Detailed: The transfer positions Portsmouth will focus on in the January window
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The plans are being put in place for what is looking increasingly likely to be a make-or-break window for Pompey’s Championship hopes.
The homework and discussions, in reality, have been going on since the minute the summer window closed and even previously, as the football operation put in the hard miles over the Blues’ squad planning.
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Hide AdMousinho has already confirmed the ongoing question marks over Conor Shaughnessy fitness will make a central defender a priority.
Marlon Pack’s defensive conversion has gone better than could’ve been expected, and even amid the defensive woe at Pride Park was one of the least culpable - his own goal an unfortunate and unavoidable event on a bleak night.
But with Tom McIntyre struggling, Regan Poole’s form up and down amid his injury return, Ibane Bowat out for the season and Ryley Towler deemed not ready for the level, the need for reliable Championship nous in the middle is glaring.
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Hide AdIn front of the back line, Andre Dozzell and Freddie Potts are the owners of the starting berths in Pompey’s holding midfield/double pivot roles. Owen Moxon has spent most of the season out of the picture, while Abdoulaye Kamara’s cameo at Derby underlined why we haven’t seen a great deal of the Borussia Dortmund signing just yet.
Pack’s form in the middle of the park this season has been discussed, so with this issues forming the considerations expect a defensive midfielder to be sought.
Josh Murphy has looked the pick of the wingers, while a vote for the best Pompey player up to this point would likely see Callum Lang win by a landslide margin.
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Hide AdMatt Ritchie has come to the fore in recent weeks but, even with his fitness levels, is facing a huge physical demand at the age of 35.
Paddy Lane has yet to bring his League One form to a new level, Sammy Silvera’s loan has failed to spark and Harvey Blair is the epitome of a development signing who isn’t ready for the Championship.
While Christian Saydee can be relied on to shake things up, the view is there’s a need for a number 10 who brings the guile not necessarily prominent in Pompey’s other options.
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Hide AdWith Kusini Yengi not able to get any momentum to his season and Mark O’Mahony sidelined, that leaves Colby Bishop shouldering the number nine responsibility five weeks into his return from heart surgery.
Elias Sorensen is there and a willing runner on the evidence we’ve seen, with Christian Saydee able to operate as a nine - while clearly not offering the required cutting edge.
But if ever a result highlighted the challenges John Mousinho is currently taking on, it was Friday’s 4-0 mauling at Derby.
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Hide AdA third Championship game in seven days was simply too much for this group to contend with, with the lifeless display a clear consequence of a lack of quality in depth.
This simply has to be addressed in the weeks ahead, with Mousinho’s view there’s already enough players in the development category at the club revealing.
Men who can make an immediate impact are required and, whether on loan or permanently, they come at a premium.
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