FA Cup Preview: Portsmouth - Birmingham City

Pompey aiming for Wembley to help distract from off-field woes...

Mar 5, 2010 8:09:00 PM

By David Middleton

More On :  Birmingham City, Portsmouth, Portsmouth vs Birmingham City
Alex McLeish - Scotland
Kick-off: Saturday, March 6, 12:30 GMT
Fratton Park, Portsmouth


Portsmouth have made Premier League history for all the wrong reasons this season, but with a Wembley visit looming if they can overcome Birmingham City, perhaps they're preparing to exit the top-flight in style.

Last month the cash-strapped south coast club became the first Premier League team in history to slump into administration, a reported £78 million in debt.

An automatic nine-point deduction – yet to be taken off – effectively ended the club's survival hopes as they sit rock-bottom and five points adrift of safety.

Plagued by off-field turmoil, with four different owners and players failing to get their wages on a handful of occasions, it's come as little surprise that Pompey have been anchored to the relegation zone all season.

The domestic cups have, however, granted a rare flicker of light to the Fratton Park faithful in an otherwise all-encompassing darkness. Portsmouth reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup, only to be knocked out by Aston Villa, but intend to go one better against another Midland opponent now they've reached the same stage of the FA Cup.

The 2008 winners excelled in the competition's early rounds. Having been held to a goalless draw by Coventry City at home, the replay was settled by Aaron Mokoena's injury time goal in extra time. They then dispatched of Sunderland 2-1 before humiliating Hampshire rivals Southampton with a 4-1 victory on hostile territory.

In fact, the FA Cup has provided the perfect tonic for Avram Grant and co. who have been galvanised by the off-field theatrics if last Saturday's victory at Burnley was anything to go by. The Israeli boss has a host of talent at his disposal, with England shot-stopper David James a reliable last line of defence and Jamie O'Hara epitomising the club's never-say-die attitude.

If Grant can get unpredictable French striker Frederic Piquionne and Ivory Coast international Aruna Dindane - who have contributed 15 goals between them this season - singing from the same hymn-sheet, Pompey might be able to fire themselves into the semi-finals.

Unfortunately for them, their visitors boast one of the most miserly back-lines in the division, joint best with Manchester United. Birmingham have been arguably the Premier League's surprise package this season after returning to the top-flight.

Manager Alex McLeish has made tortoise-like progress, with consistency the cornerstone to the Blues' success seeing them lose just three of their previous 22 matches. The Scot has been no tinker-man when its come to tactics and his preferred starting XI, at one point keeping an unchanged line-up for 12 games earlier in the year.

Progressing little by little as the season's trundled on, Birmingham enjoyed a 15-game unbeaten run from October to January, something which took even McLeish by surprise.

He told BBC West Midlands: "I could never have believed they [the players] could do that [go on a 15-game unbeaten run] in my wildest dreams. But the evidence is there and they should realise they've got that in their locker to do it again."

The consistency of top-flight novices Rodger Johnson and Scott Dann at centre-back, the return to form of Lee Bowyer and Barry Ferguson and world class goalkeeping from Joe Hart has helped Birmingham exceed all pre-season expectations already.

They breached the 40-point safety net recently and now many are egging them on to gain an end of season European place. It's not just in the league, though, that Birmingham have impressed. The two time FA Cup winners have been strong cup contenders, showing Nottingham Forest, Everton and Derby County the exit door in earlier rounds.

Although fire-power has been a season-long concern, with confidence sky-high, the Blues won't need any encouragement in trying to book their first trip to the new Wembley Stadium.

FORM GUIDE

Portsmouth

27 Feb (Premier League) v Burnley (A) WON 2-1
20 Feb (Premier League) v Stoke City (H) LOST 2-1
13 Feb (FA Cup) v Southampton (A) WON 4-1
9 Feb (Premier League) v Sunderland (H) DREW 1-1
6 Feb (Premier League) v Manchester United (A) LOST 5-0

Birmingham City

27 Feb (Premier League) v Wigan Athletic (H) WON 1-0
21 Feb (Premier League) v Fulham (A) LOST 2-1
13 Feb (FA Cup) v Derby County (A) WON 2-1
10 Feb (Premier League) v West Ham (A) LOST 2-0
7 Feb (Premier League) v Wolves (H) WON 2-1

TEAM NEWS

Portsmouth

Although Quincy Owusu-Abeyie went off against Burnley with a back problem, first team coach Paul Groves expects him to be available for the FA Cup clash.

Centre-back Tal Ben Haim (groin) returned to training at the end of last week after surgery and could feature, while Aaron Mokena is still a doubt due to knee ligament damage.

