Ian Darke shares what he's heard as Mousinho to shake up Portsmouth defence

Portsmouth have endured a defensive merry-go-round this season with the players available to John Mousinho each week.

The Blues have headed comfortably into double figures for defensive partnerships this season, with a carousel of players either available or not.

Conor Shaughnessy has been the mainstay in the side to lose out on months of football with his two calf injuries, and after returning for a number of weeks, was then struck down by a hamstring problem against Cardiff City on Tuesday night (11 February).

Darke backs Matthews to step in for Pompey

Portsmouth should make the most of their new Australian prospect Hayden Matthews and throw him in while Shaughnessy is out, according to Ian Darke.

The TV commentator and Blues fan, speaking exclusively to Pompey News, believes while Shaughnessy's unconfirmed timeframe of absence is difficult to deal with, Matthews has shown enough to justify a place.

Regan Poole could also be in contention for Saturday's trip to Oxford United (15 February), though Mousinho will be careful with how much he uses the former Manchester United man as he has just come back to full training.

"Shaughnessy's out again now, isn't he, so they'll have to shake up the defence yet again," Darke said.

"From what I'm hearing, Poole might not be ready to return for the weekend, so Matthews will likely come in as a starter.

"I think he has done alright when he's played, and he's starting to understand the barometer of pressure in the new world of football where he is."

Portsmouth looking for second away win

Now in mid-February and with Portsmouth having played 32 league games, they will be seething at the fact they have only won once on their travels this season.

That victory came four months back against Queens Park Rangers (19 October), which came before any of their seven wins at Fratton Park since.

The injuries certainly haven't been ideal but the past few months have witnessed a huge rise in form on home soil, while faltering away either by poor luck or poor judgement.

Mousinho will be drilling into his team that Saturday's trip to his old stomping ground provides a huge opportunity to get the monkey off their backs, even despite the latest fitness concerns.

Pompey have a chance to prove a point at the weekend, and can eventually begin to look up the table towards that sweet, unglamorous mediocrity of halfway down the league which is exactly what we could all do with this season.