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Rams v Portsmouth Preview
Rams v Portsmouth Preview
Friday, 10th Aug 2007 17:00

Is it really five years since we were starting the season confident of a rapid return to the Premiership?

The Rams v Portsmouth
Pride Park Stadium; Sat Aug 11th 3.00pm

"You've only come to see the Champions," we chanted at Reading that day and how that phrase came back to haunt us. 

Five years of near extinction, fan rebellion, mediocre football and unremitting gloom - finally extinguished by the glory of the new Wembley.

The actual Champions that season were Saturday's visitors Portsmouth. They completed a double over us on their way to the title. We ended up finishing 18th and got through three managers during a very poor season - the shape of things to come.

Portsmouth have managed what we're about to attempt. They stayed up and consolidated, finishing 13th, 16th and 17th in their first three seasons before finishing 9th last season. Indeed, but for a poor run in the second half of the season, they might have made a UEFA place.

This is a remarkable achievement when you consider that behind the scenes at Fratton Park has been chaotic to say the least. Controversial chairman Milan Mandaric sold his stake to Franco- Russian Businessman Alexandre Gaydamak. Harry Redknapp, resigned, went to Pompey's most hated rivals and then came back again. Meanwhile Fratton Park decays (it can only hold 20,688 fans) and the latest redevelopment plan for a 36,000 seater stadium in Portsmouth Harbour is yet to be approved.

Redknapp has been busy in the close season bringing in: David Nugent, John Utaka, Sylvain Distin, Hermann Hreidarsson, Sulley Muntari, Martin Cranie and Arnold Mvuemba. Several players have left Fratton Park including Derby new boy Andy Griffin.

Current Portsmouth Squad
1 Keeper - David James
21 Keeper - Jamie Ashdown
31 Keeper - Asmir Begovic
2 Defender - Linvoy Primus
3 Defender - Dejan Stefanovic
4 Defender - Lauren
6 Defender - Djimi Traoré
7 Defender - Hermann Hreiðarsson
14 Defender - Matthew Taylor
15 Defender - Sylvain Distin
16 Defender - Noé Pamarot
20 Defender - Martin Cranie
23 Defender - Sol Campbell
24 Defender - Richard Duffy
33 Defender - Andy O'Brien
8 Midfield - Jean-François Christophe
11 Midfield - Sulley Muntari
18 Midfield - Arnold Mvuemba
19 Midfield - Niko Kranjcar
22 Midfield - Richard Hughes
26 Midfield - Gary O'Neil
28 Midfield - Sean Davis
30 Midfield - Pedro Mendes
34 Midfield - Franck Songo'o
35 Midfield - Marc Wilson
10 Striker - David Nugent
17 Striker - John Utaka
25 Striker - Benjani Mwaruwari
27 Striker - Nwankwo Kanu
32 Striker - Lomana LuaLua

Last 5 games
Portsmouth 0-0 Arsenal
Everton 3-0 Portsmouth
Portsmouth 2-1 Liverpool
Aston Villa 0-0 Portsmouth
Portsmouth 2-1 Newcastle

Portsmouth are unbeaten in their pre-season including a penalty shoot out win over Liverpool in the Asia Cup Final.

Danger Men
Billy Davies knows all about David Nugent. He bough the player on at Preston. Billy rates his £99k capture from Bury reserves highly and told the DET; "I saw fantastic raw material, a player of great potential, and someone we could improve. I saw individual ability and a willingness to run at defenders. He had pace and was a finisher." Davies would probably have liked to bring Nugent to Derby, however the £6m price tag was too high; "At that price, there was no chance of us getting him," he added.

His fellow striker Kanu is, ominously for superstitious Derby fans, one goal away from 100 league goals, while LuaLua only needs two for 50.

The mood on the message board
All the talk is a rumour of a bid for Spurs striker Jermaine Defoe - and apparently Spiderman! There's also talk about LuaLua leaving.

There's a thread talking about realistic finishing target for Portsmouth this season and the consensus seems to be in the top ten and hoping for a EUFA place.

There's little about us but there is a poignant thread started by the Brother of a Portsmouth fan who passed away during the close season - for the first time he will be attending the first match of the season without his brother. Kind of puts football into perspective.

The Rams
The pre-season has not been particularly brilliant from a fan point of view - apart from winning the Brian Clough Trophy against a very poor Trees side. Billy has made several signings but none have made the fans particularly happy. The message boards have been full of suggested targets and moans every time another manager signed a player.

What we have to realise as fans is that Peter Gadsby has not gained control of the club and got it's finances under control only to throw it all away on mad signings and long contracts as soon as we get back to the Premiership. The bookies think relegation is inevitable and even the most die-hard Derby fan would concede it's a possibility. Even if we bought a whole new team of signings, there's no guarantee we will stay up. Expectations have to be tempered with reality.

That said, Billy Davies is not the sort of manager to send out a team who will give up at the first hurdle. The players will have something to prove - for many this may be their only crack at the Premiership. Some of our players may find the more cultured football of the Premiership more to their liking. Many fans noted that last season the more physical sides caused us more problems than the footballing sides.

That's not to say the Premiership guys are a physical push-over. Fitness and skill levels are higher so ours will have to be. Now that Billy has a full team around him, the players will have no excuses.

Barring any signings I expect the line-up to be Bywater, Mears, Leacock, Todd, McEveley, Fagan, Oakley, Pearson, Jones, Earnshaw, Howard.

Ex-Pompey players Darren Moore and Andy Griffin will probably start on the bench.

What the bookies think
Get ready for some long odds on us this season. Portsmouth start favourites in this game at 7/5 while we are 11/5 to win our first home game. The draw is at 9/4. You can get 80/1 on Rob Earnshaw to be the Premiership lead scorer and 7/1 on him being first scorer on Saturday. Steve Howard gets 6/1 from William hill whereas David Nugent is at 11/2.

Information for away fans
Drinking: There are very few pubs very close to the ground but if you come by train, the locale around the station is fairly inviting. The Crown and Cushion at the junction of London Rd always seems to be full of away supporters. The Brunswick is a must for any real ale fans and the Alexandra next door is my personal favourite. Fans tend to mingle in these pubs and as long as you're not being aggressive, the atmosphere is good. The Waterfall opposite the station is okay as well. If you are driving, the Navigation Pub on London Rd opposite the parking area is your best bet.

Parking: It used to be at the old Wilmorten College site however that is now a building site so away fans should park at Catalyst on London Rd opposite the Navigation pub. It's about 10-15 minutes from the ground. Don't be tempted to park at the shopping centre unless you fancy being clamped.

Driving: Portsmouth to Derby is 185miles and about 4 hours driving in medium traffic. Roads are M27, M3, M40 and the M6 toll to the A38. On arrival in Derby, follow the signs for away supporter parking to London Rd as described above. You can park for a £5 at the hospital further up London Rd near the Railway station.

Mick's Prediction
In the heat of the opening day, new boys can often catch the big boys unaware. The fans can play a big part and carrying on the Wembley Spirit even if we're under the Cosh will help the nerves of the players.

That said, Portsmouth are a good side and getting past Sol Campbell and David James will be a tall order for the Rams. I'd probably take a draw at this juncture but a good performance would also please me.

Draw.

Photo: Action Images



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