View: Andre Dozzell has point to prove to John Mousinho after Portsmouth switch
Andre Dozzell will have a point to prove with Portsmouth in the Championship this coming season.
John Mousinho’s side are a matter of days away from making their long-awaited return to the Championship.
They kick things off with a trip to Elland Road to take on Leeds United on Saturday (10 August).
Portsmouth stormed to the League One title last season but are unlikely to find things as straightforward this season in England’s second tier.
If the Blues want to remain competitive, they need to add quality and experience to their squad, and through the signing of Dozzell, they have added the latter at the very least.
Pompey confirmed the surprise arrival of the 25-year-old via the club’s official website on Monday (5 August).
Dozzell has signed a one-year deal at Fratton Park, which includes an option for a further 12 months, following the expiry of his contract with Queen’s Park Rangers.
And the midfielder will feel as though he has a point to prove this season. Dozzell has a wealth of experience in the Championship, and that will no doubt come in handy for Mousinho.
He has played 126 times in the competition and spent most of his career at that level.
However, after a difficult season last time out, Dozzell will be desperate to demonstrate his quality at Fratton Park and rebuild his career with Portsmouth.
Dozzell spent the first half of last season with QPR before he was sent on loan to Birmingham City, where he managed just ten appearances.
Andre Dozzell must prove his worth to Portsmouth
As per fbref, the Englishman ranked in the 36th percentile of his positional peers for the number of passes he completed in the Championship last season (30.70 per 90) and could only reach as high as the 57th percentile for his pass completion rate (80.4 per cent per 90).
Dozzell struggled significantly in possession too, ranking in the bottom 11 per cent of Championship midfielders for the number of take-ons he attempted (0.55 per 90), as well as the bottom 13 per cent for the number of take-ons which he managed to complete (0.28 per 90) during the 2023/24 campaign.
If Mousinho wants to continue dominating matches and blowing teams away just as his side did in League One last season, he will need Dozzell to demonstrate much more quality on the ball.
The midfielder struggles going forward, ranking in the ninth percentile for the number of progressive carries he made (0.35 per 90) and the 14th percentile for the number of carries he made into the final third (0.55 per 90).
In addition, he ranked in just the 62nd percentile for the number of times he found the back of the net last season (0.10 per 90) and just the 23rd percentile for the number of assists he provided (0.03 per 90).
His experience might prove useful, but if Dozzell is going to make an impact and earn an extra year at Portsmouth, then he will need to showcase much more quality this season than he did last.
In other Portsmouth news, the club have been outmuscled financially after a transfer update.
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