Ben Close's stats conveniently forgotten as Portsmouth long for Millwall's Thompson once again

After all, with Pompey hoping to lure the Millwall midfielder back to the south coast for a second spell, it’s only right to double-check that our current fondness for his 27-match spell in a Blues shirt is as accurate as we care to remember.

To do so, Wyscout – the professional football platform for football analysis – was utilised.

It confirmed what we all know – that Thompson did indeed have a Pompey spell to remember.

His stats back that assertion up.

However, if the same conclusion is made of the then on-loan Lions academy product, then there’s one other midfielder who deserves just as much praise, if not more.

Ben Close’s record for that season is equally as impressive – and that’s with playing nearly 1,000 League One minutes more than his midfield rival.

And if the key stats are broken down further in terms of what you want your midfielder to do, then it’s the homegrown talent who should have fans reminiscing.

He out-shone Thompson in important areas such as shots on target (31.9 per cent compared to 22.2 per cent), passing accuracy (79.1 per cent to 72.7), successful dribbles (72.2 per cent to 59.5), accurate crosses into the box (38.2 per cent to 35.1) and total goals scored (eight compared to two).

In fairness, the Milwall midfielder’s stats for assists (three compared to one), long passes (52.8 per cent accuracy to 44.4) and aerial duels (63.3 per cent won to 44.3) gave him favour.

As did his ability to retain the ball in his own half (66.4 per cent to 59.1) and recoveries of possession in opposition territory (53.8 percent to 46.4).

Thompson also had a higher win percentage from his 23 League One games played – 65 per cent.

But Close’s 55-per-cent win record over a longer period and more league games – 36 – would be seen by many as more impressive.

Meanwhile, the Portsmouth-born ace was only on a losing side four times in that period (11 per cent).

SEE ALSO: Jackett: Why I dropped Ben Close from Pompey's play-off campaign

That’s only one more defeat more than Thompson, who played 13 league games fewer – a percentage loss rate of 13.2.

Of course, Thompson and Close weren’t the only two midfielders called upon that season by manager Kenny Jackett.

Tom Naylor was a mainstay of the engine room following his summer arrival from Burton.

But even he couldn’t compete with his team-mate’s stats that particular term.

He came out on top in only two key areas – duels won (56.7 per cent) and total interceptions (363).

And even then the race for second place was hard fought between Thompson and Close.

Thompson won 54.1 percent of his duels compared to Close’s battle success of 51.5.

Meanwhile, in terms of interceptions Close recorded 151, as opposed to Thompson’s 113.

At present, both players remain on the fringes at Pompey and Millwall respectively, desperate for more game time and with just one league start between them.

Jackett has himself been reminiscing of Thompson’s impact that 2018-19 season as he looks to bring in another midfielder ahead of Friday’s transfer window deadline.

But if his ability to recall the past is key to his current recruitment plans, he’d do well to look back on Close’s stats that same year.

Maybe the solution to his midfield conundrum is closer to home than he thinks.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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