What we saw today has to be the most dominant display I have seen from a Pompey team since the 4-1 thrashing of Southampton. In fact, it was probably even better than that game in terms of performance. From start to finish we were excellent all over the pitch today, with some outstanding individual performances.
The first half was all Pompey. Benjani had a massive influence on the game today and almost scored early on with a powerful shot in the box. He would then provide the first goal as the Blackburn defence couldn't handle him and he crossed from the right and Toddy tapped in to score our first goal of the season.
Blackburn came out in the second half and put a bit of pressure on us, winning a succession of corners but David James did very well to save anything that could have resulted in a goal, marking a very good debut from him. Toddy was soon subbed off and replaced with Kanu. How do you silence your doubters when you haven't even kicked a ball? Well I suppose scoring with your very first touch of the ball isn't a bad way to answer your critics! The tall Nigerian headered a Sean Davis cross to add a second for Pompey and if the winner of the game was still in doubt, Lucas Neill would assure the home crowd that there would only be one winner by getting sent off for a second bookable offence.
The fun didn't end there as Gary O'Neil crossed for Kanu to head in a second goal and get the crowd singing his name. In fact Kanu was excellent all round today, he won plenty of headers and his hold up play was very good. He could have had a hat-trick too as Andy Todd was strangely sent off for a supposed foul in the box which gave Pompey a penalty. Unfortunately for Kanu his spot kick would be saved and he headed the rebound wide but it shouldn't take anything off what was a great performance by what could be a very inspired signing by Harry Redknapp.
We were magnificant today. What impressed me the most is how much better our defence looked today compared to all of last season. Sol Campbell was immense today and anything that Blackburn tried, Campbell's alertness meant that an opposition attack was quickly dealt with. Sol was also very dominant in the air too, winning nearly every header he was challenged for. Anything Campbell didn't win, Linvoy did and he also had a very good game in the centre of defence which will help prove wrong some of the fans who believe he isn't good enough for the Premiership. Between them, Campbell and Primus did not give McCarthy and Roberts a sniff.
Glen Johnson also had an excellent debut, showing how good he is at getting forward and how assured he is in defence although his tackling needs to improve. How he managed to get away with a nasty looking lunge on the otherwise anonymous Morten Gamst-Pedersen only Alan Wiley will know. Dejan also played his part and did very well at left back, making a crucial block in the first half in one of Blackburn's rare attacks, getting himself bruised in the process. The midfield were good today with Mendes showing his class, O'Neil and Davis passing well although I thought Matty stood out in the midfield getting up and down the pitch often as well as having a few shots. Man of the match will certainly go to Benjani though and he will have deserved it. His pace and skill made the Blackburn defence look terrible whilst his link-up play with the other forwards as well as his team-mates and his passing was also quality. Once he sorts out his shooting then we will be a world beater but for now, he deserves all the plaudits he gets because for someone supposedly struggling with injury, he was outstanding and gave the Rovers back four hell all game.
So as you have probably guessed, there were plenty of positives to take from this game! The negatives? Errm... it was only three and Rovers can be thankful that Brad Friedel was on his game, saving Kanu's penalty as well as a close range header from Sol Campbell earlier in the game. It was a terrific performance all in all, even if Alan Wiley did spoil it with yet another inept display of refereeing in the eyes of both teams. Not that that should take away the gloss and a well deserved three points.
I thoroughly enjoyed today and we should milk being top of the league for all we can as we look down on the other teams for once! Let's not get too carried away though, there are still 37 games to go although if they are all remotely as good as this one, we are in for a really good season! (Yes, I know I'm getting carried away myself, it's hard to resist!)
"Top of the league! With Harry and err.. Tony...!"