Part 3 of 4
With Sulley Muntari on his way to Pompey for a record fee, the competition for midfield places is going to continue to hot up. Who has done well enough this season to secure their Pompey future for next season?
#6 Manuel Fernandes
HT Verdict: With Benfica accusing us of "bad faith" it's unlikely we will see Fernandes in a Pompey shirt again. But I don't think we've heard the last of this saga.
As good a player as Fernandes was, he was not worth the reported £12 million Benfica wanted for him. As we all know, he went to Everton for the second half of the season and ended up helping them to 6th place, which was the position we were in when he left.
FT Verdict: There's no doubting his quality, but unless one of the "Big 4" come in for him it's highly doubtful we will see him in the Premiership next season and if we do it certainly won't be in the Pompey Royal Blue.
#7 David Thompson
HT Verdict: It's fair to say that Thommo has at least been on par with the expectations of Pompey fans. I can't say that he'll be at Fratton Park for too long as Harry looks to strengthen the midfield, so he could fall under the "stop-gap signing" category. Is he better than that? It's up to him to prove it.
In the end, Thommo couldn't prove it as couldn't get into the side and so left for Bolton where he was subsequently released after failing to make many appearances for them too. He was always a stop-gap signing but didn't do too badly for us on the whole, especially at Arsenal where I thought he was top notch.
FT Verdict: Who knows where Thompson will end up now? Probably in the Championship I'd expect.
#14 Matthew Taylor
HT Verdict: Matt says he is enjoying his football down here and has no reason to leave. He has signed a four year contract so unless someone like Man United or Liverpool offer stupid money for him, he will be a Pompey player for some time and he can continue to progress his career with a team on the up.
Today a report emerged in Birmingham claiming that Aston Villa had enquired about Matt and that he was interested in a possible move. I'd be gobsmacked if that were the case as you just cannot afford to lose a left midfielder with defensive qualities who can score you 9 goals a season from that position!
Taylor has previously stated in interviews that he and his family are settled in Portsmouth and he has no reason to leave a club with such ambition. Let's face it, a move to Villa would only be a step sideways as they have similar ambitions to us but I will be furious if we sell him for "financial reasons". Genuine quality left midfielders that can play at this level are extremely hard to come by and after the season Taylor has had, surely we cannot afford to lose him?
FT Verdict: I still think Taylor will stay despite this speculation as it seems like he genuinely loves the club and the fans. He has had the occasional hump with Harry Redknapp though so you can never be too sure. Here's hoping we get to see some more long range stunners from Matt in a Pompey shirt.
#17 Ognjen Koroman
HT Verdict: He might play against Wigan in the FA Cup but I reckon it'll be the last we see of him, with just a solitary goal against Liverpool as our only memory of the Serbian winger.
Koroman didn't even feature in the FA Cup tie and soon moved as we all expected.
FT Verdict: We'll never know what Oggy might or might not have done for the club. It's a shame as I think he could have been a hit at Fratton Park.
#19 Niko Kranjcar
HT Verdict: Technically gifted but we won't know the true ability of Niko Kranjcar unless he gets a good run in the side. It's unfair to label him a flop considering what little football he has played for us. If he doesn't make it, he might leave in the summer but I'm still optimistic that he will be a hit.
Niko has started to come good in recent weeks as he's finally adjusting to the pace of the Premiership and is showing his international pedigree. I still believe we'll get the best out of him in the centre but Harry seems fixed on playing him on the left (perhaps another reason why he may get rid of Taylor?) Either way, I expect we'll see a much improved Croatian international next season and more goals like the one he scored at Craven Cottage.
FT Verdict: The only way Kranjcar will leave is if a massive club come in for him and considering the tepid first season he has had in England it looks unlikely he's going anywhere. He could be a key player next season should circumstances permit.
#21 Franck Songo'o
HT Verdict: Could well leave permanently and be labelled as another one of Perrin's failures or might go on loan elsewhere. I personally don't think we'll ever see Songo'o in the first team.
I stick by that comment. I cannot see Songo'o featuring for Pompey in the first team after an uneventful loan spell at Preston. He has pace to burn but that seems to be about it...
