David Norris drops ‘realistic’ Portsmouth verdict after what he’s seen this season
David Norris says Portsmouth fans need not be too despondent with the club’s failure to win in their first five matches of the season.
The former Blues midfielder has argued that the early opponents Pompey have faced since returning to the Championship are highly unlikely to be the clubs they will battle in direct competition later this season.
Pompey sit second-bottom of the league table having endured a horror set of opening fixtures, beaten 3-0 by West Brom on Sunday, with a trip to Burnley this weekend making matters no easier.
Norris, speaking exclusively to Pompey News, said: “I’m comfortable with it, I think it’s alright. They’ve had those tough away games where they’ve picked up points against top-six teams.
“If we’re being realistic, these aren’t the games that will define the season. Sunderland and West Brom were bang in form when they played Pompey recently.
“Who knows, they might still be a dark horse. But really, we just want Pompey to stay up. When they start meeting teams likely to be around them later this season, those are the ones people will pay more attention to.”
Portsmouth need not fear after winless start
There have been two primary focuses discussed at length since Portsmouth resumed Championship football after 13 seasons.
The first was how the club would navigate the transfer window, and they have done so by bringing in 14 senior players – some of whom are more acclimatised than others so far at Fratton Park.
Other concerns were, of course, regarding the objective difficulty of the club’s August and September fixtures – branded “brutal” in the regional media – with many fans looking to be content with six points from the opening seven games, a target one win against either Burnley or Sheffield United would achieve.
There have been doubts over some players’ capabilities in the second tier, but the hope is that many will adapt and become better players for these experience, benefitting both themselves and Pompey.
And this is an accurate viewpoint – October’s fixtures see John Mousinho’s side meet Stoke, Oxford, QPR, Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday, a quintet who are all expected to finish a lot closer to Pompey than the last five.
In other Portsmouth news, a call for Abdoulaye Kamara to start at Burnley.
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