Kenny Jackett: Why I made Portsmouth half-time changes - but we mainly played 4-4-2 throughout at Plymouth

Kenny Jackett has explained the thinking behind the half-time personnel and tactical changes which reaped a Home Park point.
Kenny Jackett oversaw his side's second-half transformation to claim a point at Plymouth. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImagesKenny Jackett oversaw his side's second-half transformation to claim a point at Plymouth. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages
Kenny Jackett oversaw his side's second-half transformation to claim a point at Plymouth. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages

But the Blues boss insisted his side mainly operated in a 4-4-2 system during a limp first half in the 2-2 draw with Plymouth.

Pompey headed in at the interval trailing to Sean Raggett’s 11th-minute own goal – and could have no complaints.

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However, at half-time, Jackett ditched the approach he started the match with and substituted Rasmus Nicolaisen and Ben Close for Jack Whatmough and Ellis Harrison.

The outcome was goals from John Marquis and Tom Naylor in a two-minute burst for the transformed visitors – only for Jerome Opoku to level 11 minutes from time.

However, Pompey can be satisfied with a point following that poor first-half showing.

He told The News: ‘We were 4-4-2 in the first half and getting that support to John (Marquis) and giving him the type of balls through is very, very important for us.

‘Marquis Harness was up front for the majority of it.

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‘Although there was a spell where Williams was pressed into the front position as well, while Harness has gone right.

‘At half-time we did feel we needed a bit more forward momentum and for Rasmus it’s a good learning curve for him because Nouble was getting up against him.

‘He needed to just give himself a bit more space, I felt.

‘We needed to improve, I felt we started like we had been training, a bit unsettled, people trying to find their feet and Ryan Williams just had a bit of a groin injury during the course of the game.

‘We couldn’t find a rhythm in the first half and overall Plymouth deserved their lead.

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‘We came back well in the second half anyway, made a good game of it and a good competition, and worked hard to get ourselves into a good position.

‘Unfortunately the wide free-kick has resulted in them getting the equaliser, but, with their first-half performance, I am sure they think they deserved something from the game.’

The point lifts Pompey into sixth place, ahead of Sunderland on goal difference, having played a game more.

Jackett added: ‘It looked like a bit of an unsettled first half, I don’t think we were at our best and they (Plymouth) deserved their lead.

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‘We made a good game of it in the second half and, if we had got our final pass right, there would have been more holes for us to be able to break into as well.’

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