Portsmouth will definitely stay up if Conor Shaughnessy stays fit
Portsmouth will witness a revamped defensive structure if Conor Shaughnessy can stay fit for the rest of the season upon his return.
The Irishman – who has not played since August after winning last year’s Player of the Season award – is nearing a comeback to full training, though will not be considered to play until February (The News, 9 January).
John Mousinho has been tearing his hair out attempting to find the strongest central defensive combination at his disposal, with Pompey regularly following up encouraging clean sheets with catastrophic defensive displays, usually on the road.
Shaughnessy brings an imposing calmness to the Blues’ backline, and can earn an extra few points by himself should he once again become a mainstay in the starting XI at Fratton Park.
Shaughnessy return cannot come quickly enough for Portsmouth
The mysterious nature of Shaughnessy’s injury woes throughout the season so far has plagued Mousinho and Portsmouth fans alike.
The 28-year-old was initially set back by a calf injury in late August, but several attempted returns to action were pulled away at the 11th hour.
Shaughnessy has, as a result, missed five months of key Championship action while Pompey have defensively struggled, having injured his second calf as he was about to recover from the initial setback.
Despite his limited experience in the second tier, Shaughnessy possesses a supreme comfort at the back that while he is not the perfect article, is an improvement on what the Blues currently have available.
As it stands, Portsmouth are doing just, just enough – with Shaughnessy’s approaching return, they will become a massively improved side to remain in the league.
In other Portsmouth news, Harry Clout makes his mark with his first-team debut for the Blues.
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