Portsmouth's defensive woes continue

You could be forgiven for thinking Christmas had come early for Newcastle United at Fratton Park today, such was the naivety of Portsmouth’s defending.

The manner in which they gifted the visitor’s three goals and their first three points on the road this season is a problem that threatens to turn Pompey’s season into more of a struggle than they would have liked.

Granted, it’s hardly reached crisis point on the south coast. Far from it in fact -
they sit 7th in the league and a full five points clear of the relegation places.

However, with 13 goals conceded in their last six games in all competitions, it’s clear to see where the problem lies for Tony Adams’ side. And it’s the sloppy manner in which they’ve been conceding which will be of most concern to him.

The organisation Adams himself was renowned for during his days at Arsenal and England was badly missing as three times in the second half Newcastle were allowed to breach their backline.

Sylvan Distin and Sol Campbell in particular look complete shadows of the players that served Pompey so well last season. Last season’s they were solid, and they could be relied upon. Now they look hapless and out of place.

Newcastle weren’t even particularly impressive today – nor did they have to be. And to compound matters, even when Portsmouth fashioned numerous chances, they were wasteful in front of goal - Jermain Defoe the main culprit with a host of missed chances.

Even with the chances Portsmouth created today though, their defending just cannot be excused. Being solid at the back is the basis for any success at any level. You’d think of all the people, Adams would have grasped that theory.

So, is this all down to the manager? The former Arsenal captain has tried to make his own mark, and while results have been of a satisfactory standard since the departure of Harry Redknapp, goals have come in steady supply – at both ends of the pitch.

With Portsmouth’s European adventure ending early, Adams now has the Premier League and the defence of the FA Cup to focus on. And though any talk of a relegation battle is premature to say the least, due to the unpredictable nature of the league, Pompey are far from safe.

And with January fast approaching, he has a job on his hands convincing the likes of Lassana Diarra and Niko Kranjcar that their futures do indeed lie at Fratton Park. It could well be an interesting January for Portsmouth, a month that could well make or break their season.

One thing is for sure, Adams needs to be given time to do things his way. He needs to be backed by the owners, whoever they may be. By promoting him from his assistant manager role, they gave the club continuality at a time where it would have been easy to bring someone else in, and start over.

But for now, stopping the rot at the back has to be the priority.

How Portsmouth could do with a Tony Adams at the heart of their defence right now.