Hart reads nothing into early form

10 September 2009 17:05
The teams clash at Fratton Park on Saturday afternoon searching for their first points of the season. Pompey's start to the campaign has been severely hampered by Sulaiman Al-Fahim's protracted takeover of the club, while the likes of Sylvain Distin and Niko Kranjcar left in the closing days of the transfer window. But with his team just four games into their Premier League season, Hart believes talk of relegation is somewhat premature. And despite Portsmouth and Bolton propping up the table, he is not placing any extra significance on Saturday's game. Hart said: "Wherever we were and whether we have 12 points, nine points or no points, Bolton will always be an extremely tough game. "Where we are in the league makes no difference and you can't say whether relegation is upon us or not five games in. "Three points is what we are after and whether it's Bolton or Man United, we'd still be looking for a win in this situation. "I'd rather concentrate on our position than Bolton's, and the onus is on us to go out and grab three points." Hart is currently the bookmakers' favourite to be the next Premier League manager to lose his job. But the former Nottingham Forest boss has no worries about the odds being stacked against him. He said: "I've been there before. I wasn't aware I was the bookmakers' favourite, but that's because I don't gamble." Hart knows his side have to make the most of their home games if they are to climb the league ladder. They have lost both of their opening matches at Fratton Park 1-0, to Fulham and Manchester City. A lack of cutting edge up front has cost Pompey dearly this term and Hart is keen to see his side start converting their chances. But with the likes of Tommy Smith, Danny Webber, Kevin Prince-Boateng and Aruna Dindane recruited in the closing stages of the summer transfer window, the Pompey boss hopes the goals will come. He said: "We have a number of forwards and attack-minded midfielders. "We've just got to try and get that blend, and work it into a system that works for us. "We had 15 chances against Fulham and we should have at least drawn with Man City. We had a number of opportunities against them and I don't think we have been short of creating chances. "It's just tucking them away which has been the major issue. "Sometimes you only get one chance, particularly away from home. The Italians build their whole system upon that." Hart completed the signing of free agent Webber on a two-year deal on Thursday morning. The 27-year-old has been training with Manchester United since being released by Sheffield United over the summer. Hart admits he has been a long-time follower of the forward and hopes he will reach his full potential at Fratton Park. He said: "Danny is a player I tried to sign at Nottingham Forest five years ago. "I have watched him over the last few years and for me, he's one of the best on-the-shoulder players around. "He was certainly one of the best in the Championship and now he has the chance to prove he can do it here in the Premiership. I'm happy to give him his opportunity." Portsmouth 13/8, Bolton 7/4, Draw 11/5  

Source: Team_Talk