Boss hopes for more entertainment against Blackpool
It was a case of substance over style for Pompey at the weekend.
A 2-0 defeat of Accrington ensured they stayed in the automatic promotion race, although it was not the most attractive game to watch.
But Paul Cook believes that fans will be more enamoured by a Valentine’s Day clash with Blackpool at Fratton Park.
He feels that with both sides doing everything they possibly can to collect all three points, it should result in an entertaining contest.
The Blues boss said: “Did we deserve to beat Accrington on the balance of play? Yes, of course we did.
“But our ball retention wasn’t great and there wasn’t that emphasis on getting the second goal that would have relaxed the whole stadium.
“So you get your three points, then you look back on the game and have to get ready to go again on Tuesday night.
“I think we can all be quite confident that Blackpool will come down here and try to win the game.
“We watched their match at Carlisle and they’re a really strong side, who hurt us at their place earlier in the season.
“Now they’ll visit our place and attempt to do the same, so we’ll certainly have our hands full against them.
“Every match takes on a different challenge and when you have two teams intent on trying to win, then you’ll likely get a good game.
“It’s important for everyone that we focus on trying to be as good as we possibly can be. There are 17 games to go and a lot can happen in that time.
“But for now we’re just concentrating on facing Blackpool and trying to be as positive as we can possibly be.
“We are the biggest club in this division by far and we have the best fans by far, so let’s all stay together.”
Watch Cook’s thoughts on the game below or subscribe to Pompey PlayerHD for full pre-match video content.