- 4 months ago
Pepe Lacey and Neil Allen are back to discuss Pompey's opening week of the season, which has already endured highs and lows, in usual Blues style.
Also assessed are the areas Pompey need to strengthen in the transfer window, the latest Abu Kamara goings on and everyone’s favourite new signing Adrian Segecic.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of Pompey Talk. I'm Pepe Lacey, and this week
00:06I'm joined by Neil Allen after my fantastic debut, as Jordan Cross called it, last week.
00:12You had a good debut, did you?
00:13Yeah, it was my Pompey Talk debut last week, so now we're doing...
00:16Was it more Segesic than... I don't want to say anyone else.
00:25Some of the debuts we've seen in the last week, not all of them.
00:28No, it was a quite good debut, yeah. Let's say it was an Adrian Segesic debut.
00:34Yeah, this week we're viewing sort of the past week. Pompey, of course, started their season with a win at Oxford United.
00:44Let's talk about that positive first.
00:46Yes, before we go into Reading, let's talk about that positive.
00:48Yeah, before we delve into Reading, let's go into Oxford.
00:52I mean, I was speaking to Geordie last week about the positives going into the new season
00:58and how well Pompey survived pre-season, and they started it on a winning note now.
01:03Yeah, the first time since Fleetwood, a few years before that, when Lee Brown scored the winner,
01:08so it was quite a while ago that.
01:09Yeah, I think that there's quite a few things to like about the game.
01:18First of all, an away win.
01:20Pompey only won three times away from home all last season, so straight away they've got an away win.
01:24Secondly, for me, you'd imagine Oxford would be around Pompey again this season.
01:31So straight away, Pompey have beaten one of their rivals away from home.
01:36So that's a big three points as well.
01:39Now, I'm not being too negative about Pompey there, but you'd imagine Oxford would be around them.
01:43I know Pompey again looking around the 16th position mark, but they could be close to each other again.
01:50So that's another very good plus point.
01:54And there's plenty of luck about the game.
01:55Not only the way Pompey played in terms of attacking, but also how they defended the last 20-odd minutes
02:03when they defended their box superbly.
02:06With Paul and Shocknessy there.
02:09And Oxford barely had a shot in that time.
02:11All Oxford had to...
02:13All Oxford ever did were the long throws, weren't they?
02:15That's all they had in their armoury.
02:17And one guy goes off and another guy replaced him.
02:20And John Massini was saying how he had an even longer throw.
02:23So, yeah, that's all Pompey had to contend with.
02:26But it was about the performance as well, let's not forget.
02:28Led by Callum Lang and Segesic, who were a good debut as well.
02:33Just like you, really, Pepe.
02:34Yeah, so those two, they were brilliant.
02:39Away from home, the drive, the counter-attacking ability, just to run up the pitch,
02:45which Pompey could not do under Matt Ritchie, away from home.
02:49They've got that now.
02:51And that was a huge help to them.
02:53I think the biggest talking point from Saturday was Adrian Segesic.
02:59Just all you have to do is look on social media and people were raving about him.
03:03And we were at Reading a couple of weeks ago for the pre-season friendly.
03:07And I thought it was absolutely fantastic that day.
03:09Although it was a pre-season friendly, it just looked like he had that spark in him.
03:14And sort of to come from Australia, come to a new country, come to a new league and put in the debut performance that he put in.
03:23That was something special.
03:25And he got a goal as well.
03:26Yeah, he impressed in pre-season and strode to when he's in the number 10 role.
03:31And they've actually moved Callum Lang to the right wing to accommodate him.
03:34So they're never going to play two number 10s because that's not Pompey's system.
03:39They're not going to change the system.
03:40So to get both in the team, he's gone 10 and Callum Lang has gone to the right wing,
03:45which he's barely played on the right wing for Pompey.
03:48If you look at that, then he obviously scored his four goals against Coventry as a number 10 as well.
03:53So to accommodate them both, they found a way.
03:58And the pair of them were just super, the energy, the drive, the press.
04:05I just, there was one occasion in the first half where Pompey counted, I think it's from a corner.
04:11And Lang just charged down the pitch, covering defender for Oxford did very, very well, but still considered the corner.
04:18And that's what Pompey have got in their locker now away from home.
