DETAILED: Five things Danny Cowley needs to do to get Portsmouth's season back on track

The loss to the managerless strugglers saw patience snap among the Fratton faithful when the visitors fired in their second goal with 26 minutes remaining.

It’s now a key moment for Pompey’s season and indeed Cowley’s stewardship, with his side tumbling down the League One table.

The loss may have been the Blues’ first on home soil since January 31, but one league win in 11 and eight weeks without success are the telling statistics, along with results placing them near the foot of the league form table.

So what has to change now to turn things around and get the season back on track? We looked at some of the key factors which need addressing.

Make fans believe

Saturday was the first time Pompey fans vocalised their frustrations at their boss as the mood darkened at Fratton.

It’s worth underlining it was only an element of the remaining crowd who did so, while huge swathes of the 17,426 in attendance had already departed before the final whistle.

It puts Cowley’s tenure at a crossroads, but certainly one where he still remains in control of the path taken.

The Eisners showed unstinting patience with Kenny Jackett, before they called time on his tenure after four years.

So if history is the best indicator of future behaviour, the club’s owners are likely to keep faith in what Cowley is trying to achieve.

Strides have been made in terms of the structure of the football organisation and the Pompey boss has engaged with the community, but it’s on the pitch it counts – specifically the league.

Perhaps some clarity wouldn’t go amiss from the Pompey executive, so everyone can concentrate on getting on with the task at hand.

There has been some talk of Cowley losing support in the dressing room in the wake of the weekend disappointment. That’s wide of the mark, with it clearly imperative for everyone needing to be pulling in the same direction.

That is what Pompey and their boss need to get back to now.

There was a lot of work put in to send out the right messages to the fan base amid the early-season success. That can be a potent weapon at PO4.

That was clearly seen as Paul Cook delivered the League Two title with 10 wins from 12 in 2017 - after similar scenes to Saturday against Crewe.

Getting back to that is one of the biggest challenges Cowley now faces, with apathy seeping in among supporters.

It can be done, though. Cowley has to find a similar formula to create that irresistible momentum Pompey as a club is capable of producing.

Stop the stupid goals

Pompey have developed a worrying habit of not only giving away poor goals - but doing some from the first chance the opposition are being afforded.

That was the case as MK Dons scored from their first shot on goal from Bradley Johnson in the 34th minute on Saturday - repeating what Darragh Burns did in the FA Cup at the end of last month.

It was a similar story with Anis Mehmeti in the disappointing 2-0 loss at Wycombe, while you can go back as far as Jack Marriott’s fifth-minute finish against Peterborough, to see when the habit first started rearing its head.

‘I don’t know, I don’t know,’ admitted Cowley when quizzed about the cause of the issue in the wake of Saturday’s defeat.

Cowley pointed out you can get anomalies, but having players who currently look ill-at-ease in a back three probably doesn’t help issues.

Whatever, a solution is needed because confidence is eroding and positive attacking play is ebbing away when the worrying pattern continues to rear its head.

Get Pack firing again

There’s little doubt that Marlon Pack is the player who makes Pompey tick.

His imperious early-season form underlined that as he barely put a foot wrong, with the Buckland boy emerging as the team’s figurehead and de facto leader.

But it’s clear that level of performance hasn’t been maintained, since the midflielder returned from nearly four weeks out with a hamstring injury in November.

Saturday was a case in point, where there was a few flashes of the 31-year-old’s unquestionable quality on the ball as he produced reverse passes other players don’t see.

But Pack is not currently not able to run games in the manner in which he’s capable - and would expect of himself.

Clear the treatment room

Part of the issue with Pack could well be the missing midfielders Pompey have been without for much of the season.

Louis Thompson, of course, has been sidelined since breaking his leg against Bristol Rovers in October, while Tom Lowery’s troublesome hamstring issue has gone on for much longer than anyone ever anticipated.

Both players showcased an ability to influence proceedings in their own way when things were going well earlier in the campaign.

Joe Rafferty has also been a big loss in the 15 weeks he’s now been sidelined for since undergoing groin surgery.

Any team would miss regular starters like the trio, while Michael Jacobs, Denver Hume and Jayden Reid have all had their well-documented issues.

The signs are there those injury problems are now abating - a much-needed positive for Pompey at at difficult moment

Have a successful transfer window

The January window will be Danny Cowley’s fourth as Pompey boss.

So the man who arrived in March last year has now had ample opportunity to build a team in his image.

Cowley believes he’s been able to do that and improve the players at his disposal, despite the lack of progress in terms of the team’s current league standing.

There is certainly a lot more control in terms of contracted players and options in the club’s favour next summer.

A more pressing issue is what happens next month, in terms of Cowley reshaping his squad for what lies ahead over the rest of the season.

Whatever your views on the level of backing from the club’s owners, Pompey are operating with a playing budget to sustain a play-off finish. That has to be the minimum requirement.

Freeing up space with loan players returning to their parent clubs looks to be an avenue to go down, with Josh Koroma and Joe Pigott two players likely to be under the microscope.

Fringe players like Kieron Freeman and Ryan Tunnicliffe could free up wages to be used elsewhere, while the future of Ronan Curtis will be a topic of conversation.

There is, of course, the possibility of a curve ball or two being thrown, too, as the talk of Championship interest in Jay Mingi has shown.