John Mousinho shares ‘aggressive’ Portsmouth claim for clash v Blackburn
Portsmouth return to Championship action on Saturday afternoon when they host Blackburn in their first game since the international break.
John Mousinho’s men are still vying to retain their second-tier status and are just four points clear of the relegation zone heading into the weekend.
Pompey supporters would have been extremely confident that their side could beat the drop when they defeated league leaders Leeds on Sunday 9 March.
But Portsmouth have been dragged back into the relegation battle thanks to consecutive losses to Plymouth and Preston.
Mousinho tells Portsmouth to be ‘aggressive’ ahead of Blackburn clash
Ahead of Pompey’s Championship meeting with Blackburn, Mousinho told The News: “We want to press sides and press sides high up the pitch.
“We want to be aggressive.”
| Opponent | Result |
| Cardiff | 2-1 W |
| QPR | 2-1 W |
| Leeds | 1-0 W |
| Plymouth | 1-2 L |
Portsmouth will be hoping for a significantly better outcome against Blackburn this time around, after being beaten 3-0 at Ewood Park in the reverse fixture.
A strong press will be key for Portsmouth v Blackburn
If Pompey’s players are intent on getting back to winning ways by defeating Blackburn on Saturday, they must take on the advice handed to them by Mousinho ahead of the game.
Blackburn are in extremely poor form, having lost four of their last five games, and are still yet to win since Valerien Ismael became their new manager last month.
Therefore, if Portsmouth are aggressive in their press, as suggested by Mousinho, then it could be enough to get the better of a Rovers side who are low on confidence and seeing their play-off chances swiftly fade away.
Before their defeat to Plymouth on 12 March, Pompey had won three games in a row at Fratton Park, while playing on the front foot proved key to those victories.
Mousinho’s men have often been aggressive off the ball in their home games this term, and their Fratton Park form is perhaps the factor which will keep them in the Championship.