Portsmouth predicted XI vs West Brom – Florian Bianchini gets his big chance to shine
Portsmouth travel to West Brom on Saturday for a tough away match in the Championship.
John Mousinho’s men will be looking to recover from their 2-1 defeat to Norwich by getting a positive result at The Hawthorns.
Portsmouth lost 5-1 to West Brom in the corresponding fixture last season, in what was widely agreed to be their worst performance of the season.
They’ll be without Callum Lang for this fixture following the hamstring injury he suffered against Norwich.
Florian Bianchini will get chance to shine while Callum Lang is injured
Lang is expected to be out for up to eight weeks while he recovers from his injury, so there’s no chance he’ll be involved against West Brom.
That means Florian Bianchini will get the opportunity to start on the right wing for Portsmouth.
Bianchini has looked bright in his previous appearances, and he won the penalty that threatened to get Pompey back in the game against Norwich.
The Italian will be looking to make a positive impact at The Hawthorns to seal his place in the starting XI while Lang is missing.
The rest of Mousinho’s team is expected to remain unchanged, despite their slow start against Norwich last week.
Portsmouth are closing in on a deal for Hannover 96 defender Josh Knight, but it’s unlikely a transfer will be completed before Saturday.
Portsmouth predicted XI: Schmid, Williams, Poole, Shaughnessy, Ogilvie, Swift, Dozzell, Bianchini, Segecic, Murphy, Bishop.
Luke Le Roux and Mark Kosznovszky could get chance from bench
The central-midfield pairing of Andre Dozzell and John Swift has proven to be industrious if unspectacular so far this season.
Their no-nonsense tough-tackling attitude will be prioritised by John Mousinho against West Brom.
The Baggies have won both of their Championship games and have looked more than accomplished on the ball.
In Isaac Price, they have one of the most talented playmakers in the division. Mousinho will be keen to ensure he isn’t given time and space in the centre of the park.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 3 | 3 | 1 |
However, if Pompey go behind, the manager may turn to the likes of Luke Le Roux and Mark Kosznovszky to get his team back in the game.
Le Roux and Kosznovszky are considered more dynamic players with more natural ability on the ball. They’re likely the future of Pompey’s midfield when you consider the money that has been spent on them.
They haven’t yet been given a run-out in the Championship for Pompey. It’ll be interesting to see what they can do if given a chance here.
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