Portsmouth v Norwich Preview

This is the second Bank Holiday fixture involving one side with nothing to play for, and another with absolutely everything at stake. It would be fair to say that Portsmouth’s campaign has been turbulent since their relegation from the Premiership and there will be mixed feelings towards their current position of 15th. There will be nothing but positivity at Carrow Road on the other hand, with Norwich supporters knowing that two victories from their last two games will guarantee promotion to the Premiership.

Some would look at Portsmouth’s campaign and view it as a failure considering it was only last season that they were in the Premiership. However, looking at the bigger picture and the fact that Pompey were the favorites for relegation at the start of the campaign, Steve Cotterill must be applauded for finally bringing some stability to Fratton Park. The club are sat in 15th position and if they can manage to finish the season positively, they could even finish in a respectable mid-table position. However, if Pompey are to finish the campaign with maximum points, they certainly need to improve their recent performances. The club are now without a victory in their last six although after drawing their last two, they are at least proving hard to beat.

The pressure at Carrow Road meanwhile must be unbearable. After securing the League One title last term, Norwich were tipped as potential strugglers for this campaign but with two games remaining the Canaries are on the verge of promotion to the top flight. They lead 3rd place Cardiff by a point and if the Bluebirds can’t take maximum points from their remaining fixtures, Norwich’s job is made all the more easier. One of the big reasons for their current predicament is their recent form, with Paul Lambert’s men stringing some excellent results together through the last few weeks. They have won four from their last six and having won three straight games leading up to this fixture, they will bring some fantastic confidence to Fratton Park.

As for team news, Portsmouth have several problems as Joel Ward and Ritchie de Laet prepare for late fitness tests as calf problems hinder them. Elsewhere however, influential duo Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson both will miss out through calf and rib injuries respectively. It’s much simpler for the visitors meanwhile who look set to be without Zak Whitbread. The former Millwall defender is struggling with a hip issue and is already classed as a major doubt.

In terms of a prediction, Fratton Park is an extremely tough place to visit and we think Norwich could encounter some problems here. We don’t think Portsmouth will get all the points, but we think they could hold the promotion-chasers to a 1-1 draw.

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May 1, 2011 • Tags: Portsmouth, Portsmouth V • Posted in: Sport Betting Reviews

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