Portsmouth in clear need of winger after Paddy Lane development
Portsmouth drew 0-0 with Havant and Waterlooville on Tuesday in a match that won’t live long in anyone’s memory.
Perhaps the only person who will remember this game is Havant striker Ryan Seager, who had a penalty saved by Ben Killip in the 90th minute.
John Mousinho sent out a second-string side filled with reserve players and academy stars, so he won’t be too bothered by the result.
However, a performance by one player may have highlighted a weakness in a key position for Portsmouth.
Paddy Lane was very quiet against non-league opposition
At 24 years old, Paddy Lane was the senior outfield player in the starting line-up for Portsmouth.
Having not featured in a competitive game since January due to injury, Lane will be desperate to make an impression on Mousinho during pre-season.
It has been tough for him so far.
Pompey were running riot against Reading in their previous friendly. They were 4-0 up when Lane replaced Josh Murphy after an hour, and that’s exactly when the game began to fizzle out.
The Northern Irishman was up against opponents from the seventh tier on Tuesday. He was given 62 minutes to make an impact, but barely got the better of his marker.
While fans shouldn’t read too much into pre-season performances, Lane’s cameos are unlikely to have convinced Mousinho that he can do without another winger in this summer’s transfer window.
Portsmouth’s starting wingers are set in stone, but there’s not much in reserve
Josh Murphy was Portsmouth’s player of the season in 2024-25. He looks set to start every league game on the left wing as long as he’s fit.
It seems as if Callum Lang will play on the right wing, now that Matt Ritchie looks destined to leave Fratton Park. Lang played brilliantly on the right against Reading and was used there at times last season.
Lane is capable of playing on the left or right, and he’s probably the first reserve for either of these positions, but beyond him, the Blues look very short in this area.
| Appearances | Minutes Played | Goals | Assists |
| 23 | 1091 | 1 | 1 |
If Pompey are close to signing any wingers, the media hasn’t caught word of it yet. They have barely been linked with anyone who could be a suitable back-up to Murphy or Lang.
This will surely be Mousinho’s main priority between now and the start of the Championship season.
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