Mousinho ‘quietly accepts’ Portsmouth problem after Blackburn ‘mystery’
Portsmouth must now concentrate on ensuring their home form can keep them afloat in the Championship, according to Ian Darke.
The TV commentator and Blues fan bemoaned the standard of the officiating in the 3-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers, another loss on the road, as attentions now turn to the visit of Middlesbrough.
Christian Saydee’s double back in August secured a point at the Riverside Stadium back in August, but Pompey must now attempt to overcome the play-off chasing Teessiders at Fratton Park (18 January).
“It’s a mystery to me how the refereeing decisions went at Blackburn,” Darke exclusively told Pompey News.
“Having said that, the performances on the road have been nowhere near what they recently have been at Fratton Park. I think generally speaking they’ve started to become very good at home, scoring plenty of goals.
“That spark is there at Fratton with a manic, high-pressing game, and they’re very hard to play against. The Middlesbrough game is very important because I think Mousinho has quietly accepted survival will hinge on the home form.”
Portsmouth at home v Portsmouth away
Within one glance of the ‘home’ table in the Championship it may look as if Portsmouth’s home form is poor, but the Blues have played just 11 games at Fratton Park this season and taken 16 points.
While that is the third-lowest points return in the division, if Pompey were to hypothetically win the three home games in hand they have on last opponents Blackburn, they would be inside the top six for home records.
Away from home is a major issue, with John Mousinho’s men having taken just seven points from 14 Championship games on the road, conceding 33 goals – the sole win away from Fratton came against QPR on 19 October.
Saydee’s two goals so far this campaign both came in the draw at Saturday’s opponents Boro (24 August), whom they nearly beat if not for a late penalty decision.
In other Portsmouth news, Isaac Hayden reveals who convinced him to sign for Pompey this month.
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