Neville Dalton is a journalist and a Portsmouth fan of more than 40 years

Credit where credit's due (and unfortunately, Pompey know all about that!).

Amid all the misery and self-flagellation accompanying Pompey's comprehensive defeat at Arsenal came, believe it or not, one or two signs of encouragement.

Now, I'm not (as you may have noticed) one to view Pompey through blue-coloured spectacles. I say it as I see it, and these days, unfortunately, a lot of what I see is neither very good nor particularly promising.

And Paul Hart has borne much of the sharp end of those views.

I don't criticise lightly, and I do it from the heart (if you forgive the pun), because I care about Pompey, and because much of what I've seen since the club's disintegration so soon after those heady Cup-winning, Euro-qualifying days has suggested a rapid decline, at least through the leagues and possibly worse still off the field.

Despite Pompey's Premier League survival last season, I gave Hart less credit than many did because I think the average results under his tenure would not have kept Pompey up had it not been for the dire late-season form of many of their rivals.

Moreover, I hated not only the way Pompey played under his charge but also his philosophy, which was extremely negative and incredibly unambitious.

I never advocated reckless football - just a decent balance, with sufficient flair and creativity to give Pompey a fighting, footballing chance.

It never came, and even those who argued the ends justified the means were hoping for a better philosophy when the new season started.

Clearly he has been severely hampered by the financial crisis at Fratton, but doubts remain about the quality of some of those he has brought in - or is seeking to bring in - to replace those few remaining quality players who have been offloaded in the fire sale.

But limited resources do not automatically equal negative ambition.

I'd much prefer for Pompey to take the game to our Premier League rivals, whether Birmingham or Manchester United.

Just like Burnley have.

Luckily, having a zero expectation for this season brings its consolations. Lower levels of expectation mean any bright spot is comforting, and offers that glimmer of hope for the future that I have mentioned before is so vital for any football fan.

Unfortunately, the personnel, tactics, performances and results in our first two league games produced no speck of illumination for me.

And it was with resignation and a little dilemma that I headed for the Emirates stadium on Saturday.

The resignation was about the inevitable defeat and footballing lesson at the hands of the most attractive and potentially destructive team in the country, fresh from tearing Everton's defence apart.

The dilemma was whether to lob a few quid on the Gunners to repeat that opening-day 6-1 win. Think how sick I'd feel if they'd won 6-0.

So I count myself fortunate to have been there when the first green shoots of potential recovery emerged from beneath that immaculate north London playing surface.

Yes, they were torn apart - and it could have been more. And while I make it a rule never to complain about refereeing decisions, I'm positive Pompey could have got something from the match if William Gallas had been penalised (and inevitably sent off) when Utaka appeared to be clear through.

The fact remained, Pompey deserved to lose - though maybe 4-2 might have been a fairer reflection of how the game panned out.

But what I did witness - and what precious few others seem to have acknowledged so far - was a different approach from behind the scenes.

I believe Pompey's 4-1 thrashing at the hands of potential Premier League winners was the team's most positive performance under Mr Hart.

While the Gunners looked like scoring every time they attacked, scything through Pompey's so-called defensive midfielders and the defence at will, we looked purposeful and far more effective whenever we went forward.

There was the pace that has been so glaringly missing under Adams and Hart; there was much slicker passing, too (OK, not the real deal yet, but it was there - and we were playing Arsenal).

More to the point, there was a look of creativity in the way we streamed forward under Belhadj, Krancjar, Utaka and particularly Piquionne.

And there was visible, tangible support for our lone striker, be it Kanu or Fred.

Not enough of a swallow to even dream of a summer, but enough evidence for me to grab at that glimmer of hope I so long for - and evidence that Hart may indeed have an alternative philosophy.

Utaka deserves some praise for finally utilising that searing pace of his - and looking like he really does like to move in a forward direction rather than play the ball inside or backwards, like so many of his team-mates who do not possess his athleticism.

But what really gave me hope was the performance of Piquionne, looking far more effective doing his chasing, harrying and ball holding with blue-shirted players for once within passing distance.

What a joy that must have been to him, and what a boost it was for me.

Benjani revisited.

Given my pessimism for the season, I won't be getting carried away by a 4-1 thumping (and in many ways a footballing lesson).

But I'm pleased to acknowledge that Paul Hart has presided over a team whose performance encouraged and in many ways pleased me; that gave me hope for the future of Portsmouth Football Club.

That there just might be a resurrection after all.

Footnote: I'm still not expecting miracles against Hereford, though!