Pundit View: Mousinho makes Portsmouth statement with selection decision
Nicolas Schmid will be the long-term number one at Portsmouth despite Jordan Archer’s impressive performances, says David Norris.
Schmid returned from the injury he sustained at Cardiff City to regain his place at Hull City [2 November], in between which Archer deputised and impressed.
Will Norris remains out of the squad with a short-term injury, and has had his headspace questioned as rumours circulate of a potential January move, having been dropped for Schmid last month.
“Schmid was brought in to be the number one, it seems, so unless Archer starts winning games single-handedly when he does play, then I don’t think that’ll change,” the former Blues midfielder exclusively told Pompey News.
“Once Mousinho made that decision with Norris and brought Schmid into the side, that was a statement. Pompey are in a situation where they’ve had three ‘keepers with two injuries, one who’s been in and got dropped and we don’t know where he is mentally.
“Again, I expect Schmid to be the long-term first-choice. Mousinho has made the hierarchy clear, I think.”
Portsmouth emerging from goalkeeping issues
Portsmouth are now hoping to have seen the back of the worst of their injury problems this season, with Schmid having now returned and Norris not far away.
Youngster Toby Steward was recalled from a productive non-league loan spell at Tonbridge Angels as Pompey required a substitute goalkeeper in the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on 25 October, with Archer the only experienced option.
Austrian summer signing Schmid suffered blurred vision against Cardiff with saw him withdrawn, but is now fully fit and expected to start the next two games within the week.
In other Portsmouth news, concern for a Blues striker despite an encouraging all-round analysis of the Hull visit.