Bill Gillon from Pompey Online tells us about the start Portsmouth have had to this season and how they will be approaching Saturday’s game with City.

Portsmouth took 2 points from the first 7 games, immediately followed by 13 points from the 5 most recent games. How has this unbelievable turnaround happened?
Simply, we needed a bit of time plus one or two additions to the squad. After the difficult summer we had, the team didn’t have any sort of pre-season at all so lacked sharpness, fitness and time to play together as a side.  Those first few games got the side playing together and got us up to match fitness.  Most importantly though, getting in Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson has given our forward line a much more potent threat, and getting Ricardo Rocha back in defence has helped shore things up there as well.

Do you think you’ve got the right manager in Steve Cotterill?
Personally, yep.  There were some doubts from some fans at the beginning of the season when the first results went against us, but I was always pretty confident that Cotterill was the man for the job.  He’s very enthusiastic, determined, knows what he wants – there’s just something about him which you can have confidence in.  The players speak very highly of him, I reckon he’ll do well for us and he’s young enough that he can take us forward for a good few seasons to come.

What are your ambitions for this season?
Simply to stay up.  As I type, we’re still in administration but are looking likely to have Balram Chainrai as our new owner, even if that might be short term.  Our first eleven is very good but under that the squad is very threadbare and needs a bit of depth added to it.  Considering the difficulties we’ve been through, and the fact that we’ve still got a long way to go to get the club back on a solid footing, fourth from bottom would have satisfied me at the beginning of the season and I stick by that.  The fact we’re on such a good run and playing so well just now is a huge bonus, but so long as we don’t go down again I think we’ll be satisfied with that.

Are you enjoying being back in the Championship or are you desperate to return to the Premier League?
Personally, I’m loving being back in the Championship and I think a great many of our fans think the same.  Whilst it would be nice to be in the Premiership for the club’s success, the Championship is more honest football, whilst the Premiership is a business first and foremost.  I believe our club lost its real identity in the Premiership – not that I’m complaining about the cup successes, mind you – trying to compete when we were in no position to.  We can rebuild things back in the Championship and, hopefully, enjoy our football while we’re at it.  So far, that’s how it’s working out.

What is the current state of play with Portsmouth’s finances?
There’s still a lot of uncertainty at the club.  Whilst the CVA has been accepted and, as I type, we’re apparently coming out of administration within the week, the ownership is still a question mark.  Balram Chainrai, as mentioned earlier, is poised to eventually become our owner but how much, if anything, he will pump into the club is open to debate.  My personal view is that I hope Chainrai’s ownership is a short term one and a deal to sell the club onto an interested party becomes a reality in the near future.  Chainrai has money in the club from previous dealings and he wants to protect that money – that’s as far as that goes I think.  The sooner that a new owner comes in, the sooner we can move on properly, I feel.

Portsmouth’s last two visits to Hull have been dull 0-0 draws. We’ve already seen more than enough of those this season so will Saturday be a better spectacle? Will Portsmouth come to attack?
I think we’ll have to attack as, looking at our possible defence for Saturday (with Rocha potentially out), attack might be our best form of defence!  Seriously though, we’re not a defensive side and Cotterill seems to be favouring a 4-4-2 type of formation, so we’ll be looking to score goals.  We played Millwall on Tuesday away from home and, after a scrappy first half, really came into our own in the second half and had the best of things, and that came by way of attack.  Fifteen goals in our last five games tells its own story.

Who are Portsmouth’s danger men to look out for?
Liam Lawrence has been an absolute revelation since he joined. He gives our midfield a much more potent threat than it had previously, both in scoring goals himself and creating for others.  Dave Kitson and David Nugent are working well together up top: Kits has such a great touch and threat with Nugent prepared to run all game.  Our main defender, Ricardo Rocha, tweaked a hamstring against Millwall so may not be fit but Greg Halford, who we’ve just brought in on loan, looks like a quality player so he could fill in well.  Also look out for Michael Brown’s threat from midfield, along with his flying boots. Your midfield better have their best shinpads on!

