Neil Allen's Portsmouth verdict on 1-0 defeat to Millwall

The News, Portsmouth

Neil Allen's Pompey verdict after 1-0 Fratton Park defeat to Millwall

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00:00Hello from Threatened Park where everyone's tidying up there.

00:06Players are just leaving, end of a disappointing night for Pompey, really disappointing.

00:11They didn't play particularly badly Pompey at all, they had plenty of possession, plenty of opportunities to create in good positions.

00:20But what was really frustrating is the lack of quality in the final third and from those promising positions.

00:27Millwall, I mean neither keeper had a lot to do in fairness, Smith didn't have a lot to do and nor did the Millwall keeper.

00:35But Pompey had the greater chances to do something with the ball and they didn't.

00:40Time and time again it was a poor delivery in the box, Matt Ritchie produced several dreadful free kicks.

00:47On occasions the ball just wouldn't fall for them inside the box.

00:54Bishop had a great opportunity, missed kicked in front of goal in the first half.

00:58The final ball, the deliveries, everything.

01:02The final third Pompey really, really lapped and that was the issue today.

01:07They put in plenty of effort and endeavour but it's just that quality, the quality was missing in the final third.

01:14And as a consequence of that, they've lost.

01:17They've lost for the first time since the start of October in the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

01:22And they only have themselves to blame.

01:25I'm not disturbing you guys, am I?

01:29Sorry, sorry.

01:31Even the goal that Pompey conceded was just awful because they're on the counter attack.

01:41Ogilvy was at the pitch, overlapping, waiting for Murphy to pass him the ball.

01:46Murphy didn't, went it alone, got blocked.

01:49Millwall won the ball and countered and it's a goal.

01:53So that was really disappointing, on the counter attack, on the break.

01:56And that was all they offered really, Millwall, apart from an awful miss in the fourth minute when they should have scored.

02:01But Pompey just didn't do enough with the ball.

02:05And as a result, this is the issue with their awful away form.

02:09Seven defeats in the roadway, six in the league.

02:13And losing away from home, not picking up any points away from home, that puts more pressure to win at home.

02:19And that's not been an issue so far.

02:21Pompey, before today, had won six and drawn one in the last seven games.

02:25Suddenly Pompey have lost at home to Millwall.

02:27A game that they would have seen had more chance of winning than West Brom.

02:31Next game is Burnley.

02:33Burnley, I think, have exceeded nine goals all season.

02:36Obviously doing very well in the league.

02:37They're here on Saturday.

02:39Lose that and suddenly you haven't got six points from your home games and you're still getting nothing away from home.

02:44That's a huge concern now.

02:46Tonight, well, I suppose tonight you could say a must win because of the away form.

02:50But that's the pressure now Pompey have got.

02:52They have to win at home because they're not getting any points away from home.

02:55But when that stops, that's when there's concerns.

02:58So really disappointing performance tonight.

03:01Infuriating, really was infuriating, wasn't it?

03:03Just cross after cross, not good enough.

03:08And they should have done better in those positions, but it wasn't to be.

03:11And that's what Pompey need to look at.

03:13So a defeat there.

03:14And we'll see how the transfer window pans out now over the next few days.

03:19Riley Tower wasn't in the squad tonight.

03:21First time he's not been in the squad for 13 games.

03:23John Messina played that down afterwards.

03:25I'll put the story on the website.

03:26Have a look at that.

03:27He said it was down to selection.

03:30Wouldn't be drawn as to whether he's going to be moving on in this window.

03:34But, you know, Tom McIntyre has been struggling.

03:37He's ahead of top Riley Tower on the bench.

03:39So, come on, we can read into that, can't we, really?

03:42And there's definitely interest in Riley Tower from League One club.

03:44So we'll see how that one pans out as well.

03:47And then, yeah, Rob Axton was ill.

03:51And Jordan Williams has got a hamstring concern as well.

03:55So there are issues as well tonight.

03:56That's why those weren't involved.

03:58So, yeah, disappointing night.

04:00Really disappointing.

04:02And tomorrow we've got John Messina's press conference.

04:04So we'll see what pans out there.

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