are due a goal now with all seven coming from strikers (ironically two of them came from someone who now plays for the opposition!) so here's hoping "Rocketman" serves up one of his specials or Gary O'Neil can get in the box and nick one. Then of course we have two forwards on fire as Benjani will be looking to run the defence ragged and Kanu will want to continue the form that has the majority of us eating much humble pie at the moment!
I'm looking forward to this game after three weeks away from Fratton Park, including having to endure a boring international week too so it'll be great to see some Premiership football at home again. Both teams like to attack too and 0-0 draws are a rarity for both clubs so I'm sure the game will be fast paced and entertaining. Saying that, I'd take a 1-0 as it would mean us getting all three points and preserving that clean sheet record of ours and I would not expect to get beaten at home by a threadbare Wigan side, though we thought that last season and look what happened then..
Either way Pompey, no last minute nerves like the last time we played Wigan please!
Premiership Past: Pompey vs Wigan Athletic
05/06: Pompey 0 Wigan Athletic 2
Pompey has just beaten Sunderland away 4-1 under Alain Perrin and fans had believed that we had turned a corner. However high-flying Wigan came to Pompey as we put in the most pathetic display I have ever seen from a Pompey side at Fratton Park. A Dario Silva lob hit the crossbar early on but we didn't have any shots of note after that. Pascal Chimbonda was unmarked from a corner to give Wigan the lead and then Jason Roberts finished a quick counter-attacking move to seal the win for Wigan. Funnily enough neither player plays for the Latics now!
Pundit Watch
Lawro: Draw (1-1)
Sky Sports: Home Win (2-1)
Soccernet: Home Win