04:21They can break up the pitch at great speed and with athleticism to get the danger away from the Pompey goal very quickly.
04:32And also even winning corners and put the pressure straight in opposition.
04:36And again, when Matt Ritchie was here for all his immense strengths, his defensive ability, his set pieces,
04:42he scored five goals, he's clearly a quality player, led the press,
04:47so all that, he naturally, 36 in September, he's not going to break for you on the counter-attack.
04:55It ain't happening. It's down to his age. I'm sorry, that's how it is.
04:59But suddenly now you've got Callum Lang just running the ball up the pitch.
05:03Everyone's chasing. They didn't have that last season.
05:05So it's definitely a plus point for Pompey this season, away from home.
05:11Another plus point for Pompey that you mentioned just a minute ago was having Regan Paul and Connor Schottnessy back together.
05:18It was the first time since November 2023, since Chesterfield in the FA Cup,
05:23that the pair have lined up together at the heart of defence.
05:28And they've got a clean sheet on their first game back together.
05:31That's so important for Pompey now, is keeping those two fit,
05:36because the first 15 games of the League One title-winning season, they were a dominant force.
05:43And hopefully Pompey can now keep them fit going into their second season in the Championship.
05:48If you look at the League One title-winning season, they started, like you say, until the Chesterfield game,
05:54and then Regan got his injury, which put him out.
05:56They then tried McIntyre for one game, half a game, didn't they?
06:01And he got injured.
06:02And then it was Raggett.
06:03So they were largely settled in that position.
06:05It was either Hall, Schottnessy and Raggett.
06:08Riley Towler came in for three games, I think, wasn't it?
06:10So they had three players, really, for those two roles.
06:14So they were settled.
06:15Last year, because of all the injuries, there were a lot of people played there, weren't they?
06:19We had Marlon Pack there.
06:21You had Jordan Williams there.
06:23Ogilvie played there for a bit.
06:25Various centre-halves came in and out.
06:27It was a real issue not having that stability, that backbone to your side, purely through injuries.
06:34Not particularly lack of form, although you could argue with McIntyre.
06:39It was injuries.
06:41So having a stable, steady centre-half partnership this season could be massive.
06:47Because if they do, it would help them get higher up the league.
06:52Yeah, simple as that.
06:53Simple as that now.
06:55John Messina over it.
06:56That's what it is.
06:56That's what it is.
06:57The power of them, they were superb as well.
07:02Paul's had a really strong pre-season for me.
07:04I've said it several times.
07:08Schottnessy grew into the game, actually, on Saturday.
07:10And when they needed them both, they were heading those balls away, those long throws.
07:15I'd say that's all Oxford had to offer.
07:16Long throws and the occasional corner.
07:20And the pair of them did superbly.
07:23So you've got, say, going back to the initial question, so much to like about that performance in terms of counterattacking,
07:30in terms of the two lads, Segesic and Lang.
07:34And also then, at the end, how they defended that lead.
07:37And it was a comfortable win in the end, really, wasn't it?
07:41How big mentally do you think it will be for Pompey that they've got that first win on the board so soon?
07:46Because, obviously, last year they had to wait until QPR in October to get that first one on the board.
07:52And it was one win in 14, eventually, when they got that win at Preston.
07:56How big is that mentally for them that they've started the new season with a win and now can just progress?
08:02Yeah, especially when they've got tough games coming up, like Norwich at home and West Brom away.
08:09So if they'd lost against Oxford, it's a difficult one, isn't it?
08:13So they've won that one, puts them on the front foot, calms everyone down.
08:18Because, as you know, the subsequent defeat to Reading, there's a bit of hysteria over it all, really, isn't it?
08:26You have to be honest, the overreaction.
08:30Pompey have been knocked out of the Carribeau Cup by Reading.
08:33Deservedly so, poor performance.
08:34But come on.
08:36A few days earlier, they won the opening game and they made 10 changes.
08:40You've got players in that team making their debuts.
08:45Boat hadn't played competitively for 15 months.
08:49Matthews hadn't played competitively since February.
08:53Who else?
08:54Oh, Farrell.
08:55Farrell, yeah.
08:56He hadn't played competitively since September 2024.
08:58So they were three of your starting 11.
09:03So straight away, your side is weakened because they're just coming back from injury, aren't they?
