Danny Cowley backs trusted defender to flourish in surprise new Portsmouth challenge

And Danny Cowley is adamant the ever-willing 31-year-old can flourish in his wing-back responsibility.

The Blues lined-up with three central defenders for Tuesday night’s visit of Plymouth to Fratton Park.

That saw Brown and Mahlon Romeo asked to operate as the side’s wing-backs, adding width and energy to a team lacking attacking ideas of late.

A Pompey fixture since June 2018, Brown has barely been asked to venture away from his accustomed position.

Nonetheless, Cowley has served the ex-Bristol Rovers men with a fresh challenge – and believes the fit is a natural one.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I really think Lee can play left wing-back.

‘He does a lot of good things going forward, although we are still trying to increase his intensity, one-v-one drills and his ability to get up to the ball.

‘Even when we play in a back four, he’s an overlapping full-back and now our top scorer in the league.

‘Obviously he and Mahlon are different wing-backs, they have different qualities and Lee brings a huge amount of experience.

‘They are good characters, they will do what the team needs of them. They know the team at the moment is short of left-footed balance in that area, so we have to find solutions.

‘What’s the other choice? We could moan and groan but you have two options – victim or fighter.

‘For us it’s important to always find a solution.’

Brown netted Pompey’s opening goal from a free-kick on Tuesday evening in the 2-2 draw with Plymouth.

It represented his fourth goal in his last nine appearances.

The ex-QPR trainee is poised to retain his new-found left wing-back role for Saturday’s trip to struggling Charlton.

Cowley added: ‘Lee’s got a lot of quality and a lovely left foot, it doesn’t surprise me he scores the goals that he does,

‘We have to get him in and around the goal because he’s got a hammer of a left foot, he shows it in training on a regular basis.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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