'Bullied, Dark arts, Long balls, Old-school football': Why Championship bosses aren't impressed with Portsmouth's Fratton Park behaviour

Remarkably, the imposing Fratton Fortress has inspired eight wins, two draws and just one defeat in the Blues’ last 11 home fixtures to propel they up the Championship table closer towards safety.

However, the manner of winning performances from John Mousinho’s side have either been criticised or the subject of back-handed compliments by the losing team’s boss.

From playing ‘long ball’ and ‘old-school football’ to performing ‘dark arts’ and being ‘bullied’ - here are the defeated managers and head coaches in their own words since November...

QPR - lost 2-1 at Fratton Park on February 22

Head coach Marti Cifuentes told QPR’s official website:

‘It was a disappointing performance, I would say, a disappointing result.

‘We knew we were coming to play against a team that is extremely direct. It's all about long balls, about second balls.

‘We had to match the intensity at the same time that we wanted to impose our style, putting the ball on the ground and trying to create. It was certainly very difficult.

‘It’s a small pitch and we couldn't find the space to break through the pressure. Then the game became, especially during the first half, a lot of up and downs, second balls, not the kind of style that we would like to have.

‘I think that they (Pompey) are a team that is good at creating momentum with their supporters, with the fans at home, and they have fantastic home form in the last 10, 11 games.

‘So we knew that it was very important, that mental side of the game, to make sure that even if it was a mistake, that we're still in the game - that we were very switched on because they can accelerate every throw-in in the last zone, every corner kick to put pressure on the opposition.’

Cardiff - Lost 2-1 at Fratton Park on February 11

First-team manager Omar Riza told BBC Radio Wales:

‘I'm disappointed, we made it hard for ourselves early on. To go 2-0 down is hard work. We got a goal and stayed in the game, in the second half we created chances and should have scored, but we weren't good enough, we lacked execution and bravery.

‘They have been really strong at home and they are good at the things they did. It was like a rugby match at times and we didn't stand up to the challenge. A few players froze in the moment again.

‘We didn't start aggressive enough or do the basics well. Not picking up second balls, when we did our passes were loose.

‘I told my players we can do better and play better than that. We can have a fight but then once you've done that you need to apply your strengths to the game and it was few and far between.’

Burnley - Drew 0-0 at Fratton Park on February 1

Head coach Scott Parker told the Burnley Express:

‘It’s a difficult place to come. I think you’ve seen that with their results over the last few weeks, Middlesbrough come here and lose 2-1, they beat Stoke 3-1, Coventry 4-1.

‘You probably could see it the way they play. They're a different animal at home. You're under pressure constantly in terms of a real intent in the way they play and we had to stand up to that.

‘This game could have looked awfully a lot different if we didn't have that resilience of ours. On the flip side, I think it's fair to say we weren’t at our best. We just lacked a little something.

‘We knew what would come. They play a way that causes you a problem, so it was difficult. To try and get control in the game proved pretty difficult for us and at that point it comes down to duels, first contacts and we just lacked a little something.

‘We're normally crisp but we weren’t very good in that phase in our game. We couldn't really gain any sort of control and that was down to them to be honest with you, so full credit to them.

‘That wasn’t just solely down to us. They put us under a lot of pressure which meant we couldn't really get our foot on the ball.’

Stoke - Lost 3-1 at Fratton Park on January 22

Manager Mark Robins told the Stoke Sentinel:

‘I'm really disappointed. They set the tone right from the start and we didn't live with that. We allowed them to bully us all night.

‘They got the first from what was a really soft penalty, I thought. I didn't think for one second he was going to give a penalty but then he's given a penalty. But it is what it is, I suppose if you've got hands on a back.

‘They've set their stall out, let's have it right. They've thrown themselves to the floor, they've fouled us, they've kicked us and we've had nothing because it's all the dark arts. They've all manned us.

‘People don't understand what that means but they've got players who've experienced the other side of the game because they've come through a different route I suppose.

‘Colby Bishop, for instance, starting goal side of our defenders when the ball gets kicked, he just runs backs and blocks them for other runners going through. We've got to understand it. It's old school, that's old school football and you've got to be able to deal with it and not just think teams are going to allow you to come and play.

‘It's really disappointing because all they did was run harder, they run harder to get in behind, they run harder to get into positions to try to put you under pressure. That's how this team puts you under pressure. That's what they are, how they've been built.

‘Where they were miles better than us was in that physical department.’

