Guy Whittingham reveals why it could be a ‘tough season’ for Portsmouth after Ipswich defeat
Portsmouth fell to a second defeat on the bounce on Saturday after losing 2-1 against Ipswich.
The defeat sent Pompey plummeting down the Championship table into 17th place, and they now sit just three points above the relegation places.
Portsmouth’s players struggled to compete against Ipswich, who were good value for their two-goal lead at half-time at Portman Road.
Pompey did better in the second half. Marlon Pack helped Portsmouth gain an edge in midfield after being introduced as a substitute. However, it was too little too late for the Blues.
The defeat puts a lot of pressure on John Mousinho’s side to secure a positive result against Watford on Wednesday at Fratton Park.
Guy Whittingham suggests it could be a ‘tough season’ ahead for Portsmouth
Portsmouth were without several key players against Ipswich.
Josh Murphy was rated 50/50 to be fit for the match, but it ultimately came too quickly for him. Meanwhile, Callum Lang, Nicolas Schmid and Conor Shaughnessy will all remain unavailable for a couple of months.
Covering the game for BBC Radio Solent, former Portsmouth striker Guy Whittingham suggested the Blues haven’t shown the strength in depth needed to pick up results despite these injuries.
He said: “Suddenly, you’re looking at it and thinking: ‘Where are these replacements coming from to give us a bit of an edge?
“When we come away to teams like Ipswich here, you know chances are going to be few and far between, and you need those people that create opportunities and finish those opportunities to be available for you, or obviously at the other end, to make some decent saves.
“We’ve got used to Schmid doing that, and his distribution. So, yeah, at the moment, it’s looking (like) it could be a tough season again.”
- Read more: John Mousinho confirms another knock after Ipswich defeat as Portsmouth’s injury crisis worsens
Portsmouth’s squad players need to step up and show their worth in tricky October fixtures
Mousinho and his recruitment team knew that strength in depth was an issue this summer.
That’s why Portsmouth brought in 11 new players during the summer transfer window, including four in the final 24 hours.
They spent big money on some of these players as well, at least in comparison to previous transfer windows at Fratton Park. It’s believed that Luke Le Roux, Mark Kosznovszky and Josh Knight each cost around £1million.
These players now have an opportunity to make a name for themselves at Fratton Park. So do the loan signings who couldn’t get a game at their parent clubs. It’s time for them to step up and show what they can do.
| Date | Opponent |
| 1 October | Watford (H) |
| 4 October | Middlesbrough (H) |
| 18 October | Leicester (A) |
| 21 October | Coventry (H) |
| 25 October | Stoke (H) |
Portsmouth have a tricky set of fixtures to contend with in October. This will provide Pompey’s new signings with a platform to show what they can do against some of the best teams in the Championship.
Mousinho and the Pompey fans will be hoping they can make the most of it.
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