Grant and Pompey Come Up Trumps in Defeat To Manchester United

I love the casino. From the extravagant roulette wheel to the mechanical elegance of the slot machines, the casino is the epitome of the individual's reliance on good luck and fortune to make money and experience success.

In terms of the Premier League, we are credited with winners in long-standing clubs, rich with tradition and loyal support. Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool have collectively created some of the best memories in sporting history. They are the equivalent of the man who shows up at the blackjack table with ample supplies of cash, collecting all of the chips, intimidating his fellow card players so that they are forced to fold.

Unfortunately, we are often reminded of the losers, such as Leeds United and Newcastle, who bet big, putting all of their chips on the table, only to leave it with shocked looks on their faces at the financial peril they just placed themselves in.

If we are to look at the evidence of this weekend, Portsmouth will surely join the Whites and the Magpies. They are already being kicked and pushed around by superior teams, unable to punch back due a lack of scoring prowess.

Like Leeds and Newcastle, Pompey were successful, defying the odds by winning their first FA Cup title since 1939. That was just 631 days ago. Much of this was built upon expensive signings and salaries, coupled with the managerial skills of Harry Redknapp.

Under the ownership of Andre Gaydamak, Pompey reached the dizzying heights of European competition, just like Leeds and Newcastle before them. Redknapp's astute nose for talent brought in Glen Johnson, Lassana Diara, Sulley Muntari, Niko Kranjcar, and Sylvain Distin as well as Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.

In just a few short years, these players departed as Peter Storrie realised that Pompey's cash reserves were tapped out. Realising that the bouncers at the FA were coming to break his legs, money had to be generated by selling them to rival teams and continental giants.

Harry Redknapp soon left too, abandoning Portsmouth for the greener pastures of Tottenham, a team who now are knee-deep in a fight for Champions League qualification, a far cry from the events now happening at Fratton Park.

At the beginning of the season it looked as if their dire financial circumstances would be lifted when the team was bought out by UAE businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim.

It was believed that Fahim, who was involved in the takeover at Manchester City, was extremely wealthy and would thus provide the funds necessary to service debts and turn the club into European contenders. He is listed as fourth in Arabian Business Magazine's most influential Arabs.

However, his tenure as owner lasted just 40 days. Since then, the club has passed through the hands of three other owners. Unpaid wages and a lack of funds to pay off exorbitant transfer fees remains. The talk of building a new stadium on Horsea island has since dissipated, replaced by agonising worry that the team may have seek administration.

The FA, with baseball bats presumably, placed a transfer embargo on Pompey, forcing them to repay all the monies owed to several top flight teams, including Chelsea and Tottenham.

Their fortunes on the pitch have also diminished. Sadly, it seems as if Avram Grant is spending all of Pompey's luck in nearby brothels. It was quite fitting in their defeat to Manchester United that three of United's goals were scored by Pompey defenders. That is because so much of the devastating nature of Portsmouth's decline has been self-inflicted.

Avram Grant's team now barely resembles the one that secured victory over Cardiff City at Wembley. Over the weekend, their dismal defending, particularly for Dimitar Berbatov's second-half goal, demonstrated the little hope and energy that remains at this small club.

The six Pompey players who allowed Berbatov to collect the ball, carry it outside the box, and turn onto his favoured right foot before drilling it into the bottom corner would leave many a fan laughing, either out of amazement or despair.

Pompey currently sit at the bottom of the table, seven points from safety. The team's misfortunes seem destined to continue with news that their current owner, Balram Chainrai is looking to sell his stake in the club, with two or three prospective owners waiting in the wings.

This unfortunately happens to teams who spend beyond their means. As Leeds and Newcastle soon found out, spending large amounts on players such as Rio Ferdinand, Seth Johnson, Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, and Alan Shearer may get you to the precipice of glory, but the dream will only be short-lived. In massive player turnover, both clubs saw talented stars such as Harry Kewell and Shay Given walk out of the door.

Portsmouth have since recruited Aruna Dindane, Anthony Vanden Boore, Frederic Piquionne, and Quincy Owusu Abeyie among others, but judging from their performance against United, they will make little impact, and will probably be wearing another team's colours next season once their loan deals have expired.

Portsmouth's relegation worries are rather hinged upon the fact that they cannot defend and they cannot score. This problem plagued Newcastle last season as they plummeted into the Championship.

The sad part of their performance against United was that they had chances where they tested Edwin Van Der Sar, even forcing Johnny Evans into a hasty goal-line clearance. Sadly, this means very little when you are undone by individual defensive errors.

Van Den Boore's own goal, in which Nani's cross nicked off his toe past David James, and Michael Carrick's deflected effort that looped in off of the crossbar, are indicative of a team that is running out of luck. Although United deserved the victory, it couldn't dispel the feeling that Pompey were mightily unfortunate to concede two of United's goals.

These errors, on and off the pitch, will surely continue if Portsmouth are unable to avoid administration and secure long-term ownership for the future. United barely expended any energy in beating Avram Grant's side, so much so that they replaced Rooney and Berbatov after just 66 minutes.

There is hope, however, for the future. If Pompey are to turn things around then matches against free-falling Sunderland, who haven't won in two months, and Burnley await them. Eight of their last 14 are against teams in the bottom half of the league.

These are games that Pompey must win if they are to avoid the fate of Leeds and Newcastle. Relegation into the Championship would surely spell the end of Portsmouth and leave them with a distinct worry that the team may be unable to recover.

Even so, Portsmouth may no longer be able to play at the craps table or put money in the slot machine. The casino bouncers are calling and they want their money, and the only way they can get it is if Pompey produce results. Unfortunately, as it stands, like Leeds and Newcastle before them, Pompey look like they are in for a right good hiding.