Fractures have healed as revealing insight's offered into Portsmouth's dressing room

And Ryan Williams believes the Blues’ slimmed-down squad is creating a sense of unity which is helping the team to success.

The confidence within the ranks is brimming off the back of six wins from seven games going into this weekend’s stiff test against Charlton.

Kenny Jackett faced the task of healing dressing room fractures this summer, with dissenting noises emanating from the playing ranks after the latest play-off disappointment.

But in-form Williams is adamant the players are showing a stronger sense of togetherness this term.

And the fact Jackett is working with 22 senior players is a significant factor behind that.

He said: ‘We have to maintain the hard work and the camaraderie we’ve got going.

‘It’s definitely better this season than it was last season. We’re definitely closer.

‘It’s a smaller group, a much smaller group, and everyone has to depend on each other. It does feel tighter with less people.

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‘We’ve come together and are really working for each other.

‘We’ve been together for a long period now and everyone knows each other, their strengths and it just feels a lot more together.’

Pompey take on Charlton in buoyant mood, but face a similar upwardly mobile opponent who’ve won four games on the spin.

After changing formation at Burton Albion at the start of the month, Jackett’s side have found a rhythm missing from the early-season games.

But Williams believes the work-rate of the team and form of the attacking players following 18 goals in seven games shouldn’t be overlooked.

He added: ‘We’ve managed to get a shape that suits us.

‘Even when we switched formation to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 there’s players in the team or on the bench who fit into those shapes easily.

‘John (Marquis) has been a lot better this season, he’s holding the ball a lot better and doing it with confidence.

‘Marcus is playing well, can drop in the hole and turn which frightens defenders, too.

‘We’ve got an eye for a pass in the team and goals.

‘Ronan can run, me, Cannon, John and Marcus - five of us who can run with or without the ball.

‘The main thing is hard work.

‘I know it sounds stupid, but if you run more than the other team we will top it off with our quality.

‘We have to earn our right to play and, when we do that, it helps that we have strikers in form at the moment. Long may that continue.’

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