Portsmouth Reaction: Injuries hamper Latics

Chris Hutchings

It would have been a good start but it wasn't to be and it think it was a dull game to be honest until the last ten minutes. We hit the post early on, and they hit the post later on in the second half but apart from that I don't think the 'keeper had too much to do apart from a couple of long range efforts.

It was disappointing to concede so late on, we didn't stop the ball coming into the box and we had kept Benjani reasonably quiet up until that opportunity. We tried to change things, but it opened things up for them, and the second goal was a very disappointing one to concede, and it wasn't good enough. We didn't create too much today either.

If those two come back [Melchiot and Valencia], that will make us a different team. But I don't want to use injuries as an excuse, as it happens to all teams and we have to deal with it. When players are out, you learn more about the players that come in their place. It tests the depth of the squad, and if we have to do something about it, then we will.

We have to remain positive, dust ourselves down and get ready for another game next week.

Harry Redknapp

I said at half-time that the game was there for us to win. In games like that it is important we pick up points and I would not have been happy coming here and getting a point.

We wouldn't have won these sorts of games six years ago, because the players were useless, that's why I'm here and we've got stronger pla
yers now and we are a stronger outfit.