Jackett: My Pompey line-up almost decided

The Fratton faithful will tomorrow be introduced to the starting line-up Kenny Jackett believes is equipped for a promotion challenge.
Pompey boss Kenny Jackett Picture: Joe PeplerPompey boss Kenny Jackett Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey boss Kenny Jackett Picture: Joe Pepler

The Blues boss admits he has almost finalised the side which will kick-off the League One campaign against Luton on August 4.

And Pompey fans will witness it themselves during the final pre-season friendly against FC Utrecht (1pm).

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Jackett is still hopeful of bolstering his squad further, including an attacking midfielder and a pacy striker.

Pompey boss Kenny Jackett Picture: Joe PeplerPompey boss Kenny Jackett Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey boss Kenny Jackett Picture: Joe Pepler

Otherwise, the starting XI against the Dutch club will represent his favoured team for the campaign ahead.

The manager said: '˜If you are generally trying to work out somebody's team for next weekend '“ any manager's team for next weekend '“ you'll have a good idea this weekend.

'˜As you go through pre-season you can generally pick up a pattern.

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'˜As a manager, you are working towards the first game, and so you should. You want to get off to a good start in the first period, so the back four need to be playing regularly together, that type of thing,

'˜Then, after that, you have to balance that up with encouraging people and having a look at people for the 10-month period. It's an overlap of the two.

'˜I have got a good idea about the team to face Luton, but we'll see how tomorrow goes and obviously next week's training as well. I would never pick a team eight days off.

'˜It can change, but if you are looking at any team or any manager you will see a big similarity between tomorrow and next Saturday.

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'˜That is unless you are planning on bringing a high number of players in, which we are not. There may be one or two, but that will be it.

'˜Otherwise, there will be a big correlation between tomorrow and next Saturday and so there should '“ the players need to get into that pattern.'

 Pompey's sole pre-season defeat so far arrived in a 3-2 loss at Stevenage.

Now they take on FC Utrecht, who finished fifth in the Eredivisie last season.

Jackett added: '˜They are top-level Dutch opposition.

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'˜You very rarely play against your own standard in pre-season. So you start off maybe with a non-league game or two, like we did, and then a couple of League Two sides and a behind-closed-doors game against a Premier League team (Brighton).

'˜Then finish it at Fratton Park against top-class foreign opposition, which is attractive for our fans and will be a hard game for our players and really stretch us.'