Alan Hansen’s Picks: Portsmouth v Fulham - Weakened Pompey Make a Point
Fulham were very much the surprise package of last season after clinching a Europa League spot one season after a massive relegation scare. Roy Hodgson has put together a strong efficient outfit built on a strong defence and the goal scoring quality of Andrew Johnson. Their home form was highly impressive and their previously poor away record has also improved. The Cottagers picked up some impressive points at the Emirates, White Hart Lane, Villa Park and Anfield so are no longer an easy touch.
Portsmouth have endured a terrible summer which has seen a number of their top stars depart from the South-Coast including Glen Johnson, Sean Davis, Peter Crouch and Sol Campbell. This will be a worrying development for the Pompey faithful as the club only finished 7 points above the drop-zone last season and are now significantly weaker.
Paul Hart faces a difficult task with such a small squad of players even though a few new arrivals have joined on loan to boost numbers. It’s hard to see where the goals are going to come from when you consider that Spurs duo Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch scored 18 of the club’s 38 Premier League goals last season.
The Cottagers don’t have the best of opening day records after failing to win since 2003 and have lost the last three opening fixtures in a row. However, a record of 10 points from their last 5 away games suggests that Fulham won’t lose this one.
A draw looks a good Premier 10 selection despite Portsmouth losing so many of their best players as the Fratton Park crowd should give their usual excellent vocal backing. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if this one ended scoreless as Pompey failed to score in five of their last 6 league games and Fulham only managed to score 11 times on their travels in 2008/09.
Alan Hansen’s Premier 10 pick: DRAW
Read the rest of Alan’s previews below:
Alan’s Previews
Manchester United v Birmingham
Tags: Alan Hansen, Fulham, Portsmouth, Premier 10
