Rest Was Best For Blues Stars

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho’s team selection raised many eyebrows at The Hawthorns.

Opinion:

The boss chose to rest 5 key players in an attempt to manage his players’ workloads in a busy January period. Pompey up to and including the trip to The Midlands, have now played 6 league games in the space of 26 days. This averages out at around 1 game every 4 days.

Couple the relentless schedule with the aggressive, intensive pressing style that Portsmouth now adopt, coupled with the fact that with the ball it is a more direct approach, focusing less on retaining possession.

The frustration and disappointment of supporters travelling and giving up hard earned money to watch their team is completely understandable. Supporters want to see the best players out on the pitch, giving you the best chance of winning the game.

However, it is clear that something simply had to give at some point. Mousinho simply could not play his best team in every game through this gruelling schedule.

Regardless of selection, there is no excuse for some of the abysmal defending and individual errors witnessed during the drubbing from The Baggies. It was another capitulation to add to the list for the season alongside Stoke City, Derby County and Bristol City.

Pompey looked naive from the moment the first goal went in, with lessons of the past not being learned, but clearly the psychological scars remain. Mousinho’s men have to improve on the road to give themselves a chance to remain a Championship football club next season. The manner of which the team have surrendered too easily at times is of real concern.

There is no doubt that John Mousinho sets up to and wants to win every game. This is clear from the way his team is always set up, looking to get on the front foot and put teams under pressure with the relentless pressing style.

It’s also plainly evident that this squad does not have the quality in depth required, meaning any changes made effects the quality of the side greatly. We are all hopeful that some of those deficiencies can be addressed between now and the end of this transfer window.

Managers and head coaches are paid to make difficult decisions and they ‘live and die’ by them. The discerning voices and criticism will come through ten-fold should Pompey not get the desired result against Millwall at PO4 on Tuesday night.

John Mousinho was serenaded by the travelling support, even after the selection debate and a 5-1 demolition of his side. The Blues Head Coach is admired and trusted to do what is best for Portsmouth Football Club and rightly so, he has earned it.

The post-Christmas Bristol City fixture, saw selection changes met with similar criticism following a poor result. Pompey returned to Fratton Park days later to issue a thumping of their own to The Swans, bouncing back in some style.

Should we see a similar outcome this week, that debacle witnessed yesterday will be forgotten very quickly and John Mousinho will have the justification for the rest and rotation.