Joe Gallen on what Portsmouth loanee Rasmus Nicolaisen needs to learn to flourish in English game

And the Danish centre-half is in the frame for a return against King’s Lynn in Saturday’s FA Cup fixture.

Nicolaisen was hauled off at half-time at Plymouth more than a week ago in favour of initiating Jack Whatmough’s injury comeback.

It represented the 23-year-old’s third straight League One start – yet he is now on the bench.

Gallen admitted the Blues have concerns over the loanee coping with physical nature of the English game.

But he is adamant the talented former Denmark youth international can come through.

Pompey’s assistant boss told The News: ‘Rasmus has to work hard and wait for his chance again.

‘He is adjusting and in the games he’s played I thought did pretty well. At Plymouth, though, It just looked like we needed a bit more of Jack’s experience in league football.

‘Rasmus is a very confident individual and – I think – is a quick learner. He will be back, there’s no doubting he will be back. The more he observes and more he plays, the better he will be.

‘His left foot brings us some natural distribution and that can be something that the team doesn’t quite have.

‘First and foremost, though, we are looking for our centre-halves to enable the team to keep clean sheets, that’s number one, and the more he observes English football and plays English football then he will be able to get used to it.

‘Undoubtedly it will have been more physical than the football Rasmus will have been playing in Denmark. He’s a physical player himself.

‘Also, if you take the Plymouth game, they played with two centre-forwards and basically European football is based on having one centre-forward.

‘Most teams over there play with 4-3-3, so having two centre-forwards up against two centre-halves is unusual in the modern day.

‘So I think it will take a little bit of getting used to. Certainly there weren’t two up front at Lincoln or even against Charlton, where it was Omar Bogle. But was at Plymouth.

‘Rasmus has to get used to English football, but I back him. He’s a very good player – and I back him to return.’

Nicolaisen is at Fratton Park on a season-long loan from FC Midtjylland.

However, there is a recall option in January which may well come into play, with the defender having made just seven appearances so far.

Gallen added: ‘Jack has come back in superb form, he and Rags have done brilliantly together.

‘But Rasmus is on their toes and we have a very good squad with equal-type players.

‘It’s close between all three of them, we need three – and have Paul Downing as well. We are never going to get away with just two centre-halves on our books.

‘So Rasmus has to fight back for his place. His attitude and how he applies himself daily suggests he will.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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