Portsmouth 0 - West Bromwich Albion 3

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Ratings submitted so far: 14

oshawabaggie:

Like most of you perhaps, our start to the season has left me gobsmacked. A pessimist by nature, my expectations were low. Even after four games undefeated, I thought Portsmouth might be a banana skin. But, before I had safely arranged my coffee and digestive biscuits on the table, my unease was erased, temporarily anyway, by a stunning stroke of Furlong-Fellows-Maja magic.

Then Portsmouth ran us ragged for a while, aided by some suicidal 'tap it around across the area nonsense'. Does the coach really tell them to do that, or do they take it upon themselves?

Anyway, we survived, and after Mowatt had notched our brilliant second, we settled into a passage of calm control. In added time, Mowatt scored a free kick any Brazilian would have been proud of, albeit from an iffy call by the ref.

What a brilliant start. My only complaint, pleeeese stop the sloppy play across the area. We are not Man City (who may be in the Championship themselves soon - NOT)

Boing Boing

Brendan Clegg:

Another big win and a result that probably flattered us, but a game in which we just looked so strong. I thought this was a real test for us after the international break but we really stood up to the challenge.

Molumby made it which meant no change to the 11, a bench that looked unbelievably strong and some eye-opening omissions from the squad.

One up within a minute after a clever throw, a burst and cross by Fellows and Maja finishing with his left foot the kind of chance he should but which so many fail to take.

After that it was a nutty first half in which we defended an onslaught well, nearly chucked our lead away through over playing but also looked a real threat every time we put 3 passes together. It was breathless and I was glad for half time.

2nd half we were much better at preventing Pompey from building momentum and got on the ball much better. Swift and Mowatt combined eventually to allow our midfield conductor to open his body and ping one home from the edge of the box.

Both sides went for subs and every one of ours looked at home in the 11 and contributed to our performance. Mowatt’s superb 2nd was the icing on the cake.

Once again we were too physically strong, quick and aggressive for our opponents at a base level, and then our tactics and individual quality pulled us away from them. Being absolutely horrible to play against and easy on the eye when you get the ball is a great combo. Something special could be happening here.

• Palmer - 7 Big saves when it mattered.
• Furlong - 7 Top drawer
• Ajayi - 7 Towering and quick.
• Bartley- 7 led by example
• Heggem - 7 Absolute beast
• Mowatt - 8 tempo controlled and 2 great goals
• Molumby- 7 snapped away and mopped up.
• Fellows - 7 Menacing and hard working
• Swift - 7 Relishing the role but fighting for every ball
• Grant - 7 Couldn’t give any more and physically excellent
• Maja - 7 We’ve rebuilt him. Strong as an ox, grace of a ballerina, touch of an artist. Did so well all game.

• Wallace - 7 grafted
• Racic - 7 looks a baller
• Grady. - 6 Didn’t hit the heights
• Johnston - 6 good cameo
• Dobin - 6 More progress