John Mousinho to surprise West Brom fans after Portsmouth remarks on John Swift
John Swift is primed to face his former employer as Portsmouth take on West Brom on Saturday.
Swift joined Pompey from West Brom on a free transfer this summer and brings a wealth of Championship experience to Fratton Park.
The midfielder put in an encouraging shift in Portsmouth’s defeat to Norwich City, demonstrating that he is a solid addition.
However, Albion supporters may be surprised when they see where the 30-year-old lines up against them at The Hawthorns.
John Mousinho makes John Swift admission ahead of West Brom
Portsmouth must put their awful record against West Brom behind them if they are to salvage anything from the Black Country.
Mousinho’s side have won just 18 of their 75 games against the Albion, who have started the season superbly.
All eyes will be on Swift as he returns to face his former club, and he will be itching to make an impact.
In Pompey’s opening two matches, the 30-year-old has been utilised as a defensive midfielder, but Mousinho admits this is not his best position.
- Swift joined Pompey as a free agent
- He started both of their opening Championship games in a defensive role
- Made 126 appearances for the Baggies
“I still think his position is probably better as a 10 or as that left-sided eight. It’s just that, at the minute, it’s the way we are managing the squad,” Mousinho said via The News on 21 August.
“But John brings a lot of quality, a lot of calmness, he’s got the ability to break lines with his passing, and you saw in the second half against Norwich that, when he does get going, he starts to dictate the game.
“He can switch the ball very well, keeps the tempo ticking over very nicely, and provides a goal threat as well. There are a lot of good attributes we’ve seen from John over the last few games.”
Read more: Portsmouth sealed John Swift transfer amid ‘huge Championship gap’
What can Portsmouth supporters expect from John Swift against West Brom?
If Swift’s last showing was anything to go by, then the midfielder should be heavily involved in Pompey’s play.
The former Albion man racked up 85 touches on the ball, and much of the play was fed through him.
Swift was also on point with his passing, completing three key passes from the 61 he contributed against Norwich.
However, he could have been more defensively sound, suggesting he is not fully adept at playing in a more guarding role.
The midfielder won just one of his four ground duels, while he lost possession on 16 occasions for the South Coasters.
| John Swift’s statistics vs Norwich | Total |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Touches | 85 |
| Accurate passes | 61/75 (81%) |
| Key passes | 3 |
| Ground duels (won) | 4 (1) |
| Lost possession | 16 |
All in all, it has been an encouraging start for Swift, but he must be on form against his former club this weekend.
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