Having lost a large part of their squad over the summer and experiencing numerous off the field difficulties, Portsmouth fans will have expected their side to be involved in a relegation scrap this season, with Premier League survival being the clubs main aim. However the Pompey faithful will be looking at the league table so far this season, seeing their name at the foot of it and scratching their heads as to why.

Portsmouth have won just twice this campaign, picking up a solitary point elsewhere, however this does not tell the whole story. Paul Hart’s men have been involved in a series of games this year in which performances have warranted better results. It is safe to say that off the field financial issues and uncertainty about the ownership of the club have not helped, but nevertheless, Portsmouth have been unlucky.

Hart made numerous additions to the squad in late August and his side have been playing relatively well. Midfielders Jamie O’Hara and Kevin Prince Boateng have given the side both a more solid and creative look, a previous article I have written has highlighted the important role that I believe the on-loan midfielder O’Hara has at Fratton Park. There have been notable performances such as home matches against Bolton and Spurs that spring to mind, in which Harts men have performed well, at times controlling the game, yet have still come away empty handed. Only a second half wonder-display from Tottenham shot stopper Heurelho Gomes prevented Portsmouth from gaining at least a point from Spurs.

It is therefore safe to say that luck has not been going the way of the south coast side. In their last Premier League game Portsmouth were leading away at Blackburn 1-0, when Blackburn defender Pascal Chimbonda raised his hands to Jamie O’Hara’s face, an act that only received a yellow card but warranted a red and Portsmouth will feel as though they could have won this game had Chimbonda been given his marching orders.

A close friend of mine who is a dedicated Portsmouth supporter has appeared to come away from every game saying ‘how did we not win that match’ and it is a feeling that I would imagine is echoed around the stands of Fratton Park. It is all very well in looking at how unfortunate Portsmouth have been but the reality of it is they need points on the board, and fast. I recently journeyed down to the south coast to watch Portsmouth take on Wigan and Paul Hart’s men showed me what they were capable of. They dominated the Latics from start to finish and you would have never guessed that this was a side that many people had backed to finish bottom of the table. They played with a cutting edge that their season has lacked, were solid at the back and most importantly potent up front, with the Ivorian Aruna Dindane scoring his first Portsmouth goals in an impressive hat-trick. This coupled with an impressive away win at Molineux show that Portsmouth are capable of staying up in this league.

It may sound simple enough but Portsmouth have so far suffered from bad luck, poor finishing (Dindane against Spurs?) and errors at the back. This is a recipe for disaster in an unforgiving league where teams will punish your mistakes. Portsmouth fans have a right to stay positive as their performances have been of better quality than results should suggest however with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in their next six fixtures, it could be looking very grim for Paul Hart’s men.

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