Portsmouth: Grant’s up for the challenge of his life

Christmas is just three weeks away and you don’t need to be a brain surgeon to know what’s on Avram Grant’s list to Santa.

 

Portsmouth may be bottom of the English Premier League but they are far better than their current position suggests. They have conceded fewer goals than all but one team in the bottom half of the table (Birmingham) and have given a good account of themselves against some of the best teams in the country. Their major flaw has been a lack of goals, and what Grant wouldn’t do to have an out and out marksman at the club. They have managed to find the back of the net just 12 times in 14 league outings and that has to be addressed sharply if Portsmouth are to retain their status as a Premier League club.

 

Grant is under no illusion as to how much of a challenge it will be to keep Portsmouth afloat. The former Chelsea boss has already stated that they need a miracle to escape the bottom three and they are already seven points adrift from safety. However, the one thing that Portsmouth fans do not do is throw in the towel and they are well up for the fight ahead. Take Peter Rendle, a loyal Pompey fan from the land down under, for example. Despite letting in four goals for the second time in four days against Aston Villa and exiting the Carling Cup, Peter is adamant that Pompey can avoid relegation.

 

“I know Pompey can avoid the drop because there are at least three other teams that are inferior to us. If we can put some points on the board between now and Christmas and bring a couple of quality players in during the window, we have a chance.”

 

Portsmouth have an excellent opportunity of pulling themselves closer to the likes of Wolves, Bolton and West Ham this Saturday as they take on the worst travellers in the top flight, Burnley. Owen Coyle’s Clarets have picked up just one point on the road this season and have conceded an average of 3.5 goals per game. Burnley let in five last weekend against West Ham United but showed great resilience to fight back and grab three in reply. However, this is a game that Portsmouth know that they can’t afford to lose.

 

“We have to beat Burnley on Saturday” said Peter. “It is as simple as that, especially with our fixtures up to the new year – Burnley at home, Sunderland and Chelsea away, Liverpool at home, West Ham United away and at home to Arsenal. I think if we can get a point at Sunderland, maybe all three, and West Ham United are beatable, so seven would be good, eight would be terrific.”  

 

Portsmouth entered the season under a cloud following a fire sale of their best players and uncertainty regarding their future due to the prolonged takeover saga. And you didn’t need to be Einstein to know that manager Paul Hart was under pressure following a poor start, but the writing was on the wall when Avram Grant returned to the club as director of football. However, the news that Hart had been axed by the board still came as a bit of a shock to most football fans.

 

Hart had dealt with more than his fair share of BS at Fratton Park and it looked as though he was starting to see a turnaround on the pitch. Unfortunately, despite a 4-0 annihilation of Wigan, a 1-0 defeat away at Stoke City ultimately cost the former Forest boss his job. Peter Rendle, who admits it’s not the best feeling being a Pompey fan right now, admires Hart for what he achieved at the club but concedes that a new man was needed.

 

“Paul Hart did his best but I think he made some poor judgements with team selection while he was in charge. In saying that if you are heading for the abyss, what choice does the management have but to try an alternate manager? Grant has the experience, only time will tell if he has the nous.” 

 

Avram Grant came agonisingly close to lifting the Champions League as Chelsea manager, but it’s claimed that even a one-eyed monkey could have guided that Chelsea team to Moscow that season. One thing’s for sure, Portsmouth do not have the same quality as Chelsea and Grant will really have to earn his bacon if he is to help them avoid the drop. A win against Burnley though would go some way to convincing the public that they do belong in the top flight.

 

· Calling all Portsmouth fans. How crucial is Saturday’s game with Burnley? How confident are you of avoiding the drop with Avram Grant in charge? What are feelings regarding the way Paul Hart was treated? Do you think you have enough quality at the club at present to beat the drop? Are there three clubs poorer than you in the top flight? I’d love to hear from you.