Pompey back in business

Portsmouth were sitting at rock bottom after seven Premiership rounds and they had always been expected to struggle after they could only reinforce the squad in the dying moments of the transfer window due to the uncertainty surrounding the club. Nevertheless, Paul Hart’s team have shown a massive improvement in the last few weeks having taken no less than seven points from last four games. Yes, Pompey are still at rock bottom but the safe zone is much closer than few weeks back and they are back in business.

The Fratton Park outfit were in big problems this summer as the proposed takeover of the club went on for ages and the situation is not much better at the moment. The takeover was completed just in time for Paul Hart, whose hands were tied until that moment, to sign a couple of great players to aid his side’s survival fight.

Experienced Premiership footballers Tal Ben Haim, Michael Brown and Aaron Mokoena obviously had no problems adapting to the familiar surroundings, while former Tottenham players Jamie O’Hara (on loan from Spurs) and Kevin Prince-Boateng finally got the chance to play on regular basis. O’Hara and Boateng have been thoroughly impressive so far and they have shown some of their enormous potential. Harry Redknapp could live to regret his decision to let them leave White Hart Lane.

Players with no Premiership experience like Yebda, Piquionne and especially Aruna Dindane obviously needed some time to gel but they are already showing they have the required quality to play at this level.

As the players started acclimatizing to the new surroundings, the results started improving and Pompey are now sitting just three points adrift of safety after the remarkable 4:0 win over Wigan. Interesting thing happened in that match when Kevin Prince-Boateng let Aruna Dindane take the late penalty in order to complete his first hat-trick in English football and this speaks volumes about Pompey team spirit. That was also the third successive match in which Portsmouth kept a clean sheet and the players are obviously brimming with confidence at the moment.

Pompey managed to boost their survival hopes with a couple of neat results and things are definitely looking up for Paul Hart’s team. Portsmouth are still in for a difficult relegation struggle but if they can keep up the rich vein of form, they will be out of the bottom three in no time.

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