Matt Ritchie axed by John Mousinho – Portsmouth predicted XI v Millwall
John Mousinho needs his Portsmouth side to build on their victory against Blackburn Rovers as they prepare to take on Millwall.
Portsmouth returned from the international break with a victory against Blackburn on Saturday (5 April), with Josh Murphy scoring the only goal of the game.
Mousinho’s side are just five points above the relegation zone, meaning any point is crucial at this stage to create space between themselves and League One.
Mousinho to continue with defensive change
Although it was a scrappy victory against a struggling Blackburn side on Saturday, Mousinho won’t be keen on rocking the boat too much as they look to build on their victory.
Nicolas Schmid recorded a seventh clean sheet of the season at Fratton Park and will be looking to build upon that at The Den.
A back four of Zak Swanson, Regan Poole, Connor Ogilvie and Cohen Bramall could also remain in place.
Although Alexander Milosevic will be waiting for his Pompey debut, this defensive set-up is working for Mousinho as it stands.
Ogilvie was moved out of his natural left-back position to fill in at centre-back and has earned plenty of plaudits for his performances showing what he is made of.
Andre Dozzell and Freddie Potts are expected to carry on as a midfield pairing having held the positions for most of the season so far.
Although Potts has signed a new contract with his parent club West Ham, the midfielder has mooted that he could have a future on the South Coast.
Matt Ritchie axed against Millwall
Although Matt Ritchie has made 33 Championship appearances for Portsmouth this season, the 35-year-old did not have his best performance against Blackburn and, therefore, could be swapped out against Millwall.
| Ritchie v Blackburn | |
| Touches in opposition box | 0 |
| Accurate crosses | 0% |
| Accurate long balls | 25% |
| Tackles won | 50% |
| Ground duels won | 67% |
| Ariel duels won | 0% |
The winger was substituted after 67 minutes of the game, having had no touches in the opposition box. Ritchie also failed to offer any decent service, with no accurate crosses, and his defensive duties were not at his best either.
Therefore, to take on Millwall, Mousinho may opt to bring Terry Devlin into the team.
Devlin has been played in most positions on the pitch this season, but after his recent success on the international stage, this could be an opportunity for him to show what he can do from the start.
Adil Aouchiche put in a good performance against Blackburn and is expected to retain a place alongside Murphy, who got all the headlines for his winning goal.
The 30-year-old has had an excellent debut season at Fratton Park and, after a brilliant goal last weekend, could look to add to the 17 goal contributions he has already registered this term.
Colby Bishop is expected to retain his position at the top of the pitch too, as he looks to add to his tally for the season so far, with Kusini Yengi potentially back in the squad to come off the bench.