How has ex-Tiger Ibrahima Sonko been doing for you?
Ibrahima Sonko.  Hmmmmmm.  Let’s say, he hasn’t had the best of starts, and Cotterill got some stick in places very early in the season for continuing to play him.  Now and again, he’s looked an absolute giant in the middle of defence, but if the ball goes anywhere near his feet then we’re hiding our eyes.  He’s potentially the worst passer of a ball I’ve seen at Fratton, and I’ve seen a lot of them!  He’s cost us some goals earlier in the season, so he’s found himself on the bench over recent games, but you can’t fault his effort.  He can win some great headers but, unfortunately, he can be a bit of a liability.  I wouldn’t say that to his face though!

Bill Gillon writes for the Pompey Online website

Blades-Mad editor Paul Holland fills us in ahead of Tuesday’s game.

What led to Kevin Blackwell’s downfall?
A poor start to the season; although only three games in, set the tone for what looks likely to be a campaign avoiding relegation.

Was it the right decision for him to go when he did?
Maybe not, they say it is best to change a manager as early as possible but I feel that if a change had to be made then it should have been done during the summer months.

Are you happy with Gary Speed managing the team?
Yes, it’s difficult as a fan to accept the appointment as it is Gary Speed’s first job as a manager – but he had an illustrious career as a player and I believe that as a manager he will be good in the end.

Was Phil Brown a serious contender to take over from Blackwell?
Only the board of Sheffield United can answer that question but I personally doubt it – the appointment of Gary Speed was made just two days after Blackwell’s exit. Any managerial involvement from Phil Brown would have taken at least a week for the board to decide.

Ex-Tiger Ryan France hasn’t made an appearance for Sheffield United in almost a year. Is his future at Bramall Lane over?
Ryan France has been unlucky during his time at Bramall Lane after continuously battling injury; though as utility player he would only be second choice. Incidentally you can read his player profile by clicking here.

Peter Halmosi was linked with a move to Sheffield United. Was thereany truth in the rumour, and might the interest being renewed?
Halmosi was linked with the Blades in May 2008 whilst he was at Plymouth Argyle prior to his move to the KC Stadium. He has also been linked with a move to S2 in the last few months – though this was under Kevin Blackwell’s regime. Maybe the new manager has other ideas!

How did you rate James Harper last season? Were you hoping to keep him?
James Harper initially signed on loan from Reading before completing a full transfer in January 2010; though he only signed a contract until the end of the season.

Do Blades fans consider Hull City local rivals these days?
With Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United and Barnsley on our doorstep it’s difficult to consider Hull as direct rivals, though it is a fixture which we do enjoy playing.

What will be the important factors in Tuesday’s game?
Defending is a key factor for the Blades, sadly the back four have leaked goals this season and it is vital that they don’t concede at the KC. Hull have yet to concede at home in five Championship fixtures so far but have only found the net four times themselves.

Who should Hull City look out for?
Former Tiger Mark Yeates was the catalyst in our 3-3 draw with Burnley at the weeknd; working both flanks brilliantly – he also set up Mathew Lowton who made the score 2-2 before grabbing a sublime leveller deep into stoppage time.

How do you see the rest of your season going?
I believe that United have a strong enough squad to compete in and around the play-offs; making up for lost points may be a challenge but if the back four can learn to keep tight then who knows. Right now I’d be content at mid-table.

Paul Holland is editor of Blades-Mad.

Interview with the editor of The Cunning Fox website to get his perspective on Nigel Pearson, their new owners and manager, and how they see Saturday’s game and the rest of the season going.

How did Leicester fans react to Nigel Pearson leaving in the summer?
We didn’t like it, after a great run of results under Pearson. Nigel was a quiet character and maybe that was what we needed at this time. He did a lot of good under his time with us.

Have his recent comments made you reconsider, or reinforced, your thoughts on how events transpired?
No not really. When you have Milan Mandaric as a chairman you are not really surprised by anything. Nigel had a great record at Leicester, but he is now history and we must look forward.

