Perish the thought, even though they may be sitting pretty in sixth spot after eight games.

Harry Redknapp's side have flattered to deceive so far, even in the wake of the jaw-dropping 7-4 win over Reading.

For it was, at best, an aberration against a side likely to be flirting with relegation come April.

Yes, Pompey may have stolen draws against Manchester United and Liverpool.

But stars like Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney were all absent for their sides in those games.

So it is only a matter of time before the bubble bursts.

Remember what happened last season?

Then, boasting the likes of David James, Sol Campbell, Andy Cole and Nwankwo Kanu, Redknapp's new-look team got off to a flying start.

They were top of the table by mid-September, and had not conceded a single goal.

But a merry Christmas period was followed by a tremendous drop in form.

A good run in April saw them in the mix for a Uefa Cup spot, but they eventually missed out, finishing ninth.

The truth is, it is a long season ahead.

And four of their first-team players are above 30.

In James (37), Campbell (33), Hermann Hreidarsson (33) and Kanu (31), Redknapp has a walking Dad's Army with a combined age of 134.

They might be in fine fettle now, but those golden oldies do not have the stamina to play games week in, week out.

The modern game, especially in the English Premier League, demands more of a player physically.

They have to go through a total of 38 games - and that is not counting Cup commitments.

Strikers are expected to track back to help out in defence, while defenders double up as attackers.

Players towards the end of their careers take longer to recover and will find it tough to give 100 per cent all the time.

And that is where a squad's depth is called into question.

Redknapp does not have the resources capable of mounting a serious challenge for a European slot.

In attack, Benjani Mwaruwari and Kanu's strikes have played a major role in Pompey's charge.

But it would be unrealistic to think that they can shoulder the team's scoring burden through an entire season.

They may have David Nugent but, at 22, he is still raw and unproven.

Despite the inevitable outcome, Pompey's efforts should be applauded.

They have shown a refreshing desire to adopt an open style in this campaign, notching 15 goals and conceding 12.

Great for the fans, not so good for the 60-year-old Redknapp's ageing heart, those 12 goals.

Their swashbuckling style, pouring forward in search of goals despite being 2-0 and 4-2 up against Reading, is refreshing when compared to the more cautious approach of other, better-known sides.

After that 11-goal feast, Redknapp said it reminded him of Real Madrid's 7-3 European Cup final triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960.

He even went so far as to mention Sulley Muntari and Mwaruwari in the same breath as the heroes of that night, Bernabeu legends Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.

Obviously, Redknapp has gotten carried away by a single game.

But bask in the limelight while it lasts, Harry.

Because the good times won't.

limze@sph.com.sg