09:07They're trying to bring them up to speed.
09:09Forget pre-season.
09:10These are competitive matches now.
09:13So that was always going to weaken Pompey anyway.
09:16So it's no need to panic over Carribeau Cup defeat to Reading.
09:21Because at the moment, Pompey have played 1-1 in the Championship.
09:26And that's what this season is all about.
09:27The Championship.
09:29Absolutely.
09:30And I was in the fratting end on Tuesday night and there were boos.
09:33Some boos from some supporters at half-time.
09:36And like you said, it's just an overreaction.
09:39You had players like Terry Devlin playing right wing.
09:41He's not going to play right.
09:42He's not going to start right wing.
09:44I mean, he actually did well at right wing.
09:46The last time he played right wing was West Brom away.
09:49Ended up in a 5-1 defeat.
09:52He's not a right winger.
09:55The Hungarian lad, how do you pronounce his name?
09:58Mark Kovnovsky.
09:59Well done.
10:02Kovnovsky, he was playing the number 10.
10:05And Messina admits himself he's not a number 10.
10:07He's more of an 8, maybe a 6.
10:11So he's not a number 10.
10:12He was playing the number 10.
10:15We saw Yang was making his full debut as well.
10:20We had Leroux.
10:24Yeah, Kovnovsky, Leroux making their debuts.
10:27It was very much a mix and match team, wasn't it?
10:30Basically, he had players he wanted to get games with.
10:33And he just put them all into the team and tried to build a team around that.
10:36Putting some of them in correct positions because he wanted match minutes.
10:40So, you know, Pompey should be criticised for performance without any question whatsoever.
10:46Players, their concerns over how they've played as well.
10:50That's not a problem.
10:51But come on.
10:52The Carabao Cup game against Reading is not going to decide Pompey's season.
10:57Really, really isn't.
10:59And I think we were talking about it yesterday with John Messina doing a story on this.
11:05Remember Abu Kamara two years ago when he first popped up on the scene with Pompey.
11:09Started very, very slowly.
11:11Was it Millwall?
11:12Who did they play in there?
11:13There were some penalties, didn't they?
11:14Was it Millwall?
11:16No, that was last season.
11:18I can't remember.
11:19He missed a penalty, didn't he?
11:20He missed a penalty in his shootout.
11:22I can't remember now.
11:23But yeah, he missed a penalty in his shootout.
11:25And he had a really poor start with a Pompey career.
11:28So, some of these new players, they just need time to get up to speed.
11:33And when they will, I'm sure they'll do very well for the football club.
11:37It was Peterborough.
11:38Peterborough it was.
11:39Peterborough.
11:40And lost 4-5 on penalties.
11:42I think Joe Morrell hit the post in that penalty shootout that day as well.
11:46Yeah.
11:46Yeah.
11:47Good bit of knowledge, that.
11:49But it also shows...
11:50But you didn't know they played against those, did you?
11:51No, I forgot.
11:52But I was there.
11:53I was in the front end that day.
11:56It also shows where Pompey are as well at the moment.
11:59Like, when you mention about players playing out of position,
12:03they haven't got a right winger that can come in and play right wing in a League Cup game.
12:07They haven't got that depth currently where they can have two 11s like they did on Saturday.
12:14You can't have Callum Lang playing at right wing on three days later in a League Cup.
12:19You've got to rest them for Norwich.
12:21Yeah, yeah.
12:22That shows where Pompey are.
12:23I'll tell you, I've seen they rested various players last year as well.
12:27Bristol City away, West Brom away.
12:29They didn't work too well.
12:30But it's about resting them.
12:31And ironically, he rested Jordan Williams from the starting 11 at West Brom,
12:35then brought him on the sub and he did his hamstring, didn't he?
12:38So he's just trying not to burn out the players and looking after them, protected them.
12:42And you've got to protect Callum Lang and Colby Bishop and Conor Shocknessy.
12:50It's obvious you have to protect them because they're so huge to Pompey and they've had injury issues.
12:57I mean, Bishop's missed several pre-season games for injury issues as well,
13:01as has Callum Lang with a hamstring.
13:03So you've got to look after these players.
13:04You can't play them.
13:06You come back for the first game pre-season on the Saturday.
13:09We'll also play them on the Tuesday.
