The Tuesday Column

Currently a publisher and journalist with Haymarket Media Group, which produces FourFourTwo magazine, Jim is a lifelong Pompey fan and has seen them play in all four leagues. The views he expresses are solely his and not those of the portsmouth-mad website, or of Haymarket Media Group.

1 The Chelsea Match

So it's over. The first day of the new season, that is. And I haven't been as unexcited about the start of a new season since the days of Andy Gosney - the only cross-eyed goalkeeper to have ever played pro football.

In fact, I am nervous about this season and think it could be a bit of a struggle.

I find it a bit odd that I'm not excited. We are in Europe for the first time (who would have believed that 10 years ago!) and - despite the sales of Muntari and Pedro - have one of the strongest teams, on paper, that we have ever had.

Harry's done great. Going to Wembley to see us lift the cup was just unbelievable, we have as good a chance as anyone outside the top four of winning another trophy and should, in theory, finish in the top 10 again. Or better. These are crazily good times for Pompey fans… and yet I can't get excited. Weird, hey?

I have been thinking all of this for a couple of weeks now, and the result yesterday hardly helped.

Were Chelski very, very good? Or were we very ordinary? Or was it a mix of the two? And what about the system we played? Why did Harry play with a 4-4-2 formation, with Diop wide on the right and Kaboul in the middle? He kind of admitted afterwards that if we were going to get anything from the match, we had to play 4-5-1 and match up to them in midfield.

So why didn't he do that?

2 Harry And Jermaine

Maybe because Harry didn't want to risk upsetting Jermaine and start with a 4-5-1 using Crouch as a target man. Maybe both players have been told they play in every game, and that's the end of it. Imagine if Harry had told Jermain he wasn't playing in a conversation that might have gone something like this:

Harry: "Jermaine son. You know I love ya, you're a diamond geezer and a mint footballer, you're proper. But I ain't playin' you against Chelsea."

Jermaine: "Alwite gaffer but you can't do that know wot I mean? I is Jermaine man, I is unreplaceable, at the end of the day I'll leave if you doesn't play me every match gaffer, and me WAG Danielle says so 'n all."

Harry: "Alrite Jermaine my son, you're right. You're the geezer. I don't think 4-4-2 is gonna work but f*** it, I'll play you anyway alongside Crouchie. We can always bung big Papa down the right. He'll stop 'em."

3 Tactics

When I saw the starting line-up, with Kaboul, Diop and Diarra in the middle of a 4-4-2, I thought the service for Defoe and Crouch was going to be limited. And so it proved, as Chelsea's superior movement and passing (in fact, superior everything) simply overwhelmed us.

And why on earth wasn't Deco at least booked for that horrible, raking tackle on Diarra after 8 minutes or so? The slow-mo replays indicated that it could have caused serious injury, and made me wonder whether Big Phil had identified Diarra as our main man and told his players to nail him in the first 10 minutes.

Ach, I am loathe to criticise Harry. Chelsea will win the title. I thought they were outstanding in every position, but especially in the way their full-backs rampaged up the flanks, allowing them to transform seamlessly from a 4-5-1 into 2-7-1. Or a 2-5-3. Or anything. We just weren't at the races.

I find consolation in the fact that they'll muller a number of good teams at Fortress Stamford this season, not just us. If I was a Stoke or Hull fan I would be very afraid. Chelsea might even win the World Cup if they could be entered into that, can you think of a team at any level of football that is as good? So it's not the end of the world getting beat. Let's put it into some context - I'd rather get beaten 4-0 away to Chelsea than 5-0 away to Brum, as happened three years or so ago.

Yesterday, I think and hope, was just a blip, as Harry said in the post-match interview. How could I criticise Harry? The man who brought us the FA Cup. The man who has kept this club alive. He is a football genius.

I think yesterday, though, he got it wrong… Sorry Harry. I know sod-all about football compared to you. But please - stop playing Diop wide right.

4 Ticket Chaos?

I am worried about the Man Utd game on Monday for different reasons. And they aren't all football related, as I actually think our home form is going to be much better this season. I'm even sure we're going to get something against the Red Devils. They're there for the taking right now, as long as we can get some service into our front men.

I am just a bit annoyed with Pompey, you see, and think there could be ticket chaos at the turnstiles prior to the game.

I have a friend in the office where I work who is a staunch Villa fan. Every season he gets his new season ticket package through, and every season it's blooming impressive. Last year it arrived in a small box, and inside was a letter thanking him for his support, his ticket book and a free DVD of all the Villa goals and highlights of the previous season.

Nice touch, Villa. I was envious.

And what did we get this year? Absolutely naff-all. It could be that nothing has arrived yet and I am just an unlucky individual. I don't think so, though. A letter saying my season ticket renewal has been accepted and that my card has been re-charged would have been nice, along with a thank-you for my continued support.

But no. Nothing. Just £700-odd coming out of my bank account. So - is my card going to be ok? And how's all that for looking after your customers?

So I'll be getting to the ground early on Monday in case of major muck-ups on the part of PFC. I'm sure I am worrying about nothing, but if I'm not and you see someone cross-eyed trying to get in through turnstile no 14, it won't be Andy Gosney. It'll be me. And I'll be really hacked off!