In-form Portsmouth out for revenge against Cambridge United

Cambridge United’s last meeting with Portsmouth could end up in U’s folklore.

Pompey had not lost to Cambridge since 1978, and had never been defeated by the U’s at Fratton Park in their entire history. However, within 70 minutes, Mark Bonner’s side had stormed to a 2-0 lead on the South Coast, thanks to a looping header from Joe Ironside and an incredible long-range half-volley from Liam O’Neil.

Danny Cowley’s men did get themselves back into the game with just under 15 minutes to play thanks to Ronan Curtis, but ultimately fell to an embarrassing defeat against a newly-promoted Cambridge who came into the match on the back of a 5-1 thrashing at home to Lincoln City the previous week.

The home fans were irate as they dropped to 15th in the table. By the time they hosted Bolton on 30th October, Pompey had won just one of their last 11 league games. Pressure was building on Cowley until things reached boiling point – then everything suddenly clicked.

Portsmouth sealed a 1-0 win against the Trotters that afternoon, and they subsequently embarked on an eight-match unbeaten run in League One that has taken them up to ninth, seven points off the playoffs.

In fact, Portsmouth are one of the third-tier’s most in-form sides, and they’ll be out for revenge when they head to The Abbey to face Cambridge in their next match on Monday afternoon.

The U’s, of course, have been one of the surprise packages of this year’s campaign, but their league position does not exactly reflect that. Bonner’s side are sat in 17th, with just one win and one draw in their last five league games. Johnnie Jackson and Paul Warne, the respective managers of Charlton Athletic and Rotherham United, were full of praise for Cambridge, who coincidently tasted defeat on both occasions.

They now need to start turning their impressive performances into positive results in order to maintain their cushion on the bottom four. Doing that against an in-form Pompey side will, of course, be a huge challenge. When you factor in Cambridge’s injury list, the job becomes even harder.

Centre-back Lloyd Jones has been ruled out until February after undergoing an operation on his groin, while mercurial winger Shilow Tracey will also miss the entirety of January after picking up a knock in the 5-0 win against Cheltenham Town. O’Neil and club captain Greg Taylor are still absent as they work their way back from long-term injuries, while Wes Hoolahan is struggling for match fitness, having not played in almost a month.

Covid-19 outbreaks have also affected both camps. The U’s had their Boxing Day trip to Wycombe Wanderers and home tie against Doncaster Rovers postponed after a player tested positive, taking their total squad number below the EFL’s required quota. The visitors, on the other hand, had ties against AFC Wimbledon, Oxford United and Plymouth Argyle postponed, meaning that they have not played since 11th December.

Pompey’s new 3-4-1-2 formation could create substantial problems for the Cambridgeshire outfit, who struggled when playing against sides who use wing-backs. Marcus Harness’ new role behind the two strikers has also seen his form improve dramatically, with the 25-year-old taking his tally for the season to nine goals and one assist.

Cambridge’s Adam May will be facing his former side once again. With Hoolahan expected to miss Monday’s game, the 24-year-old is expected to start in a more advanced role in midfield. May has three goals and two assists to his name already this season, boasting a passing accuracy of 76.8%. His improved form and knack for scoring long-range goals has helped him win over the U’s fans after an inconsistent debut season at The Abbey.

Adam May scores goals ? #CamUTD | ? 1-1 ? pic.twitter.com/nrIeWhJCBk

— Cambridge United FC (@CambridgeUtdFC) December 4, 2021

Portsmouth’s expansive style of football will undoubtedly cause Cambridge some issues, but the narrow pitch at The Abbey may force them to play more centrally than Cowley would like. While Bonner will have to prepare for the opposition to press with a lot of intensity, Pompey have struggled defensively at times this season, especially against counterattacks. There are certainly areas where the U’s can cause some significant damage.

Most importantly, Cambridge need to remain focused. Portsmouth are not an overly clinical side, and have been known to waste chances, but the U’s need to be switched on to nullify their wide threat. If they can play with the same resiliency as they did at Fratton Park, there is no reason why the hosts can’t get a result.

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