FT Verdict: Songo'o will probably go on loan again, probably to a League One club. He'll probably be one of these players who ends up disappearing into obscurity.
#22 Richard Hughes
HT Verdict: Having signed a new contract in the summer I can't see him leaving this month. He's a good player to have on the bench in a physical game against the likes of Bolton and Watford. He's never going to be a world-beater but he's a good character and squad player to have in the side.
I stick by that comment too. Hughes is a good squad player and to be honest he has performed quite well this season when called upon and does virtually the same job as Sean Davis. Hughes is a player who is never afraid to put his foot in, something that always goes down well with the fans though whether he is "Premiership Quality" will always be open for debate.
FT Verdict: Hughes will stay at Pompey for this season at least. Depending on the depth of our midfield, he might move on next summer. He's a good bloke and I'm happy to see him stay at the club.
#26 Gary O'Neil
HT Verdict: Somewhat of a shadow of last season, Gario could just be having a difficult second full season in the Premiership as some players do. I'm sure he will get over it and once he grabs his first goal, then he won't stop. He signed a five year deal with us, so he isn't going anywhere soon.
OK, so I got that prediction slightly wrong considering Gary only scored one goal all season which was a gift from Sheffield United's Claude Davis. In fairness, Gary has been consistent all season without being the outstanding player he was last season and whether that has something to do with playing through the pain barrier or not, who knows? Next season hopefully we'll see him back to his best.
FT Verdict: I'm sure O'Neil will be here next season as he is the player with the most connections with the club, although he will probably continue to play on the right side. Hopefully his crossing will continue to improve and more importantly he finds his shooting boots again!
#28 Sean Davis
HT Verdict: Davis is a good mix of tenacity and quality although he has the odd game where he can't pass wind. He and Mendes have struck a partnership in the centre that nobody in the squad has managed to break up because it has been so effective. Davis should be at Fratton Park for a whie yet.
Davis' performances seemed to tail off after the first half of the season and he hasn't done anything spectacular since January really. In fact I'd go as far to say that Richard Hughes has outperformed him in the centre. Davis didn't find the net at all this season despite being unlucky a couple of times. Although he's a solid player and a good character, with Muntari arriving and the other centre midfielders we have at our disposal, would he be content sitting on the bench?
FT Verdict: I think Davis's future could depend on who arrives during the summer. If he's not getting regular football he could be allowed to leave with Middlesbrough and Fulham supposedly interested. I doubt he'd be missed too much if he did leave but obviously I'd prefer him to stay.
#29 Rodolph Douala
HT Verdict: He isn't getting games and it seems like his loan spell will be cut short and he will be sent back to Sporting Lisbon. He seemed like Harry's type of player but obviously the Pompey gaffer has decided he isn't good enough for a first team place.
We've had him all year and I still haven't been able to settle on how his first name should be spelt with so many different variations of his name that have been used this season! I was surprised to see him stay in January yet he still wasn't given a real chance to show us what he could do.
FT Verdict: Going back to Sporting and I doubt we'll see him back in England next year.
#30 Pedro Mendes
HT Verdict: Mendes signed a long-term deal in the summer which should mean we can look forward to more thunderbolt goals (or balls in the Fratton End) in the future.
Poor old Pedro! After getting clattered by Ben Thatcher in August, he bounced back to score trademark thunderbolts against Reading and then Man City again before being felled by City thug Joey Barton and then an injury at Blackburn ruled him out for virtually the rest of the campaign. Pedro is pure quality and a good all rounder. I believe we've missed him this season but I'm sure we'll be saying "SHOOT!" plenty of times again next term.
FT Verdict: Mendes will be a Pompey player for a while yet.
#34 Arnold Mvuemba
Arnie had a few chances to show us what he could do this season and to be fair he hasn't done too bad. He shows good all round ability, some sound passing as well as an eye for goal as we saw at Vicarage Road back in April. He could be one for the future if Harry decides to keep him.
FT Verdict: Will Harry decide to keep him? Reports suggest that he will be sent back to Rennes if the asking price is more than £2 million. Knowing Harry, he'll find some way of haggling them if possible.
