Dan Bardell predicts how Portsmouth season will pan out after summer transfer business concludes
Dan Bardell believes Portsmouth will enjoy a stable season and satisfy the club’s supporters.
Pompey still await their first win since returning to the Championship after a 12-year hiatus, and suffered defeat at the weekend by league leaders Sunderland in a difficult start thrown up by the fixture computer.
Sports broadcaster Bardell, speaking exclusively to Pompey News, believes the Blues will still manage to establish themselves following 14 new signings and maintaining the core promotion group under John Mousinho.
“Portsmouth have managed to keep many of the promotion squad together, and they’ve kept some positivity spinning from the summer signings,” he said.
“They’ve done enough business to keep their heads above water and have some stability, which is what the fans want.
“I do think that whilst they won’t do an Ipswich and challenge for the Premier League, they’re still in a good place.”
Portsmouth navigate early stages of Championship season
Portsmouth have had a baptism of fire in terms of early fixtures after returning to the second tier.
Title favourites Leeds United and table-toppers Sunderland sandwiching promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough and Luton – that’s a tough month for any club at that level, let alone one in the midst of transfer business and new to the league.
West Brom are up next after the international break at Fratton Park – a club who themselves remain unbeaten, just in behind a Sunderland side who handed them their maiden loss of the campaign after three straight draws.
The team will have sole focus on the league until entering the FA Cup third round stage in January, having been eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Millwall with a rotated side among their large squad.
The Papa John’s Trophy is no longer on the agenda following promotion, which does unfortunately deny some of the Blues’ fringe players and youngsters a chance to shine.
In other Portsmouth news, Abdoulaye Kamara impresses on his debut.
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