Part 3 of 4

Welcome to Part Three of the Half-Time Verdict. This one focuses on the people in the middle of the park: The Pompey midfielders.

#6 Manuel Fernandes

After a loan spell under what can only be described as "dodgy" terms, Fernandes has now returned to Benfica as Pompey aren't prepared to pay the reported £12 million transfer fee.

Injury hampered Manuel's start to the season and therefore didn't play until September. I think I speak for the majority of Pompey fans when I say that the lad is talented and is a quality player able to play in the Premiership. However, as good as he is, he is not worth 12 million quid and even Fernandes has admitted that himself!

The 20-year-old Portuguese international has shown that he is a capable midfielder who can produce moments of quality. If he loses the ball he will chase and often win it back. His range of passing is good and he can also hit them too, as he proved with a debut stunner against Mansfield. Fernandes did seem to go missing against the big opposition though, and he has found it hard to break into the side with the form of Davis and Mendes.

There has been another twist in the transfer saga now as Benfica claim that Pompey were obliged to sign him permanently once he recovered from injury. Will we ever know the truth to these claims? I doubt it, seeing as this wouldn't be the first deal done on very uncertain terms by this club.

According to reports in Portugal the fee for Fernandes could be cut in half, which may see us sign him permanently. I think £6 million for such a promising young player with obvious talent would be a fair deal.

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.

#7 David Thompson

Thommo came here on a free with a history of injury problems and false promise but I think whenever he has played for us he has done an adequate job on the right.

His tenacity has added to the steel of the side and although he hasn't got his first goal for Pompey yet, his contribution to the cause has seen us win matches we might not have done without him. He has been a useful addition to the side.

On the other hand he has also been sloppy when he has come on as a sub late on in some games where we have needed a goal but overall I'm pretty happy with his overall performances, especially against Middlesbrough and Arsenal away.

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.

#14 Matthew Taylor

Matty Taylor is finally starting to get some recognition after a blinding season so far, capped with some superb goals. The ironic thing is that Taylor probably would be playing at left back if a left winger was signed in the summer.

In my opinion, Taylor has been our most consistent outfield player so far this season. His performances have been solid at worst but his work-rate and contribution to the team have been excellent. He's usually involved in anything positive we do on the pitch.

Matty's left peg can produce quality whether from open play or a set-piece and a quality left-foot is hard to find these days. He loves to get forward and overlap with the full back but it does leave us open occasionally and although Taylor is primarily a left back, his defensive qualities have not matched his creative and goal-scoring qualities this season.

This is the season Matt can really make a name for himself. There is talk of him being called up for the England squad for the next friendly and you'd have to say that apart from Joe Cole who's injured for the rest of the season and maybe Gareth Barry, there isn't an English left midfielder in better form than Taylor right now.

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.

#17 Ognjen Koroman

Oggy was signed this summer on another loan from Terek Grozny so Pompey fans hoped to see what he could do after being injured during his last stint. However, we still don't know anything about him yet as he hasn't been given a chance to show the sort of form he displayed for Serbia during the World Cup.

Several clubs have been linked with Koroman during the January transfer window, including Hearts and Red Star Belgrade. The winger has said he'll leave Fratton Park if he isn't playing and I can't see him breaking into the first team.

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.

#19 Niko Kranjcar

Another player we don't know much about.

From what I've seen of him it's clear he has plenty of technical ability but he hasn't adjusted to the pace of the Premiership and there's the question of whether he is strong enough for English football.

I'm sure he will get more time to show us if he's up to it at the highest level of English football. But he will face the same problem as Fernandes did, and that is how he is going to break into a settled, quality midfield quartet.

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.

#21 Franck Songo'o

Is it Franck or Frank? Either way, the ex-Barcelona youth has mainly featured for the reserves and has had a rather uninspiring loan spell at Bournemouth under Kevin Bond.

The French 21-year-old has pace to burn but I haven't seen much else to say that he is ready for first team football at Fratton Park. He could be off for good in January or go on loan somewhere else to get some experience in competitive football.

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.

#22 Richard Hughes

"Hughesy" hasn't really ever held down a first team place at Portsmouth since he has been with us, apart from the back-end of the 04/05 season under Zajec and Perrin.

Like Andy Griffin, he's a solid, honest and gritty player but his ability to consistently play at the highest level has always been questioned. He's not the type of player who is going to play 40-yard diagonal passes across the pitch or energetically burst forward in search of a special goal.

Instead, Hughes is like the perfect substitute to bring on when you are leading a tight game and want to close it down. He keeps the ball well by passing it simply (even if it's never forwards) and he takes no prisoners when it comes to winning the ball back. His lunges on Nigel Quashie in the derby and his blatant last-minute foul against Pascal Chimbonda stick in the memory when discussing Hughes with other fans.

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.

#26 Gary O'Neil

Pompey's runaway player of the season last year has found it more difficult this time. Maybe it's because he doesn't stand out as much in a team full of Campbells, Mendes' and Kanus rather than a team full of Vignals, Viafaras and Karadas'.

That's not to say he's a bad player. Far from it as Gary has provided a good contribution to the season so far with 4 assists to his name and his tireless running to get back and cover for others. On the flip side, his first touch has let him down, he doesn't seem to combine well with Glen Johnson and astonishingly he still hasn't scored this season!

Maybe it's because of the way we play now. Harry has always liked his wingers and whilst we have Taylor to run down the left, O'Neil isn't quite the same and he takes more time to set up a decent cross from the right. He isn't the fastest either. If Gary was to play in the centre then we might see him back to his best, but who would he replace?

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.

#28 Sean Davis

Davis adds fight and steel to the centre of the Portsmouth midfield and has been somewhat of an unsung hero this season. Sean does a lot of the "dirty work" for us like breaking up attacks, holding the ball in midfield and the occasional foul to stop the opposition breaking away.

Grit is not the only part of Sean's game though. Like O'Neil, Davis has 4 assists to his name and knows how to play a decent through-ball. I think his passing is actually underestimated when he is having a good game but when he isn't, he can give the ball away far too often.

Davis' style compliments Pedro Mendes' game. Whilst he supplies the grit and Mendes supplies the flair, both are capable of playing the other way if needed and I believe that this, and the understanding between the Pompey duo, is fundamental in having one of the best central midfield partnerships in the league.

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.

#29 Rodolph Douala

We haven't seen much of Douala barring the odd league start or sub appearance. All he has shown is that he is lightning quick but you need much more than pace to succeed in this league. Will we see any more of him?

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.

#30 Pedro Mendes

Pedro made himself a cult hero after his two stunners against Manchester City last season but this campaign he has shown he has much more in his locker than a long range strike.

Mendes is a fantastic passer of the ball, either short or long and can also win the ball in midfield. His technical ability and movement are also pretty good although he has been anonymous in a couple of games this season.

Generally, Mendes is a great all-round midfielder who can play in both attacking and defensive roles and therefore I think he is the more important central midfielder in the partnership with Sean Davis.

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.