Gunners blitz adds to Pompey troubles

PORTSMOUTH’S season hit rock bottom after Avram Grant’s side responded to the news that the club’s financial crisis has taken a significant turn for the worse with an embarrassing capitulation against an under-worked Arsenal side against the background of an increasingly venomous atmosphere at Fratton Park.

Two up at half time, Arsene Wenger’s side hardly had to work for the victory that moved them to within four points of leaders Chelsea with a game in hand.

For Portsmouth manager Avram Grant, though, the mood was considerably bleaker as chants of ‘where’s all our money gone’ ‘sack the board’ and more forthright comments directed at the club’s Saudi Arabian owner confirmed this is a club in trouble.

Portsmouth has been issued with a winding up petition by HM Revenue and Customs over unpaid taxes and while a Fratton Park statement yesterday disputed the amount and nature of the debt, the club faces a full court hearing in February that could result in bankruptcy proceedings if the matter is not resolved.

The timing couldn’t be worse with Portsmouth anxious to clear outstanding Premier League-related debts before January in an attempt to get the transfer embargo currently imposed on the club lifted ahead of the transfer window.

With the already thin squad set to be further weakened by the loss of six players to the African Cup of Nations, Grant is desperate to bring in new recruits, even if only on a temporary basis. The outcome of yesterday’s latest twist to the club’s sorry financial saga means it is far more likely the manager will be forced to oversee the departure of his more prized assets in order to raise much–needed funds.

Against a backdrop of such strife, Portsmouth desperately needed the kind of boost they received from their last home fixture, a convincing 2-0 victory over Liverpool.

For a handful of first-half minutes there was the briefest suggestion that the pattern might be repeated.

Kevin-Prince Boateng robbed Alex Song on the halfway line in the 10th minute and ran into the visitors’ penalty area and struck an angled shot that was hastily beaten away by Manuel Almunia.

That, however, proved to be just about the full extent of the home side’s attacking efforts during a one-sided first half and while Arsenal never slipped out of first gear, the simple fact was they didn’t need to.

Against Aston Villa on Saturday, Arsene Wenger’s side had laboured until the introduction of Cesc Fabregas and the Gunners again lacked an incisive cutting edge.

Portsmouth, though, have made a habit of making things easy for their opponents this season and true to form, they helped Arsenal establish a 28th minute lead.

Portsmouth keeper Asmir Begovic had no chance when Eduardo’s free kick deflected off Pompey defender Younes Kaboul in the defensive wall and wrong-footed the Pompey keeper. The danger should still have ended there as Hermann Hreidarsson had dropped back to cover the far post yet the defender couldn’t stop the ball flying between himself and the post.

The goal appeared to drain the home side of what little confidence they had and Arsenal were immediately aware the contest was over.

The first sounds of discontent began to echo around Fratton Park, and they grew louder when the visitors eased their way into a two-goal lead with a routine passing move that allowed Eduardo and Aaron Ramsey to ferry the ball across the face of the Portsmouth penalty area before Samir Nasri slotted home.

If Portsmouth were to have any chance of rescuing anything from the game they had to make an immediate impression after the break and Naduir Belhadj’s drive at least offered them some hope.

But it was a fleeting moment for the home side who found themselves three down when Ramsey slalomed past two challenges before lashing a powerful left foot shot past Begovic in the 71st minute.

Cue more voluble protests that were mildly subdued when Belhadj turned home from Anthony Vanden Borre’s cross but the three-goal deficit was restored when Song headed Arsenal’s fourth nine minutes from time from Nasri’s cross.

PORTSMOUTH (4-5-1): Begovic; Finnan, Kaboul, Ben Haim, Hreidarsson; Yebda, Prince-Boateng, Mokoena, Hughes, Belhadj; Piquionne.

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Traore; Ramsey, Song, Diaby; Nasri, Arshavin, Eduardo.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffs).