EFL make Andre Dozzell announcement after Portsmouth win v Oxford United
Andre Dozzell has progressed well at Portsmouth since joining the Blues last summer, overcoming criticism to become a key part of the side.
John Mousinho has used the former Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers man an increased amount in recent weeks given his upturn in form, having struggled at the start of the campaign with the standard of midfield opponents.
Dozzell scored his first goal in Pompey blue on Saturday (15 February) at Mousinho’s former stomping ground of the Kassam Stadium, the milestone coming against Oxford United in just their second away win of the season.
Dozzell awarded EFL recognition
Dozzell has seen his rise in impact for Portsmouth recognised having been named in the EFL Championship Team of the Week for the recent weekend’s matches.
His goal and superb performance in Oxfordshire have earned him the added acclaim, alongside no less than four players from his former side QPR, who are Pompey’s next opponents at Fratton Park (22 February).
The 25-year-old left Loftus Road as a free agent in the summer before making the move south, and Mousinho’s men have fond memories from October of the ground where they secured their only other win on the road so far this season.
Dozzell will be expected to start against his former employers in front of the Fratton faithful, with Pompey fans believing he should now continue to partner Freddie Potts at the heart of the midfield once the West Ham United loanee is fully fit.
The EFL’s official Championship X account posted (18 February) the full team with WhoScored, which includes Dozzell in a three-man midfield with QPR’s Ilias Chair, and Stoke City’s Lewis Baker.
Portsmouth face QPR challenge next
Portsmouth have risen in form – especially at home – since they last crossed paths with QPR in successful circumstances, but the mood with the West Londoners now is entirely different.
Despite their relatively inconsistent form of late, Marti Cifuentes’ side have moved into mid-table in recent weeks and are currently tied with play-off-chasing Middlesbrough on 44 points, having won, drawn and lost 11 games apiece.
The Hoops’ 4-0 home demolition of Derby County – under the new guidance of John Eustace – helped rubber-stamp a quartet of their players alongside Dozzell in the Championship’s outstanding weekend team.
Pompey are five places and eight points adrift of a QPR side with whom back in October, they occupied the league’s bottom two slots and both looked prime relegation candidates.
Like Portsmouth who kept faith with Mousinho through tough times this term, QPR have done the same with Cifuentes to excellent effect, and their side are now outsiders for the play-offs, such is the regular wide-open nature of the Championship.
It promises to be an unpredictable clash between two very confident bottom-half teams at Fratton this weekend.