Paul Merson in stitches after what Tim Sherwood’s just said about Portsmouth
Portsmouth have had a promising start to the season under John Mousinho.
Pompey sit eighth in the Championship, having won two and drawn one of their opening four matches of the season.
Portsmouth’s 1-1 draw away to West Brom showed the side’s desire to dig in and fight for every second ball.
With Portsmouth sitting just outside the playoff places, fans will be hoping that the club will be amongst those places come May.
Tim Sherwood shares thoughts on proposed EFL playoff expansion
According to Opta, Portsmouth have a slim chance of getting promoted to the Premier League this season.
However, the number of teams that could be in with a chance of promotion in future seasons could be higher, with the EFL considering a proposal to expand the playoffs down to eighth place.
- The fifth-placed team would play the eighth-placed team, while the sixth and seventh-placed teams would match up against each other
- The teams finishing fifth and sixth would play the home leg second
- The winners of that phase would then face off against third and fourth, with the stage of the playoffs remaining the same
Speaking on Sky News (13 September), Sherwood initially said he was not a fan of the proposal.
However, when told that Portsmouth are currently eighth in the table, he responded: “Well then I’m all for it!”
This prompted some strong laughter from fellow pundit Paul Merson alongside him.
Sherwood spent a year playing for Portsmouth in 2023, where he made 30 appearances for the club.
With Mousinho at the helm, Portsmouth have a manager who can bring them stability and growth in the Championship.
| Games managed | 129 |
| Wins | 57 |
| Draws | 37 |
| Losses | 35 |
| Win percentage | 44.19 |
Portsmouth’s trip to arch-rivals Southampton on Sunday could prove to be a big indication of where this team is at.
Conor Chaplin set to make second debut vs Southampton
Chaplin’s return to Fratton Park is a hugely exciting signing, as he returns to the club he played at between 2014 and 2018.
Chaplin has invaluable Championship experience and even helped Ipswich achieve promotion to the Premier League in 2023/24.
He looks set to start in behind Colby Bishop, whilst Pompey are also boosted with the news that Marlon Pack could be available.
Pack has been out injured since pre-season, and will likely join Andre Dozzell in the heart of midfield.
Portsmouth will also need Josh Murphy and Adrian Segecic to be on top form, as they look to secure a win at St Mary’s for the first time since 2010.
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