Gaffer: Portsmouth must play to duo's strengths if promotion is to be achieved

Gaffer for a day Jon Glen, aged 24, from Havant, gives his pre-match thoughts on Pompey’s Carabao Cup trip to Brighton...
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After two ridiculous play-off team selections, I was definitely a Kenny Jackett out supporter following defeat to Oxford.

It was absolutely ludicrous to drop Tom Naylor but I don't think Jackett’s going to be sacked now. I’ll support the team and not him, I guess.

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If we go up, he’s probably going to get a new deal, which many fans don’t want, but you want Pompey to be promoted at the same time.

The summer has been very negative. With Covid and not being able to attend games, it’s probably made things that bit worse.

As much as I don't like Jackett, I still go to all the home games and as many away games as possible.

It’s been frustrating with the salary cap implementation and we didn’t get our business done early to take advantage of players being paid the divisional average.

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We’ve also missed out on signings like Sammie Szmodics because we wanted to loan him and Peterborough bought him, but Pompey shouldn't be getting beat to signings by Peterborough.

John Marquis. Picture: Joe PeplerJohn Marquis. Picture: Joe Pepler
John Marquis. Picture: Joe Pepler

I don’t mind us signing Sean Raggett permanently, I think he got better towards the end of last season. Callum Johnson is a very good signing and I've not seen any negative comments so he's a shrewd bit of business.

Hopefully Cameron Pring gets some games otherwise I don’t see the point of us signing him. Apparently, he was really good against Colchester but got dropped straight away, which was a bit strange.

It looked like we lacked that killing instinct in the draw against Shrewsbury on Saturday. I’m not the biggest fan of Jackett but you can’t 100 per cent put the blame on him.

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I wasn’t surprised by the result, though, as we often go out to record a clean sheet then try to nick a goal, which is frustrating.

Hopefully Michael Jacobs can bring a spark. He’s got an eye for goal and an assist.

We’ve played so many players in the No10 role that I've felt Jackett doesn't know who’s best there. Hopefully Jacobs is the missing piece, but we’ve got to play to his strengths.

John Marquis wants link-up play rather than hoofing the ball towards him. He's the player who brings in the attacking three behind into the game and if you’ve got a striker who can score 20 goals at this level then play to his strengths.

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Against Brighton, I want Pompey to win as I do in any game. But I’m a realist and I don't think we are going to win.

I’d make a few changes, like rest Jack Whatmough as I don’t think he can play three games a week and give Ellis Harrison a run-out if fit enough.

We’ve had good cup runs in the past few years, the highlight winning the Checkatrade Trophy, but I’d have swapped that for promotion.

If losing against Brighton means we are promoted then I'd take that 100 per cent.

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But do I think we will go up? I don’t know, I think we’ll finish in the play-offs and that's the best we can hope for as there are a few better sides.

Jon’s Pompey XI: Craig MacGillivray, James Bolton, Paul Downing, Sean Raggett, Cameron Pring, Tom Naylor, Ben Close, Ryan Williams, Michael Jacob, Ronan Curtis, Ellis Harrison.

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