Kevin-Prince Boateng is currently in Germany recovering from an ankle injury, while defender Ricardo Rocha begins a suspension after his dismissal against Burnley.

Last starting XI (v Burnley): James; Rocha, Hreidarsson, Finnan, Belhadj; O'Hara (Brown), Owusu-Abeyie (Utaka), Yebda, Wilson; Piqionne, Webber (Diop).

Birmingham City

McLeish will assess the fitness of striker James McFadden after he missed Scotland's international friendly in mid-week because of a minor groin injury, sustained against Wigan Athletic last week.

Other than the 26-year-old, the Blues boss has no fresh injury concerns and could start with the same XI which beat the Latics with 'super-sub' Kevin Phillips likely to be on the bench.

Last starting XI (v Wigan Athletic): Hart; Carr (Gardner), Ridgewell, Johnson, Dann; Bowyer, Larsson, Ferguson, Fahey; Jerome (Marcos Madera), McFadden.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Portsmouth – Jamie O'Hara

Sidelined under Harry Redknapp at Tottenham Hotspur, O'Hara has sprung to life and shown his true credentials since joining Portsmouth on loan in September. The hard-working 23-year-old has typified Pompey's never-say-die demeanour with his energy and will to succeed.

A Spurs graduate, he was loaned to Chesterfield and Millwall, before showcasing his abundant talents at Fratton Park. Now one of the first names on Avram Grant's team-sheet, O'Hara enjoys rampaging down the channel to deliver a pin-point cross. He's also got a ferocious shot, something he highlighted against Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round.

Birmingham City – Joe Hart

Having not figured for England against Egypt in midweek, the 22-year-old will be disappointed as he looks destined not to make Fabio Capello's World Cup final-cut. However, the Manchester City loanee has been in scintillating form this term, keeping an impressive 11 clean sheets for the Blues, and should not be too downhearted.

His athleticism and dogged determination in keeping strikers at bay has seen the former Shrewsbury Town trainee top the division's goalkeepers for most saves made. He's also been backed by McLeish to add to his solitary England cap, with the former Scotland coach insisting he holds all the attributes of a future Three Lions No.1.
 
PREDICTION

Well-organised and solid at the back, Birmingham will be favourites to progress after such an impressive showing in the league. Alex McLeish and co. will also not want to be over-shadowed by their cross-city rivals, who enjoyed a trip to Wembley last weekend.

However, despite Portsmouth's plight, matters have not affected on-field performances as they demonstrated with victory over Burnley just a day after entering administration. Although Pompey have not kept a clean sheet in their last nine games, the Blues struggle to score and the first goal could well prove to be the winner.

Portsmouth 1-0 Birmingham City
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And with that, we're going to call it a night, folks.

We've had two tremendous matches today, so lets hope the intensity keeps up in the next clashes!

Until next time, this is LIVE commentator Stephen Crawford signing off.

From everyone here at Goal.com, thanks for joining us!

2/15/12
All this focus on the Arsenal and Milan game should not take away from another cracker earlier tonight between Zenit and Benfica. The Russians came from a goal down to lead 2-1 in the closing minutes before Oscar Cardozo levelled things for Benfica, but it wasn't over there as Roman Shirokov won the game for Zenit in the 88th minute.

Here's the thoughts of Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, who felt his side deserved a point from the game.
2/15/12
Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny bemoaned his side's luck tonight but refused to give up. Here's some of his quotes:

"They were the better team on the night and that's the story of the day.

"We have to keep fighting, pick ourselves up, get the confidence back and challenge in the other competitions and in the second leg of this tie too.

"They punished us on every occasion; they scored some quality goals and they deserved to win."

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Another Milan player who was willing to share his thoughts after the match was Mark van Bommel, who has urged caution ahead of the second leg in London.

“The score made it look like it was an easy game, but it certainly wasn't.

(Strange... it looked pretty easy from where I was sitting, but hey.)

“I do not think it's over yet. I remember a clash between Milan and Deportivo la Coruna when Milan was also ahead by four goals, and in the end Deportivo eliminated Milan.

“I went into the Arsenal dressing room after the match to speak to Robin van Persie. I had agreed with him to swap shirts – my sons are big fans of his and he brought two for them. They will be delighted.

Van Bommel went on to talk about a possible move to PSV in the future, but was quick to point out his terms for the move.

“I've spoken with PSV, but we don't have an agreement yet. The club has to decide what they want.

“If Louis van Gaal turns out to be the new coach, I won't go.”

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Next up is the Milan maestro Clarence Seedorf. He only managed 12 minutes on the pitch, but watching from the sidelines he was delighted at how his team mates had dominated the game.

"Tonight everything went in the right direction and we did a very good match. You don't start a match thinking to win 4-0, but at the end i think we deserved it coz we played very well."

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