What reception will Pearson receive on Saturday?
A good one I think, but nothing more. As I said he did a good job, but he was not yet a hero, so everyone will treat him with respect.

What went wrong with Paulo Sousa?
I really favoured the appointment, looked at it with excitement and thought it was a good man to get. The change from Pearson might have been too much and he wanted the team to play a type of football that with the player inherited from Pearson might be too much to ask. Sousa made a number of summer signings that just made the squad larger and losing defender Miguel Vitor with an injury was a blow. Vitor is now back and looks okay. Sorry for Sousa, but he never managed to win football games, that is really why he had to leave and his start was far away from what fans, chairman, owners and everyone expected.

Have you got the right man in Sven-Göran Eriksson now, or do you expect problems to continue?
Sven knows the business and he will make us a solid team. Whether the group of players are good enough for a promotion push is not yet there to see, and January will probably give us the answers on how Eriksson will do. Among the candidates listed he was definitely one of the best and I think most Leicester fans are positive about the appointment and look forward to a push up the table. For us living in Scandinavia it is an exciting appointment and hopefully a new great period can happen. In my living years as a City supporter we have had two great periods in the last 40 years: the first in the 70′s with Jimmy Bloomfield and the 2nd in the 90′s with Martin O’Neill. We hope Sven will bring us the third in the 2010′s as it’s the time to get this club back were it belongs.

Having gone from the play-offs last season to the relegation zone at the early stage of this season, has the difference been completely down to the management?
Yes I think so, with Pearson in charge we would not have been in this position, but the new owners at the club might have a play to part as well as they look a group of people wanting a more high-profile manager.

Will Nigel Pearson still recognise his old team or have the new managers made big changes?
Yes, with Powell and Stowell who both worked under Pearson still in the back-room staff it will be very similar. The players are there and most of them are in the team. Sven is also a coach with a more defensive approach to football and he is that way similar to Pearson in many of his ideas. But Sven is probably a better coach when it comes to the change from defence to attack, where he makes his teams difficult to play against.

What do you think about your new Thai owners? How is Milan Mandaric handling things?
Milan has done a lot of good at Leicester, bringing us to a face of financial stability. He has managed to keep the ship steady and not used more money than possible, but still been able to support his managers with money for players. Fans will never be satisfied as long as the team is underachieving and I must admit that I would have thought we should have done better from the day Mandaric came in. The new owners look okay, but you never know with people from far away what they really want.

Nolberto Solano’s fallen out of favour here after four disappointing performances. How did he play while he was at Leicester? Were you hoping he would stay on this season, as he originally agreed to?
He was a bit in and out, a player to call on when others were injured or out of form. He did okay, but was far away from the Solano we used to know from the Premier League. He is old and has played his best football so we’re not really missing him.

Kamil Zayatte looked set to join Leicester and we already brought in a replacement before the deal fell through. What happened? Do you think it will be resurrected?
It was something about a medical. I myself thought Zayatte could be a good man for us, but with the reports from Hull about his performances and not being able to keep a high standard we might be better off without him.

What will be the important factors in Saturday’s game?
The start, and the first goal. If you get that we will struggle, confidence is not as high as it was and we will struggle to get back in the game. If we get the first goal we will win the game. Another key is to win the one-to-one battles every time, and fight as you have to do in the Championship to grab the points.

Who should Hull City look out for?
Wellens and King are our two midfield masters. If they win the battle you will not be able to get a result. Both players are Premier League quality and Sousa didn’t understand their importance. I hope Sven does and has both players on the field from start.

How do you see the rest of your season going?
Hopefully a chance to reach the play-offs. The team should be good enough for that, to get up among the two at the top will not be possible with a number of good teams running in front now. I was bit surprised to see Sven going for straight promotion because realistically that will be almost impossible with the front runners so many points in front and also not seeing them just falling apart, so that was the first mistake from Sven.

Ivar Tisthammer is editor of The Cunning Fox website.