x

Schoolmaster Cowley gives Pompey an early-term report

Pompey may have taken nine points out of nine s0 far in League One - but Danny Cowley is giving them a score of seven out of 10.

Putting his school teacher's hat on, the Pompey boss's early-term report for the Blues is that they've done okay but still have plenty to improve on.

He was speaking ahead of match number four of 46 on Saturday at Doncaster, where he knows the side could be given their toughest examination yet.

Cowley told the club website: 'We’re pleased to still be winning while we’re developing and improving because we’ve still got an awfully long way to go. It’s been a good start and if you wanted me to give a mark out of 10 like a school report, I would say a solid seven. We’re a work in progress.

'The opening to the season has been tough for everyone, with five games in the opening 14 days to negotiate. It was great to have back-to-back matches at Fratton Park and to finally have our supporters with us again.

'But now there are two really difficult fixtures on the road at Doncaster and Wigan, and we’ve tried to recover well to ensure there’s freshness in the group. We may need to make some personnel changes and we’ll look at where the group are physically before making a call on that.'

Cowley knows all about BenClose, likely to be in the Rovers side this weekend, and says he'll be part of a strong home team.

He told the website: 'Ben’s a player that we admire hugely, with a huge amount of skill and a lovely passer of the ball. He carries a goal threat as well and if you look at the Doncaster team as a whole, they’ve got a lot of technical players.

'They perhaps had to be more pragmatic at Accrington on Tuesday night and change their style a little bit. But being back at home, I expect them to go back to the way the guys they’ve recruited are used to playing.

'We anticipate a really tough game — the fact that nobody won by more than one goal in midweek shows you how tight this league is.'

What to read next:

Southampton 0 - 1 Stoke City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Swansea City 3 - 0 Stoke City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Leeds United 1 - 0 Stoke City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Stoke City 1 - 0 Queens Park Rangers - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Stoke City 1 - 1 Swansea City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Queens Park Rangers 4 - 2 Stoke City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Stoke City 1 - 0 Leeds United - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Stoke City 0 - 1 Southampton - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Stoke City 0 - 1 Queens Park Rangers - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Swansea City 1 - 3 Stoke City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.