It's that time of year where every team ends up playing four fixtures in a very short space of time. This time is usually a crucial period for every team and we are certainly no exception this season. So Fratton Faithful assesses the chances of Pompey and their relegation battling rivals picking up points during the festive season.
Fulham: Position: 14th Points: 19
In my opinion I don't think Fulham are in too much danger in getting relegated due to a quality midfield and decent home form. However if they do lose the likes of Malbranque, Diop and Boa Morte to the bigger clubs they could fall a la Pompey last season.
Their fixtures over Christmas aren't impossible either barring their derby away to Chelsea but with home fixtures against Villa and Sunderland that they should win and a game against ourselves that they'll see as winnable I think they'll be alright. Time for us to target someone lower then...
Aston Villa: Position: 15th Points: 17
Now seeing as I've not had this joyful job long you won't know that at the start of the season I made a bold prediction and said that Villa would be relegated. Why? Well they have an unambitious chairman who all their fans hate, they have a small squad so if any injuries occured they would be in trouble. They conceed for fun and have Kevin Phillips in their team. Remind you of a certain other team who got relegated last season?
During the festive period they face crunch games against fellow strugglers Everton and West Brom, home and away respectively. Sandwiched in between them is the already mentioned tricky game at Craven Cottage and a home game against Arsenal that although looks like a loss something could be salvaged considering Arsenal's dire away form.
A tricky time for Villa and a crucial one at that.
Everton: Position: 16th: Points: 17
From top 4 contenders to relegation strugglers in just a year many believe that Everton were a fluke but even so, should have enough quality to get themselves out of their current mess.
Beginning with an away game at Villa they then follow that with the Merseyside derby. The blue half of merseyside then travel to Sunderland and then entertain Charlton at Goodison. They'll be expected to beat Sunderland and maybe Charlton considering how bad they've been lately but I'll be expecting Liverpool to hand them a beating on the 28th.
Who knows what to expect? But we could take advantage of Everton's dodgy position.
West Brom: Position: 17th: Points: 16
Probably our main aim to jump over Christmas.
The Baggies face a very tough time with away games against Man United and Liverpool with a home encounter with Tottenham in between those two. I'm expecting Brom to lose all three of these games which just leaves a crunch home game against Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
So long as the Premiership is predictable as people say then we have a decent chance of jumping West Brom as long as we get our results.
Portsmouth: Position: 18th: Points: 13
We all know how important the next home game is against West Ham. If we win that one it's a real shot in the arm and puts us right back in the fight but this game certainly won't be easy. I believe we need to win this one seeing as Arsenal will be licking their wounds following their defeat to Chelsea and will probably paste us at Highbury. Following that we have a very winnable game against Fulham and a late travel up to Blackburn where we could pinch something.
I'd be happy with 6 or 7 points over this period. Any less and we give ourselves a mountain to climb.
Birmingham: Position: 19th: Points: 12 (Game in hand)
We have to make sure that by doing our job, Birmingham don't jump us because with their game in hand we could be leapfrogged at any time without even playing if the Brummies stay too close.
However do you really expect them to get much out of away games to Chelsea and Tottenham? And even then they face two tough home fixtures against Man United and suprise package Wigan. In truth, like West Brom I can't see them taking many points over Christmas and New Year giving us the perfect chance to get some breathing space between them and ourselves.
Sunderland: Position: 20th: Points: 5
Screwed....
So at the end of my little evaluation I believe this to be a great oppurtunity to scrape out of the relegation zone and pick up at least 6 points between now and the 2nd of January because of the tough fixtures the teams around us face and on paper we should be able to win one or two games at Fort Fratton.
Or you could just disagree with me completely and think I'm spewing complete crap.
Fulham: Position: 14th Points: 19
In my opinion I don't think Fulham are in too much danger in getting relegated due to a quality midfield and decent home form. However if they do lose the likes of Malbranque, Diop and Boa Morte to the bigger clubs they could fall a la Pompey last season.
Their fixtures over Christmas aren't impossible either barring their derby away to Chelsea but with home fixtures against Villa and Sunderland that they should win and a game against ourselves that they'll see as winnable I think they'll be alright. Time for us to target someone lower then...
Aston Villa: Position: 15th Points: 17
Now seeing as I've not had this joyful job long you won't know that at the start of the season I made a bold prediction and said that Villa would be relegated. Why? Well they have an unambitious chairman who all their fans hate, they have a small squad so if any injuries occured they would be in trouble. They conceed for fun and have Kevin Phillips in their team. Remind you of a certain other team who got relegated last season?
During the festive period they face crunch games against fellow strugglers Everton and West Brom, home and away respectively. Sandwiched in between them is the already mentioned tricky game at Craven Cottage and a home game against Arsenal that although looks like a loss something could be salvaged considering Arsenal's dire away form.
A tricky time for Villa and a crucial one at that.
Everton: Position: 16th: Points: 17
From top 4 contenders to relegation strugglers in just a year many believe that Everton were a fluke but even so, should have enough quality to get themselves out of their current mess.
Beginning with an away game at Villa they then follow that with the Merseyside derby. The blue half of merseyside then travel to Sunderland and then entertain Charlton at Goodison. They'll be expected to beat Sunderland and maybe Charlton considering how bad they've been lately but I'll be expecting Liverpool to hand them a beating on the 28th.
Who knows what to expect? But we could take advantage of Everton's dodgy position.
West Brom: Position: 17th: Points: 16
Probably our main aim to jump over Christmas.
The Baggies face a very tough time with away games against Man United and Liverpool with a home encounter with Tottenham in between those two. I'm expecting Brom to lose all three of these games which just leaves a crunch home game against Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
So long as the Premiership is predictable as people say then we have a decent chance of jumping West Brom as long as we get our results.
Portsmouth: Position: 18th: Points: 13
We all know how important the next home game is against West Ham. If we win that one it's a real shot in the arm and puts us right back in the fight but this game certainly won't be easy. I believe we need to win this one seeing as Arsenal will be licking their wounds following their defeat to Chelsea and will probably paste us at Highbury. Following that we have a very winnable game against Fulham and a late travel up to Blackburn where we could pinch something.
I'd be happy with 6 or 7 points over this period. Any less and we give ourselves a mountain to climb.
Birmingham: Position: 19th: Points: 12 (Game in hand)
We have to make sure that by doing our job, Birmingham don't jump us because with their game in hand we could be leapfrogged at any time without even playing if the Brummies stay too close.
However do you really expect them to get much out of away games to Chelsea and Tottenham? And even then they face two tough home fixtures against Man United and suprise package Wigan. In truth, like West Brom I can't see them taking many points over Christmas and New Year giving us the perfect chance to get some breathing space between them and ourselves.
Sunderland: Position: 20th: Points: 5
Screwed....
So at the end of my little evaluation I believe this to be a great oppurtunity to scrape out of the relegation zone and pick up at least 6 points between now and the 2nd of January because of the tough fixtures the teams around us face and on paper we should be able to win one or two games at Fort Fratton.
Or you could just disagree with me completely and think I'm spewing complete crap.