How Portsmouth plan to rebuild John Marquis' confidence after barren goal run

And Joe Gallen explained how getting the striker to focus on his positioning could be key to getting him back on the goal trail.

Marquis found himself taken out of the starting XI for Tuesday’s 1-0 win at in-form Oxford United after a run of one goal in eight games.

The Blues’ top scorer and the rest of his team’s attacking options have also been struggling to produce a run of goals amid their side’s recent inconsistent form.

Gallen told how the coaching staff were planning to remind Marquis and the squad of the moments of attacking quality they’ve produced this term.

And he feels the man who Pompey are hoping will yet fire them to promotion will benefit from that.

Gallen said: ‘John is the type of striker who can hit form. He’ll know himself.

‘He’s scored enough goals in his career, well over a 100.

‘He’ll know himself there’s times where it’s not quite going for you.

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‘Then there’s times when everything goes for you. He’ll know that better than me.

‘Even John will need that confidence.

‘We’ll be talking with John and working with him this week and all the players in order to boost their confidence.

‘We’ll show them some goals and we’ll show them some of their good bits.

‘We’ll talk about it but also have an accurate assessment of how it as well.

‘We have to be accurate and assess why it hasn’t been happening.

‘But we’ve got good lads who will be champing at the bit to get it back.’

Gallen believes one simple adjustment which could help Marquis to get back on the goal trail on his return to the team.

The 28-year-old is known for his work rate and willingness to out in a shift for his team, but Jackett feels looking at taking up better goalscoring positions could be a benefit to his game.

Gallen added: ‘The key to everything as a goalscorer is to get between the sticks. It’s one-touch finishing between the sticks.That’s where the goals are.

‘We need to have a look at that. We need to make sure we have enough players between the sticks at the appropriate times.

‘We have to make sure there’s enough people coming in the box and there’s enough runners in there. It’s something we need to look at, actually.

‘The supply lines are there and we have to find that finish.

‘John is more than capable than any player we have of finishing and taking chances.

‘We need more players in that area, we need to work at that and show them that.

‘We need to get in that goalscoring are more in order to make the most of the chances.’

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