13:10Then we'll play them on the Saturday.
13:12You've got to be clever there.
13:14And they've got a big enough squad.
13:15He's got, what, 29 players in the squad, if you don't include the two out on loan,
13:21which is Stewart and Clout.
13:23And obviously three of those they're trying to ship out.
13:26But he's just trying to rotate his squad, get minutes into people.
13:29So I totally understand why he changed it.
13:32Because he'd be heavily criticised if he played Lang, Shocknessy and Bishop in that match.
13:40And one of them are broken down at the very least.
13:44Yeah.
13:45Let's move away from Reading.
13:46We are, of course, still in the transfer window.
13:48We've still got a couple of weeks to go.
13:50You spoke to John Messino yesterday about any latest transfer ongoings.
13:55And he mentioned about a meeting with Eric Eisen and Tornante.
13:59So what do you know about that?
14:01And what's to come for Pompey this summer?
14:04Yeah.
14:04So Eric Eisen came over for the Oxford game.
14:08He came over a few days earlier.
14:10So he was there a few days.
14:11And obviously, as ever, they spoke about things.
14:14And the transfer situation was addressed.
14:19That's a whole point of very obviously coming across.
14:22Board member.
14:23He was with various other members of Tornante as well.
14:27And then straight after the Oxford United game, they flew back.
14:30So, yeah, they're over here very quickly.
14:33They don't tend to spend too long when they come over.
14:35But, yeah, presumably they told us about matters.
14:39And John Messino says there's still going to be more business for Pompey in this transfer window.
14:44Just over two weeks remaining, aren't they?
14:46So, sick sign.
14:47And we can see where they need to strengthen.
14:50He's admitted they'll need another winger.
14:53He's admitted they'll need another striker.
14:55We all agree on that.
14:57And then obviously news came out that Pompey have had a bit in the frame to sign in Bellic from Birmingham as well.
15:04He was the centre-half, occasional centre-midfielder.
15:07So, they're looking at that position as well, clearly.
15:10Yeah, that was a question I was going to put to you.
15:14Was that Christian Bielek story that sort of come out of the blue?
15:19Because it wasn't really out there that Pompey was still looking for a centre-back.
15:23It's been sort of rumoured at the start of the summer when Pompey were looking at Rob Atkinson.
15:27But they've currently got five contracted, four who are definitely going to be here.
15:32Tom McIntyre's future is still uncertain.
15:35Pompey are still looking for a centre-back.
15:37So, it seems.
15:38Yeah, he said the other day that he was fine with those four.
15:43So, they wanted to sign Rob Atkinson.
15:47Even though they've got five contracted, they still wanted to sign Rob Atkinson.
15:50They had to get the right player, really.
15:53Fortunately, they didn't.
15:55So, they've got the four contracted centre-half plus McIntyre.
15:58Some have come back from injury, including Boat, who obviously looks a bit rusty on Tuesday night.
16:03But then that's his first competitive game in 15 months.
16:06So, it's obvious he would have issues getting back up to speed.
16:10So, yeah, it's an interesting position now that they are looking to strengthen.
16:14As you mentioned, Tom McIntyre hasn't even got a squad number.
16:19If he doesn't leave by the end of the window, he won't even be registered in the squad.
16:23So, he needs to find a club ASAP, doesn't he?
16:26Then you've still got your four contracted centre-halves.
16:28So, it intrigues me because a few, about a week ago, John McIntyre said he wants three to five more players.
16:35Well, they've signed one more.
16:37So, if he wants the maximum of four more players, what positions are they going to strengthen?
16:44Up front, winger, is it now a defender?
16:49And where else?
16:50So, it's including goalkeepers in that as well.
16:53But then, you don't have to worry about goalkeepers.
16:55They've got three contracted.
16:56So, and Smith's number one.
16:58So, there's still business to be done, isn't there?
17:00And the likelihood of Abdullahi Kamara and Matt Ritchie and, hopefully, joining them, Tom McIntyre, to leave before the window ends.
17:10Yeah, there was some gossip that came out last night.
17:14It's not really Pompey related, but it kind of is because Pompey fans, hopeful Pompey fans, still want to see Abu Kamara return to Fratton Park this summer.
17:24Now, it looks like he is getting his move away from Hull City, just 12 months after he joined, making a move to Getafe.
