Positive news needed - and fast

So far this summer it's taken a lot to arouse this blog from its off-season slumber.

But the current furore over the Pompey takeover is too big an issue to ignore.

Glen Johnson's departure was in many ways inevitable and the majority of Pompey fans wished him well as he made his way to Merseyside.

The feeling was the Blues would soon be in new wealthy hands and the club would be putting into place their vision for the future.

July 24 is now the magical day when Sulaiman Al Fahim will apparently assume control.

He must be warned, though, the wait is crippling the club.

The lack of information over the finite financial aspects of the deal is perhaps understandable - until you get to the sale of the club's best players.

The exit of Glen Johnson, Peter Crouch, Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin would seriously wound any club.

So where's the money going? How will this affect the sale price? Do Pompey have enough time to get in adequate replacements? Is Al Fahim going to release enough funds to get in decent replacements?

All unanswered questions which have frustrated Pompey fans to the point of anger.

Add to this the fact Paul Hart looks increasingly likely to be handed the manager's job full time and you wonder how ambitious the club really are.

Hart's honest and respected but what sort of players can he attract to the club? Aaron Mokoena anyone? Not exactly box office.

The dreams of having some money in the kitty to attract top players and a big-name manager look in jeopardy.

Fans, and especially those with season tickets already paid for need some reassurance.

At the moment, the arrival of Aaron Mokoena to compliment a second-string outfit does not fill anyone with confidence and is certainly not value for money.

You have to move fast in the Premier League just to stand still and at the moment Pompey are moving backwards.

To this point it's been a troubling summer.

Someone from the club's hierarchy, new or old, needs to reassure the fans they are ready to step on the gas, bring in some quality footballers and cement their place in the top flight.

Maybe it's too early to mention the c word, but this kind of instability and inertia generally only means one thing - the Championship.

Time to bring O'Neil home

It's a bold - and reassuring - statement.

Pompey executive chairman Peter Storrie has told The News Jermain Defoe will be the last big-name Pompey player to leave in the January transfer window.

Glen Johnson, Peter Crouch, Sylvain Distin, David James - going nowhere.

Raising the spirits of wounded Pompey fans, he also said new signings are on their way, two by the end of the next week.

It's nailed on that one of those will be Gary O'Neil, and it's a prospect that has split opinion.

On one hand, supporters believe it's a backward step. The other side reckon a dedicated, hard-working player like O'Neil is worth 10 Defoes.

Let's be frank. O'Neil's not in the same class as Lassana Diarra or Sulley Muntari.

But he would improve the current midfield, adding a touch of creativity to the industry and muscle of Papa Bouba Diop, Sean Davis and Richard Hughes.

The biggest thing you'd get with O'Neil, though, is heart at a time when Pompey risk having it ripped out.

Having come through the ranks he cares for the club, wants to return and wouldn't spend his spare time on the phone to his agent.

O'Neil's as genuine as they come and Pompey runs through his veins.

At a time of unsettling overhaul and a manager finding his way at the top level, the return of O'Neil is a no-brainer.

It's a no-lose situation - and Fratton Park would welcome him back with open arms.

No defence for Pompey slump

Let’s be honest, it wasn’t unexpected.

While the capitulation at Man City was a bolt from the blue, the meek surrender to Chelsea was entirely on the cards.

Pompey’s fringe players were no match for the likes of Lampard and Drogba in a surprisingly star-studded Chelsea team.

The number of goals being shipped is worrying, though.

The base of last season’s success suddenly looks a tad shambolic.

There are reasons - and the impressive Sylvain Distin is not one of them.

The 4-4-2 formation gives the back line far less protection that the 4-5-1 employed last term.

There is less cover down the wings, while the onus is also on the full-backs to get forward this season, leaving more space in behind.

Hermann Hreidarrson doesn’t offer too much going forward but he was a rock at left-back last year.

This year, he’s second choice as the more attack-minded Nadir Belhadj and Armand Traore are preferred.

Crucially, the heart of the defence has looked shaky.
Sol Campbell has been erratic and, quite frankly, at times has looked on his last legs.

He’s creaking, so it is hoped Younes Kaboul’s youthful athleticism will come to the fore.

However, he still looks like he is struggling.

He has potential, but as any Spurs fan will tell you, he struggled to make the step up to the Premier League last year.

Pompey need him to start looking like the £5m player he is supposed to be.

At the moment, the Frenchman is hit and miss. Man City and Chelsea have exposed that as not good enough.

On the plus side, bottom-club Spurs visit Fratton Park on Sunday.

I watched Spurs lose to Aston Villa the other week and they looked awful and low on confidence.

They beat Newcastle but, let’s be honest, my Sunday League team would fancy their chances against the Toon at the moment.

Sunday’s vital. Another defeat and it becomes a habit, a win and the last two games can be put down as a blip.

Let’s ride out the storm.