Andy Awford shares ‘big decision’ Portsmouth boss John Mousinho faces vs Middlesbrough
John Mousinho saw a reaction from his team after making changes to his Portsmouth lineup against Watford.
Portsmouth drew 2-2 with Watford on Wednesday and might feel aggrieved not to have won the game, having dominated possession and created more chances to score.
Yang Min-hyeok opened the scoring in the first half, with Portsmouth taking a deserved 1-0 lead at the break.
However, two Watford goals early in the second half swung the game in the visitors’ favour before substitute Adrian Segecic fired a late equaliser.
It was Portsmouth pushing for a winner in the final stages of the game, but they were made to settle for a draw that leaves both sides within touching distance of the bottom three.
Adrian Segecic performance leaves John Mousinho with decision to make
Mousinho brought Segecic to replace Conor Chaplin after 63 minutes as Portsmouth sought an equaliser.
The substitution looked like a no-brainer, as Chaplin had struggled to make an impact, while Segecic already had two league goals to his name this season.
And 13 minutes later, the Australian fired a trademark left-footed strike into the bottom corner of the net to level the match.
Speaking to Pompey+ after the game, former Blues defender Andy Awford suggested that Segecic’s performance will give Mousinho a lot to stew over.
He said: “He’s a wonderful player, but it didn’t happen for Conor tonight. It hasn’t happened for him since he’s come back yet, and he’s got to improve and he’ll know that, and he’ll be the first to admit that.
“But Segecic has. I think he’s made an impact since he’s come in in the summer, and he’s probably saying to John tonight ‘I should be on the teamsheet on Saturday’, and he’s got a big decision to make now, John Mousinho, at the weekend.”
- Read more: Portsmouth boss John Mousinho told he’s failed to replace two key stars amid recent struggles
Conor Chaplin has been out of sorts since returning to Portsmouth
It’s difficult to see how Mousinho could justify starting Chaplin against Middlesbrough at the weekend.
Portsmouth fans were delighted to hear that Chaplin signed a loan deal at Fratton Park on transfer deadline day, keeping him at Fratton Park for the rest of the season.
However, the sad truth is: he’s hardly been involved in any of Pompey’s good attacking play in the three games he’s started.
| Conor Chaplin 2024-25 statistics (for Ipswich and Portsmouth) | |
| Appearances | 8 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
Perhaps he’s struggled to adapt to Mousinho’s style of play or his new teammates. Either way, Yang and Segecic surely can’t be dropped after their performance against Watford, while Josh Murphy will be pushing for a return from his ankle injury.
That will surely mean that Chaplin can only settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench in the next game.
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