Portsmouth urged to sign ‘cocky’ striker as Colby Bishop claim made
Portsmouth are still hunting for new signings despite their promising start to the season.
The Blues kicked off their Championship campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Oxford, but manager John Mousinho insists there’s still room for a couple of new faces in his squad.
Mousinho was believed to be targeting Birmingham defender Krystian Bielik, but he now looks set to join West Bromwich Albion.
The Pompey boss has also spoken of signing a forward to challenge Colby Bishop and Thomas Waddingham.
This article includes exclusive comment from Premier League commentator Ian Darke
Premier League commentator offers solution to Portsmouth’s striker problem
Many fans and pundits have insisted that Portsmouth are still short of cover up front, with Bishop and Waddingham the only recognised first-team strikers.
Mousinho has admitted it has been tough to fill this position because any striker of note will not want to play second fiddle to Bishop.
Iconic Premier League commentator and Portsmouth fan Ian Darke isn’t surprised that Mousinho is facing this headache.
Speaking exclusively to Pompey News, he offered the Pompey boss a suggestion to fill this gap in the squad.
He said: “At the moment, the cover for Colby Bishop is another Australian lad called Waddingham, but he’s only going to play when Bishop isn’t fit.
“It wouldn’t be unique to Portsmouth, that problem. I think you have to sign an up-and-coming lad, probably from a division below, who’s all ambition and is cocky enough to think ‘I’ll show them on the training ground and force my way in.’ That’s the attitude you have to have.
“Or an older striker who’s got a few goals around the leagues, getting a little bit longer in the tooth, can still do a job and he’s quite happy to be a squad player.”
Portsmouth will be reliant on Bishop no matter who Mousinho signs
Portsmouth were struggling to get to grips with the Championship at the start of last season when Bishop was recovering from heart surgery.
Their form turned as soon as their talismanic striker returned to the team, and that’s no coincidence.
The former Accrington Stanley man scored 11 times last season, but he brings so much more than goals to the team.
He runs his socks off, hassles defenders and generally makes a menace of himself every time he pulls on a Pompey shirt.
| Colby Bishop Portsmouth statistics | |
| Signed | July 2022 |
| Appearances | 133 |
| Goals | 56 |
Portsmouth will not sign a striker capable of ousting him from the team because they don’t have the money to buy someone with that pedigree.
There are veteran strikers like Jamie Vardy or Michail Antonio available on a free transfer, but Pompey would have to break their wage structure to attract a player like that to Fratton Park.
If Mousinho can’t find a cocky striker from the lower leagues, perhaps he can arrange a loan for a youngster from the Premier League.
Any young forward who comes in would learn so much just from training alongside Bishop every day.
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