Middlesbrough - Lost 2-1 at Fratton Park on January 18

Boro head coach Michael Carrick told Teesside Live:

‘We let the game get away from us again, and it’s something we’ve let happen far too much recently.

‘Coming here, how they make it and how it feels, I thought the lads dealt with it well in the first half and start of the second.

‘We had chances to go 2-0 up that we didn’t quite take. The game is always on a knife-edge at that point and we spoke about that at half-time. Concentration is important because one moment can flip it.

‘That’s a big part of coming here.’

Swansea - Lost 4-0 at Fratton Park on New Year’s Day

Then head coach Luke Williams told Swansea’s official website:

‘That is absolutely not how we wanted to start the New Year. We struggled to get to grips with the opposition and we struggled to get to grips with the conditions.

‘We looked like we lacked focus and concentration, and there were too many costly errors at the back of the pitch, in particular.

‘We also had too many chances that we didn’t convert so it was a disappointing performance.’

Coventry - Lost 4-1 at Fratton Park on December 21, 2024

Head coach Frank Lampard told the Coventry Telegraph:

‘It’s a difficult place to come here and they make it difficult, so credit to them for their performance.

‘They were very good last week and even at West Brom we could look for positives in the game, but the second half today was a real clear show of what football’s about, especially in the Championship.

‘If you find a hard moment and you don’t compete, and you go, then the result will look after itself, and it did. So there are big, big learnings on that front.

‘They were too aggressive for us in the second half and we weren’t aggressive enough for them. If you get that bit wrong in the Championship then you will lose games like this. So that’s a clear understanding from me.’

Norwich - Drew 0-0 at Fratton Park on December 10, 2024

Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup told the Pink Un:

On the journey, we need to be able to take a point on the road sometimes. That will never be my favourite type of game, but as a coach, you have to take a look at where the team is at a particular moment.

‘The game plan for Portsmouth on Tuesday night was a little bit more pragmatic than we will usually do, but I said to the boys that I could not criticise them for anything they did in that game.

‘What they brought in terms of character, heart, passion and hard work to the game was outstanding. It was important, not least for us, to show we can do that if it's needed.

‘Of course, we have big expectations, and we expect more. Good things take time. We are still learning, and next year, when we play a similar type of game, we can do it more our way.’

Bristol City - Lost 3-0 at Fratton Park on December 7, 2024

Bristol City head coach Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:

‘I thought they had more intensity than us which isn't good. We have to look at why because it hasn't been like us. The intensity last week at Watford was outstanding.

‘So, for me, the habit has been to work with real intensity, I thought they just adjusted and adapted better to the conditions a lot better and style wise it probably suited them a little more than us, but that's no excuse.’

Preston - Lost 3-1 at Fratton Park on November 9, 2024

Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom told the Lancashire Evening Post:

‘We were bullied. That could be your headline. We were just totally bullied in the first half. Of course, it’s surprising. It’s unacceptable. It’s surprising in the fact that we knew Portsmouth had changed how they play - a lot more direct over the last few games.

‘But, they compete for second balls and put a lot of balls into the box. That had been our preparation and we looked like rabbits in headlights in the first half, totally one-sided.

‘You saw the reaction in the second half, after shouting at them. Three changes, yes we changed shape slightly but we were bullied because were outrun, outfought, outcompeted. That was set-plays, balls into our box from the top end of the pitch and middle of the pitch.

‘Listen, in our time and with our performances, we should already have won away from home. So, it is not like it’s an issue in terms of we cannot do it. That first half performance showed a frailty. We had it similar at Millwall away and then we made changes and responded in the second half.

‘But, when you are giving teams two goal leads, it’s really, really tough in this league. We have seen (Pompey’s directness) in more recent times and we spoke about how they would target this game.

‘But, we targeted it and the team we picked was for that. The instructions were for that and that was our undoing - it was. Nothing pretty about it, but you’ve got to credit them. They imposed themselves from corners and bullied us.

‘They put extra bodies in (for the two goals from corners). Alright, we didn’t have Liam (Lindsay) in there, but a lot of our clearances were poor first half. We slashed at things, didn’t get good distance on things and then it’s coming back in again.

‘All (the fans) want to see is a team compete like we did in the second half. You cannot be travelling hundreds of miles and enjoy seeing your team get outfought, like we did in the first half.

‘The game was done for me first half. I will keep using that word ‘bullied’ - I cannot think of a better word to describe that first half.’