Portsmouth fans share their instant regrets as former player wows at new club
Portsmouth fell to their second defeat on the bounce after losing 2-1 at Ipswich on Saturday, and some fans are already beginning to worry.
The Blues have plummeted to 17th in the Championship table and now sit just three points above the relegation places.
With a tricky run of fixtures to contend with and a growing injury list, there’s seemingly not a lot of optimism among Portsmouth fans right now.
While Pompey have tightened up in defence, they have been relatively toothless in attack, having notched just five goals in seven Championship games.
Portsmouth fans mourn the loss of Matt Ritchie
Portsmouth recruited a lot of wingers and attacking midfielders in the summer, but the majority of them have misfired so far.
- Adrian Segecic scored twice in his first two games, but has been accused of being too predictable since being shifted to the right wing.
- Florian Bianchini has no goal contributions and was the scapegoat for the embarrassing defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
- Mark Kovsnovszky, Mackenzie Kirk, and Yang Min-Hyeok have also signed, but have barely been given any minutes to make an impact.
It seems that these underwhelming signings have left some Pompey fans yearning for Matt Ritchie, who had his contract terminated this summer.
Ritchie put in an all-action performance for his new club, Reading, on Saturday, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the Fratton Faithful.
Many suggested he would absolutely have started on the right wing for Portsmouth ever since Callum Lang got injured.
Matt Ritchie’s place in the Portsmouth squad was untenable
Even at the age of 35, Ritchie has undeniable talent and remains in fantastic shape. It’s no surprise to see him performing well for Reading in League One.
However, that doesn’t mean he should have remained at Fratton Park.
Ritchie demanded first-team football at Portsmouth, and that’s not something that John Mousinho should be able to promise anyone.
If he had been promised this, it could have harmed the dynamic of the Portsmouth dressing room and made them weaker on the pitch.
There would be no place for Ritchie in Portsmouth’s starting XI when everyone is fit. His wage bill may also have prevented Portsmouth from signing new players.
So, instead of pining for players from the past, Pompey fans would be better advised to put more energy into supporting the new arrivals who are yet to make an impact at Fratton Park.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Portsmouth news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @pompeynews247