17:32Some Pompey fans are still saying, oh, Pompey should be spending three and a half million.
17:36I think the price is Getafe paying for him.
17:40I think that seems, I think it's still a bit too much for Abu Kamara.
17:45And Pompey could do with saving the money and spending it elsewhere.
17:48What are your, what are your thinking?
17:49Yeah, it was, they never had a chance of bid for him first time round.
17:53Because they, because Hull signed him for about 4.5 million, didn't they?
17:56So, Pompey were never in the frame for that.
17:58Completely different to the Robertson situation where they had a bid accepted.
18:02They discussed terms and he went to Cardiff.
18:05That was his decision.
18:07Kamara never got that five.
18:08No, Pompey remain admirers.
18:10I saw a link earlier on saying Pompey like him.
18:12They've liked him for ages.
18:13We've written about it times.
18:15Pompey would love to bring him back.
18:17But financially, it was always the issue.
18:19And realistically, they're not going to pay 3.5 million.
18:25No.
18:25They're not.
18:26They're not.
18:26Sorry, it's not ideal.
18:30You want the owner to spend, some people want the owner to spend loads more money or whatever.
18:34But realistically, they're not going to spend 3.5 million pound on a player.
18:39Which rules Pompey out.
18:40I'm sorry, that's how it is.
18:42But they're not in that position to pay money like that.
18:47I mean, they've actually paid a couple of 1 million pound deals, haven't they, in the calendar year.
18:52Yeah.
18:52With Hayden Matthews, Kovnowski, and also LaRue.
18:58So, obviously, they're saying these are, you know, they're not saying how much they have paid the club officially.
19:06But this is what is coming out, isn't it?
19:08Yeah.
19:08So, they have increased their expenditure, but it still pales in comparison to other football clubs, isn't it, at the moment, where Wrexham are now.
19:18Well, it's been rumoured Wrexham after Broadheads is 7.5 million.
19:21I've read today they're on about 10 million now for him.
19:24It's crazy money.
19:27It is crazy money.
19:28I know some Pompey fans say Pompey's still got one big signing in them this summer.
19:32But you think at 3.5 million for Abu Kamara, who didn't have the greatest championship season last year.
19:39No.
19:41You're then spending money for the sake of spending money when we know Pompey our logic with how they spend their money and who they bring in.
19:49It just doesn't seem to add up.
19:52But Pompey were never going to be in the market for him with those sort of prices.
19:55And certainly, Hull are not going to halve what they spent for him within 12 months, especially to a fellow championship club.
20:05So, it's never been a realistic one.
20:09Pompey have liked him.
20:09Pompey would love to bring him back.
20:11It's just said so many times, but they're never realistically.
20:15The word's realistic.
20:16Like, you know, you could say, spend 3.5 million, you know, my client is a billionaire or whatever.
20:24You can spend that money.
20:25They're not going to.
20:25I'm sorry, but they're not going to.
20:27You have to be realistic.
20:29It's not happening.
20:30So, yeah, unfortunately, he's gone elsewhere.
20:33But again, he's not really proven at championship, is he?
20:36No.
20:37We're judging him on League One level and potential.
20:39And at the moment, he's struggled in his maiden championship season to the point of their fans are very comfortable winningly leaving the following summer.
20:49And they're going to lose around about £1 million on the deal as well.
20:54I think it should be said that spending big money doesn't guarantee the player to be a success.
21:00I think that's what something needs to be said.
21:05Just because Pompey spends £3.5 million, a player is going to be a success.
21:08It doesn't work like that.
21:09We've seen players before Pompey spend money, and unfortunately, it doesn't quite work out.
21:14The John Marquis rule, it's called.
21:15Yep.
21:15Yep.
21:16There it is.
21:16That's what I wanted to get in.
21:18But no, I mean, but obviously, if you do spend money on players, you've got a lot greater chance of them succeeding and also for profit-wise.
21:30So they probably bought Sadie for, say, what, about 90 grand.
21:36And they've sold him for a bit more than that.
21:39They could have doubled their money, I suppose.
21:40But that's only 180 grand, isn't it?
21:43Yeah.
21:43Effectively.
21:44That's not the exact figure they sold him for.
21:46I'm just giving that as an example.
