Ade

I went to Priestfield last night. Living a 5 minute drive from the ground I often go to The Gills with my two Gills season ticket holding mates and saw them a lot last season when they truly were the worst team in the league. Then the takeover came and money was put in to strengthen and they turned their season around and finished as one of the best sides in the division – stats showed they would have gained automatic promotion if results were extrapolated. They have strengthened again this season and are looking for automatic promotion, so they are no mugs. However, I was still confident we could progress through to the next round. Then I saw the team and thought this will not be easy. But I had confidence that the new possession football RM plays should still be more than enough to win this match. Oh, how wrong was I? To say we were poor I think is an understatement and I’m going to try and not single out any player for criticism. Yes, we were very poor but the stats though paint a different picture…72% possession, 20 shots, 5 on target. However, my issue with this possession football, and don’t get me wrong, I like it..up to a point, but my issue is that we can knock it around with some nice pretty short passing, but ultimately it’s about scoring goals and to score goals we must create chances and we can’t do that. It’s great passing along the back four from side to side, then into midfield, up the wings, back into midfield, to the other wing and so it goes on, with no real end product, apart from ultimately a pass inside and a shot from outside the box. Easily dealt with or off target, although our goal was a deflected shot from outside the box. We are not going to score many like that each game. On to defending, especially set pieces. We just can’t do it. Two central defenders are easily outmuscled and a goalkeeper who stays rooted to his line. As my Gills mate said last night, all they had to do was sling it in the mixer and they’ll get a chance. Gillingham, though, were good, and played some good stuff, even getting ‘ole’d’ from their fans for a period in the 2nd half when they were outpassing us for a minute or two. They scored 3 but in truth it could, and probably should have been more, with a free header they put over from a corner in the first half and what looked like a perfectly good goal disallowed from another corner late in the first half. Plus a point blank save from McCarthy from another corner 2nd half. We were embarrassing. Martin needs to get this team passing and creating opportunities, not this 'no risk' passing and passing and passing and nothing on the end, otherwise I fear a long season ahead where we will have the majority possession in games but lose, just like last night. Just on those stats again as I think it is important and shows what I think will happen a lot this season. It’s not about how much you have the ball but what you do with it that counts: Saints 72% possession, 20 shots, 1 goal (hit the bar once) Gills 28% possession, 9 shots, 3 goals (should’ve been more)

The reason we haven't been given the top half is because it has been deemed too dangerous and has been condemned! Not surprised as it was put up as a temporary stand in 1997!

Shame we didn't start the game on the front foot, trying to win the game, instead of setting up to not lose. Selles is a fraud.

Did AMN win a competition to play. Stealing a living.

And there in a nutshell is why we need a striker.

Ralph seems to have sucked the life out of these young exciting players. Absolutely awful performance.

We've all seen those videos of worst goal misses of all time. Well, Che's effort has eclipsed them all! Sorry but no player should miss that, ever, ever.

Suggest you go and spout crap on the Pompey Forum mate, you'll fit in there. No one has blamed Forster for any of their goals except you. Tell you something? Probably not, as you're obviously the one who lacks intelligence. Melt.

Dunno why you comment? You just spout crap. How on earth you can put any blame on Forster for two of their goals is beyond parody. What a melt.

Although Salisu puts his arms on Jesus, it looks like Jesus clipped the back of his own leg and goes over. Did VAR check it?

Yep, even though we managed to throw away another 2 points with some schoolboy play, I thought that today's referee was possibly the worst I have ever seen. His display was bordering on criminal. Duffy should have had two yellows first half. He seemed to be letting a lot of their 'fouls' go, but none of ours. The decision to not only give a free kick against Ely when it was a perfectly good tackle and then book him as well, and booking Salisu when all he appeared to do was throw the ball back to where the free kick should have been taken were very costly. We have seen some incredibly 'poor' refereeing since the club complained about Mike Dean and one wonders if there is some sort of vendetta against us from the Premier League referees. Maybe it's just me with my Saints bias thinking this but, my God, today's ref certainly gave us nothing.

It was against 11 men....one of them had a whistle. Let's hope that Gao sells and the new buyer puts in some money and gets rid of Ralph. Can't stand watching the same shitshow every second half.

Isn't it the manager who picks the goalkeeper?

If McCarthy had saved two very savable shots at goal, as he should have done, we would have won that game. Agree with you that other players could do more, but as last line of defense you cannot afford to make one elementary mistake in goal, let alone two. Two goalkeeping errors cost us the 3 points. You can't deny that.

Cost us 3 points today. I know he's made some decent saves this season but today he was crap. Both goals he should have done better, especially the second. Forster should take over goalkeeping duties now

McCarthy looked like he had concrete boots on for the second. Would Forster have saved that? Could do nothing for the first. Tino - best player on the pitch. deserved his goal, but should have picked up Cornet for the first. Bedenarek is turning into a liability in games where his decision making and defensive frailties are really harming the team. Seems to have a brainfart in him every game. Personally I think Stephens has become a better defender. Salisu had a solid game again. Perraud was nothing special but will get better with more game time. Romeo had his usual game. Nothing spectacular but did things well. Diallo had a solid game. Always looks forward for a pass first. Something JWP needs to learn. Walcott shouldn't be anywhere near starting eleven, even the bench looks a tad too far for him. Such a poor decision to sign him and I can only assume that Ralph must have made that decision after his loan spell and is trying to justify it by playing him. His finishing is poor, his pace is no longer a threat and he doesn't create much, if anything. Too lightweight and a passenger for most matches. Redmond, apart from the miss, I thought had another decent game. Linked play, took on players, great cross for Walcott to miss wide. Took the corner for Tino's goal. Broja took his goal really well. Gives us more options upfront with his runs off defenders and his ability in the air. Our best forward at the moment and can't see that changing Ellyanoussi had a decent game. Nothing spectacular but linked play well - almost scored with a header that clipped the post. S Armstrong looked off the pace still. Needs more game time. A Armstrong had no time to impress Adams, off the pace. Looks a championship player at times. Needs more to his game. He will be lucky to start many games this season I think. Ralph. Keeps stubbornly picking Walcott. Otherwise his game plan was good. Not sure who we could get to replace him that would do any better to be honest. A 6 pointer but at least we didn't lose. If it were a boxing match we would have won on points as we were the better team and with a bit more luck or application would've won. We march on but it's going to be a long hard season.

Forster hasn't let us down. He's not even played. Jeez some people.

Che Adams is pretty crap isn't he? Actually he's bloody rubbish to be honest

Unpopular opinion, but Walcott brings nothing to this team.

Last night the problem was Lee Mason, Mike Dean and a linesman who, for some reason, was flagging for offside at every opportunity, which is not common these days, as they generally wait for that phase of play to end before then flagging - or not. As someone alluded to earlier, it was an officials union, trying to justify decisions made on the pitch.

To be fair to Redmond he's made both of Ings last two goals

Not sure what mistakes you are referring to. Their goal was a great shot which McCarthy couldn't do anything about. We were a team in the bottom 3 playing away from home. We created far more chances than Villa and deserved the win. I actually thought it was easy, even when they scored.

McCarthy Cedric Bednarek Yoshida Brtrand Redmond Romeu Hojberg Djnepo Ings Adams subs: Gunn, Valery, Danso, Long, Boufal, JWP

Ralph must be told just how much this means!! He must NOT lose this game

Thought Gunn should have done a lot better with the 1st and 3rd today. The first was hit hard from about 15 yards, but was straight at him and went through his legs. the 3rd I thought his positioning was poor. Macca is a better keeper.