A low-key Portsmouth beginning for much-hyped Chelsea starlet - but patience can pay dividends

Partly by necessity, partly by design, nonetheless Tino Anjorin has still to reach the lofty levels expected of him before a ball had been kicked.

Since arriving on the penultimate day of the transfer window, the Chelsea talent has totalled 151 minutes of first-team football, consisting of five appearances.

Clearly the Fratton faithful have still to see the best of their 14th and final signing of a busy summer overseen by sporting director Rich Hughes.

Yet, crucially, Pompey can afford to be patient, with positive results and League One’s top spot ensuring they’re presently in no hurry to usher Anjorin onto the pitch.

This is a season not yet in need of rescuing, certainly no reason to break the glass in case of emergency. Stand down, a saviour isn’t required.

As a consequence, the 22-year-old has been afforded time to ease his way into proceedings, slowly adjusting to the training regime and new surroundings.

Following an injury-wrecked start to his fledgling career, including a disrupted pre-season in which he barely featured for Chelsea at any level, it represents the ideal scenario for the attacking midfielder.

Just as long as the player himself and his parent club do not soon tire of lack of match minutes at a League One club.

After all, as is customary with season-long loans, there is the opportunity for a recall in January, a drawback the Blues are entirely familiar with. Ben Thompson still stings.

Still, this is a team presently on a six-match winning streak with the majority of their players demonstrating form befitting league leaders, naturally competition is fierce, regardless of pedigree.

Not only must Anjorin be ready physically, but he must also earn his place in a team performing admirably, with Christian Saydee and Alex Robertson impressing in the same role.

He was actually handed his second Blues start in their most recent fixture – against Gillingham in the EFL Trophy before the international weekend.

The former England youth international responded with a classy overhead kick for a maiden Pompey goal, providing another tantalising indication of the talent he possesses.

The decision to subsequently withdraw him and introduce Joe Morrell at half-time was predetermined, according to Mousinho, as the Blues continue striving to edge him into the first-team.

Operating as a deeper midfielder alongside Ben Stevenson, with Saydee operating behind Kusini Yengi, it represented a different role for the loanee.

Nonetheless, there were, once again, encouraging glimpses, such as driving with the ball, the capability to exchange smart give-and-goes, one golden shooting chance missed, but then netting spectacularly.

Indeed, Wyscout analytics show that ,over his five outings, Anjorin has misplaced just four passes, although, of his 10 dribbling attempts, three were successful.

It seems peculiar to suggest these are early days for a player who has now been at Fratton Park for seven weeks.

Nonetheless, from a standing start, Anjorin is building up heartening momentum. A little longer to wait won’t hurt anyone.