James bounces back to save Pompey's day

When David James read the back pages on Thursday he could have been excused for climbing back into bed with the duvet pulled over his head.

Instead, having grabbed just a few hours' sleep after returning from Paris and haunted by the 'Calamity' headlines, the England keeper drove to the training ground and put in two-and-a-half hours.

His manager Harry Redknapp never ceases to be amazed at the enthusiasm and industry of his veteran keeper.

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He said: "He just loves it. He's a perfectionist and what happened on Thursday was typical. He was fantastic today. His attention to detail makes him what he is.

"He gets the hump if we concede a goal from a set play or we haven't organised it during the week."

With Sol Campbell having a rare off day, it was imperative James was at his best to cope with a Wigan side whose direct style created problems for Portsmouth.

The man himself was not about to dwell over his midweek aberration.

He said: "When you're playing international football you get in a position where you're well and truly above the parapet, so if it doesn't go right it gives people the opportunity to say what they feel. If it goes right then sometimes how well you have done gets exaggerated. It sounds quite funny because in this game I saved a penalty that helped us win.

"So if I had to choose which penalty to save I'd have kept this one. It sounds like 'Deal or No Deal' — do you want this one or that one?

"It was frustrating on Wednesday because France are one of the best sides in the world but, at the same time, they didn't batter us and there were some positives.

"When you lose, the positives get left behind. But that's life. I never think I shouldn't be playing for England because of any stick. Playing well for Portsmouth puts me in a position where I would like to think I can play well for England."

It was certainly an eye-opener for Chris Kirkland, one of the pretenders to the goalkeeping position, who saw James deny Wigan with a string of wonderful saves, including one from a Ryan Taylor penalty.

The Wigan keeper said: "David was brilliant. He got some stick in midweek that was harsh.

"It is unfortunate people always want to shoot you down but he has responded in great style against us. He knows how to handle it."

Wigan finished the game with five strikers on the pitch but it was not enough to negate Portsmouth linchpin Jermain Defoe, whose double lifted his total to eight goals in his seven games.