John Mousinho must avoid this one crucial mistake when Portsmouth team news drops vs Norwich
Portsmouth welcome Norwich City to Fratton Park in their first home game of the new Championship season.
The Blues got their league campaign off to a great start by winning 1-0 at Oxford, and they’ll be looking to build on that.
John Mousinho rested most of his top stars during the Carabao Cup defeat against Reading, so they should be fresh for this game.
Indeed, the Portsmouth manager has no new injury concerns for this match.
Mousinho must avoid changing midfield after Luke Le Roux admission
Luke Le Roux, the new signing from IFK Varnamo, was arguably Portsmouth’s best player against Reading on Tuesday.
The South African international kept the ball well and was involved in most of the best attacking play.
However, in an interview with The News, he admitted that his fitness levels are still short of the required levels because he was not playing for his old club while Portsmouth negotiated his transfer
He said: “I realised before the Reading match that my last game was four-and-a-half weeks ago.
“I came in two weeks ago and the training has been really good training. I’m getting there, but I’m not where I’d like to be yet.”
Mousinho will be made aware of his squad’s fitness levels after the midweek game.
Although he may be tempted to use Le Roux from the start after his promising debut, with many fans calling for his inclusion, he may prove more valuable as an impact player from the bench.
Portsmouth must outwork opposition at Fratton Park to maintain impressive home form
Pompey’s home form was key to them remaining in the Championship last year.
The Blues picked up 11 wins and seven draws from their 23 games at Fratton Park in the last campaign, giving them the eighth-highest home points total in the division.
However, Mousinho has been keen to hammer home the importance of avoiding complacency.
The Pompey boss will still demand his side to perform the basics as well as anyone else in the division.
That means:
- Outrunning their opponents.
- Fighting for every loose ball
- Winning individual battles.
Portsmouth cannot afford to start even one player who isn’t fully match-fit, and Mousinho will know that
Andre Dozzell and John Swift bossed the midfield for most of the game against Oxford, and the Pompey boss should have no qualms about those starting against Norwich on Saturday.
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