Portsmouth boss: Time to right attacking issues

And Kenny Jackett is the first to admit the quality of Pompey’s attacking play has disappointed in the past two games.

Which is why the Blues boss is valuing the chance to put the back-to-back defeats to bed against Peterborough in the Checkatrade Trophy.

The reverses against Oxford and Blackpool have seen consecutive losses arrive for the first time this term. Jackett admitted his team come up short in their work on the front foot on both occasions.

That's what needs to be remedied in the next two games at Fratton Park, with QPR to follow in the FA Cup on Saturday. 

Jackett said: ‘We haven’t been constructive enough.

‘Our usual pattern s are to play around and behind people to create clear-cut chances.

‘That hasn’t been the case and the chances have been minimal in the past two games. That’s the evolution of the team and where we need to improve.

‘We hope so (it’s a chance to stop the run).  Results are a big thing but performances create results.

‘We want to try this week to get back to winning ways and there are good chances this week for us to do that.’

The Checkatrade Trophy has come in for plenty of criticism with Pompey chief executive, Mark Catlin, among its most vocal critics.

But it’s not a stance echoed by Jackett, who can see the benefit it offers to young players in top-flight academies.

There is also the fact Pompey are now just two games from Wembley, which is an obvious attraction to the young players who have been involved in getting their team to the quarter-final stage. 

Jackett added: ‘I do think the principle of the big academy sides getting exposure of senior football for their players, in that respect, it’s a good competition.

‘Speaking to the people who work there they say the competition comes too many times when their players are away on internationals.

‘Then they can’t field the players they want to play.

‘Even so, I do think it’s a decent principle for the the top clubs. They can field young teams and they can go to league grounds and play league players.

‘Also for managers in League One and League Two it’s an opportunity to get to Wembley and a good chance.

‘It’s a good carrot and we’ve had several games now, so it would be nice to progress.’

           - JORDAN CROSS