21:47So you can send Riley Towler a letter, signed for about 50, didn't he?
21:53And he's gone as well.
21:54And these are not huge profit margins, are they?
21:57So if Pompey want to have a model of buying a player and selling him on for more money, they need to increase the money they spend on players, isn't it?
22:09And again, this isn't new.
22:10We saw this times.
22:11You look at Jude Bellingham at Sunderland.
22:15I think they bought him for about one and a half million.
22:17And they sold him for 20.
22:18No, no, no.
22:19Just to avoid any confusion.
22:20Joe.
22:21Yeah.
22:21Joe.
22:21And then they sold him for, what, 27 million, a couple of years later, whatever.
22:28So, yeah.
22:30Yeah.
22:30Anyway, on to Norwich then.
22:32That is this weekend's game for Pompey's half-twelve kickoff at Fratton Park.
22:37Injury news.
22:39Josh Murphy and Marlon Pack.
22:40What's the latest on those two?
22:43Yeah, obviously, Pack's out.
22:44He's going to have an operation now.
22:46Murphy, John Messina thinks realistically he'll be available for West Brom.
22:51So, we'll see how that pans out.
22:53That was another impressive thing, actually, about winning at Oxford.
22:55They did it without Josh Murphy.
22:56Yeah.
22:58Arguably, they let a player.
23:00Yeah.
23:00So, against his former club.
23:02So, the sooner he comes back, the better.
23:05Because he just massively improves Pompey Josh Murphy.
23:07What a player.
23:08Love watching him play.
23:10So, yeah.
23:11If you add into your team as well, it's a lot stronger.
23:14So, yeah.
23:15We'll see how the situation is.
23:17And at least it's not a big injury.
23:21Slight hamstring strain.
23:22That's all it is.
23:23So, yeah.
23:25There's not too much doom and gloom about him being out for a while.
23:27Yeah.
23:28And then Norwich themselves obviously appointed Liam Manning in the summer.
23:34They began the season with a 2-1 loss to Millwall.
23:37So, I think I've just done a bit of research on them.
23:40They're still very much in transition.
23:42So, you'd probably think this is the right time to play them.
23:45New manager.
23:46A load of new players.
23:48So, this is probably the time for Pompey to play them.
23:51And at home, of course.
23:52Well, they've sold players, haven't they?
23:53They've sold players.
23:54They've brought money into the team, into the club.
23:57And then they've spent it again.
23:58So, they're overhauling their playing squad.
24:01So, different manager.
24:03That was one of the performances of the season, wasn't it?
24:05Norwich away last year.
24:06That was absolutely magnificent.
24:07What a game that was.
24:09What a display that was.
24:10Especially away from home.
24:12And, yes.
24:13And now Norwich visit Fratton Park.
24:16Very different Norwich as well.
24:17So, it'll be a tough one, this.
24:20It really will be.
24:21But then, let's not panic.
24:23Because that Reading team that Pompey put out, they won't start against Norwich.
24:29No.
24:30You'll bring back Shocknessy, Paul, Smid.
24:34Actually, Kylip was not responsible for any of the goals.
24:36But you bring back Smid.
24:38You bring those players back.
24:40Lang.
24:42Segesic.
24:43It's just a stronger side, isn't it?
24:45With them back.
24:46Yeah.
24:47It's never doom and gloom around here.
24:49It's always positive for Pompey.
24:50And hopefully, they can carry on their winning start to the championship season
24:54against Norwich at home on Saturday afternoon.
24:58Thanks for joining me today, Neil.
24:59It's been a pleasure.
25:01Thank you very much, yeah.
25:02Hopefully, you've maintained your form after your impressive debut.
25:06I think mine might be.
25:08Hopefully, you know, Gassana had me.
25:11Ah, yeah.
25:12He's off to Bolton, apparently.
25:13So, I hope I don't.
25:15Yeah, I think so.
25:16Hopefully, I don't.
25:17He's had a lot of club dust to play and well against having Waterlooville in pre-season,
25:21hasn't he?
25:22Well, hopefully, I'm not shipping on Bolton for next week's day.
25:24Yeah.
25:25Hopefully, you're not an organ bop either.
25:28Anyway, thanks for joining me, Neil.
25:29And we'll see you the next time.
Be the first to comment