#6 Manuel Fernandes
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HT Verdict: With Benfica accusing us of "bad faith" it's unlikely we will see Fernandes in a Pompey shirt again. But I don't think we've heard the last of this saga.
As good a player as Fernandes was, he was not worth the reported £12 million Benfica wanted for him. As we all know, he went to Everton for the second half of the season and ended up helping them to 6th place, which was the position we were in when he left.
FT Verdict: There's no doubting his quality, but unless one of the "Big 4" come in for him it's highly doubtful we will see him in the Premiership next season and if we do it certainly won't be in the Pompey Royal Blue.
#7 David Thompson
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HT Verdict: It's fair to say that Thommo has at least been on par with the expectations of Pompey fans. I can't say that he'll be at Fratton Park for too long as Harry looks to strengthen the midfield, so he could fall under the "stop-gap signing" category. Is he better than that? It's up to him to prove it.
In the end, Thommo couldn't prove it as couldn't get into the side and so left for Bolton where he was subsequently released after failing to make many appearances for them too. He was always a stop-gap signing but didn't do too badly for us on the whole, especially at Arsenal where I thought he was top notch.
FT Verdict: Who knows where Thompson will end up now? Probably in the Championship I'd expect.
#14 Matthew Taylor
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HT Verdict: Matt says he is enjoying his football down here and has no reason to leave. He has signed a four year contract so unless someone like Man United or Liverpool offer stupid money for him, he will be a Pompey player for some time and he can continue to progress his career with a team on the up.
Today a report emerged in Birmingham claiming that Aston Villa had enquired about Matt and that he was interested in a possible move. I'd be gobsmacked if that were the case as you just cannot afford to lose a left midfielder with defensive qualities who can score you 9 goals a season from that position!
Taylor has previously stated in interviews that he and his family are settled in Portsmouth and he has no reason to leave a club with such ambition. Let's face it, a move to Villa would only be a step sideways as they have similar ambitions to us but I will be furious if we sell him for "financial reasons". Genuine quality left midfielders that can play at this level are extremely hard to come by and after the season Taylor has had, surely we cannot afford to lose him?
FT Verdict: I still think Taylor will stay despite this speculation as it seems like he genuinely loves the club and the fans. He has had the occasional hump with Harry Redknapp though so you can never be too sure. Here's hoping we get to see some more long range stunners from Matt in a Pompey shirt.
#17 Ognjen Koroman
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HT Verdict: He might play against Wigan in the FA Cup but I reckon it'll be the last we see of him, with just a solitary goal against Liverpool as our only memory of the Serbian winger.
Koroman didn't even feature in the FA Cup tie and soon moved as we all expected.
FT Verdict: We'll never know what Oggy might or might not have done for the club. It's a shame as I think he could have been a hit at Fratton Park.
#19 Niko Kranjcar
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HT Verdict: Technically gifted but we won't know the true ability of Niko Kranjcar unless he gets a good run in the side. It's unfair to label him a flop considering what little football he has played for us. If he doesn't make it, he might leave in the summer but I'm still optimistic that he will be a hit.
Niko has started to come good in recent weeks as he's finally adjusting to the pace of the Premiership and is showing his international pedigree. I still believe we'll get the best out of him in the centre but Harry seems fixed on playing him on the left (perhaps another reason why he may get rid of Taylor?) Either way, I expect we'll see a much improved Croatian international next season and more goals like the one he scored at Craven Cottage.
FT Verdict: The only way Kranjcar will leave is if a massive club come in for him and considering the tepid first season he has had in England it looks unlikely he's going anywhere. He could be a key player next season should circumstances permit.
#21 Franck Songo'o
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HT Verdict: Could well leave permanently and be labelled as another one of Perrin's failures or might go on loan elsewhere. I personally don't think we'll ever see Songo'o in the first team.
I stick by that comment. I cannot see Songo'o featuring for Pompey in the first team after an uneventful loan spell at Preston. He has pace to burn but that seems to be about it...
