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Portsmouth thoughts

One of things that Mark Hughes will be so pleased with about our start is the manner in which we are winning games.

Most predicted that the make up our side would see us become an attacking jugernaut, dominating sides with our attacking prowess, but equally being exposed and vulnerable in defense.

There is as much pleasure to be gained in being able to carve out professional 1-0 victories away from home as there is to a free flowing 4-0 win. The evidence of the season so far suggests there is a steelier resolve than previous sides, and almost 'un-City' like in being able to string continuous and consistent performances of this nature together. Given the attacking threat we carry, we are also going to destroy a side sooner rather than later.

Clearly plenty of work is done during the week in terms of preparation and tactical approach and the players are responding to the message that is being handed out. The victories that we have seen this season appear to have been a reflection of that.

Again it was impressive that the goal came from a set piece - an area that for so long we have been utterly impotent from. A familiar lament from 2008/09 was the lack of presence in attack, remedied with the players added in the summer and this was again evident yesterday. Suddenly we are carrying a threat from set pieces, an important part of the game that we have rarely capitalised on.

Adebayor has been hugely impressive, being a huge focal point as an outlet for the side, able to keep possession and bring players into the game. Not to mention a genuine goal threat who should add 20 plus goals with ease this season.

The work that Gareth Barry is doing is perhaps unheralded on a wider scale, but his contribution is growing by the game. Watching him at closer quarters this season has shown him to be a far better player and influence on a game than he looked from afar at Aston Villa. Yesterday, he was again an instrumental figure in a midfield that was harried and harrassed by their Portsmouth counterparts.

An impressive start continues then as we go into a break before the next fixture. Whilst the side deserve plenty of praise for their performance, particularly so given the changes in personnel over the summer we have not faced the stiffest of tests so far.

When we return to action we have a pair of fixtures (Arsenal at home, followed by United away) which will certainly provide a sterner test of what this team has.