Portsmouth must put awful record vs West Brom behind them to bounce back
Portsmouth head to West Brom for their third Championship game of the season on Saturday.
John Mousinho got off to the perfect start, with Portsmouth sealing a hard-fought 1-0 win over Oxford United in their Championship opener.
However, Portsmouth weren’t quite as prepared for the game against Norwich, with two set-piece goals conceded, leaving them chasing the game and losing 2-1.
In their next game, they head to The Hawthorns to play West Brom on 23 August, which hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for them in the past.
Portsmouth have won just 18 of their 75 games vs West Brom
In the most recent fixture between the Baggies and Portsmouth, West Brom smashed Mousinho’s side 5-1 in the West Midlands.
In the reverse fixture, Portsmouth also failed to use home advantage as they lost 3-0 in the fifth gameweek of last season.
Mousinho will be looking to set the record straight against their opponents on Saturday, but faces an uphill task in doing so.
Pompey’s defeat to Norwich exposed a lot of gaps in their squad and showed that work still needs to be done in the transfer window.
The defence was too weak, as they were outbattled in the air, and the attacker showed no promise until Colby Bishop’s missed penalty, which was awarded with 15 minutes left to play.
Things aren’t going to get any easier, with West Brom sporting a fine record against Portsmouth.
| Games | Portsmouth wins | West Brom wins | Portsmouth goals | West Brom goals |
| 75 | 18 | 43 | 93 | 145 |
The hosts are going into the game in fine form, having won both of their opening games, with a 1-0 victory over Blackburn and a 3-2 win at Wrexham.
Portsmouth will again be exposed vs West Brom
Pompey have shown they still need additions this summer, but are unlikely to get them before they visit the West Midlands.
Having lost Rob Atkinson and Ryley Towler in the summer, their defence is especially frail.
Portsmouth’s attack is also in need of some work, with Bishop unable to take all of the pressure up front.
Mousinho has admitted they could move for a striker on loan from the Premier League in the coming weeks, when players become available.
However, against a strong opponent in West Brom, they will likely struggle, which could hopefully accelerate plans for incomings.
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