FT Verdict: Songo'o will probably go on loan again, probably to a League One club. He'll probably be one of these players who ends up disappearing into obscurity.
#22 Richard Hughes
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HT Verdict: Having signed a new contract in the summer I can't see him leaving this month. He's a good player to have on the bench in a physical game against the likes of Bolton and Watford. He's never going to be a world-beater but he's a good character and squad player to have in the side.
I stick by that comment too. Hughes is a good squad player and to be honest he has performed quite well this season when called upon and does virtually the same job as Sean Davis. Hughes is a player who is never afraid to put his foot in, something that always goes down well with the fans though whether he is "Premiership Quality" will always be open for debate.
FT Verdict: Hughes will stay at Pompey for this season at least. Depending on the depth of our midfield, he might move on next summer. He's a good bloke and I'm happy to see him stay at the club.
#26 Gary O'Neil
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HT Verdict: Somewhat of a shadow of last season, Gario could just be having a difficult second full season in the Premiership as some players do. I'm sure he will get over it and once he grabs his first goal, then he won't stop. He signed a five year deal with us, so he isn't going anywhere soon.
OK, so I got that prediction slightly wrong considering Gary only scored one goal all season which was a gift from Sheffield United's Claude Davis. In fairness, Gary has been consistent all season without being the outstanding player he was last season and whether that has something to do with playing through the pain barrier or not, who knows? Next season hopefully we'll see him back to his best.
FT Verdict: I'm sure O'Neil will be here next season as he is the player with the most connections with the club, although he will probably continue to play on the right side. Hopefully his crossing will continue to improve and more importantly he finds his shooting boots again!
#28 Sean Davis
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HT Verdict: Davis is a good mix of tenacity and quality although he has the odd game where he can't pass wind. He and Mendes have struck a partnership in the centre that nobody in the squad has managed to break up because it has been so effective. Davis should be at Fratton Park for a whie yet.
Davis' performances seemed to tail off after the first half of the season and he hasn't done anything spectacular since January really. In fact I'd go as far to say that Richard Hughes has outperformed him in the centre. Davis didn't find the net at all this season despite being unlucky a couple of times. Although he's a solid player and a good character, with Muntari arriving and the other centre midfielders we have at our disposal, would he be content sitting on the bench?
FT Verdict: I think Davis's future could depend on who arrives during the summer. If he's not getting regular football he could be allowed to leave with Middlesbrough and Fulham supposedly interested. I doubt he'd be missed too much if he did leave but obviously I'd prefer him to stay.
#29 Rodolph Douala
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HT Verdict: He isn't getting games and it seems like his loan spell will be cut short and he will be sent back to Sporting Lisbon. He seemed like Harry's type of player but obviously the Pompey gaffer has decided he isn't good enough for a first team place.
We've had him all year and I still haven't been able to settle on how his first name should be spelt with so many different variations of his name that have been used this season! I was surprised to see him stay in January yet he still wasn't given a real chance to show us what he could do.
FT Verdict: Going back to Sporting and I doubt we'll see him back in England next year.
#30 Pedro Mendes
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HT Verdict: Mendes signed a long-term deal in the summer which should mean we can look forward to more thunderbolt goals (or balls in the Fratton End) in the future.
Poor old Pedro! After getting clattered by Ben Thatcher in August, he bounced back to score trademark thunderbolts against Reading and then Man City again before being felled by City thug Joey Barton and then an injury at Blackburn ruled him out for virtually the rest of the campaign. Pedro is pure quality and a good all rounder. I believe we've missed him this season but I'm sure we'll be saying "SHOOT!" plenty of times again next term.
FT Verdict: Mendes will be a Pompey player for a while yet.
#34 Arnold Mvuemba
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Arnie had a few chances to show us what he could do this season and to be fair he hasn't done too bad. He shows good all round ability, some sound passing as well as an eye for goal as we saw at Vicarage Road back in April. He could be one for the future if Harry decides to keep him.
FT Verdict: Will Harry decide to keep him? Reports suggest that he will be sent back to Rennes if the asking price is more than £2 million. Knowing Harry, he'll find some way of haggling them if possible.
