Neil Allen's verdict on Portsmouth's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland

The News, Portsmouth

Neil Allen's Pompey verdict on 1-0 loss at Sunderland in the Championship

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00:00Hi, greetings from Sunderland where I'm currently in a room in the press room here.

00:06So we've finished more work now reflecting on a Pompey defeat.

00:11Obviously it was a defeat, another away defeat.

00:15But I think there's definitely things to be positive about today.

00:19And again, I reiterate, it's another defeat on the road.

00:23But plenty to like about Pompey today.

00:26First of all, compared to other previous matches, aside from Swansea, aside from Watford, away from home.

00:34Pompey had probably conceded an early goal, a terrible early goal, from a throw-in.

00:40Basically, level with the Sunderland penalty area.

00:44Pompey lost possession. Cannon Lang played a short pass, too short.

00:48And then they broke Sunderland and scored.

00:51But then Pompey responded well. They didn't capitulate, like we've seen in several away games.

00:57They didn't capitulate, they dug in, they showed fight.

01:00Sunderland were largely comfortable.

01:02But Pompey just showed resilience, which had not shown on their travels this season.

01:09And they had a few openings as well.

01:11In fact, the Sunderland fans were a bit nervy at the end, even though Pompey were down to 10 men.

01:14Sunderland fans were a bit anxious at the end.

01:16And there were a couple of openings, half chances, that sort of thing.

01:19So, there was plenty to be encouraged by Pompey's day.

01:22Marlon Pack was sent off. Rightly so.

01:26Mark John Messina has got no complaints about that.

01:29And we saw the entrance of Rob Atkinson.

01:31Now, rightly, some Pompey fans are questioning the signing of Atkinson,

01:35considering his injury record, not played for two years.

01:38Rightly, that's to be questioned. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

01:41But if you look into Rob Atkinson and his history, and I wrote an article about it as well,

01:47that was published this morning, he's extremely well regarded by Bristol City.

01:52He was looked at by Premier League clubs before his ACL,

01:55which happened February 2023, ironically, at the Stadium of Light.

02:00And he's been fit since September. He's played 521 games.

02:05He's been on the bench 11 out of 12 games without coming on for Bristol City.

02:08Now he's at Pompey. So, he's introduced in the 67th minute for Marlon Pack.

02:13And he looked an absolute class act.

02:15I know it's a brief appearance, really.

02:17But he was winning the ball aerially, superbly.

02:20Won great block. He threw himself in front of the ball.

02:23Another late on in dying minutes where he's faced up with a one-on-one.

02:27He didn't panic. Showed composure and won the ball and got the block in.

02:31Plenty, plenty to like about that debut. Really, really encouraging.

02:36Because Pompey, we know, have been devastated by injuries at the centre of that company.

02:40And Marlon Pack's now going to miss one game through suspension.

02:43They now have a centre-half who can come in, championship player, quality player.

02:48Obviously, there's going to be issues over his fitness and getting back, isn't it, in the moment?

02:52Match fitness, rather. Probably have to handle incorrectly.

02:55But really, really encouraged by that.

02:57So, again, I reiterate, I'm not with blue-tinted spectacles here.

03:03Pompey did lose today.

03:05But I like the battling qualities, the guts they showed against a team who were looking for promotion.

03:10A very good team who haven't lost at home all season.

03:13I liked how Pompey just gutsed away, really.

03:16If that's a word.

03:18But I liked that and I also was really impressed with Atkinson as well.

03:22Hugely encouraged by that performance from him.

03:25Pompey needs to tighten up in defence and that, hopefully, will be the start as others come back as well.

03:30Like your Shocknessy and Paul.

03:34So, plenty to be positive about from the game, despite defeat.

03:40I'm rather encouraged for the long journey home for me and all those travelling Pompey fans

03:45who were shoved right in the upper tier at a very flat and quiet stadium of likes.

03:51There's 39,000 here, baffling.

03:53But there you go.

03:54So, Pompey defeats today, but I'm encouraged anyway.

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