Kenny Jackett lays it on the line to Portsmouth players as league action returns

The Pompey boss believes the run of games between now and the new year will decide where their season’s headed.

The Blues have seven League One fixtures between now and January 1 and currently find themselves six points off the play-offs and a sizeable 12 points from the top two.

Jackett’s men are currently on a run of one defeat in 10 but he knows there has to be continual momentum built if the campaign is to be a positive one.

He said: ‘I do think that it’s a defining period. I think it’s a key period for us.

‘We do want to go into the second half of the season if we can with an upturn, with some good performances and some confidence.

‘Hopefully we will be chasing well. That’s where we are over the next five of six weeks.

‘But similarly my thoughts don’t go too far from Rochdale followed by Rotherham on Tuesday.

They are the big ones really.

‘We’re building towards the second half of the seaso, the halfway stage. We’re somewhere near that.

‘The next half a dozen games are important for us.

‘We’re in a period between now and January when we really need to be putting a run together if we can.

‘There’s been improvement but we want to go in into the second half of the season chasing properly.’

Tomorrow’s day ends an 18-day hiatus from league action for Pompey against a side who’ve lost four on the bounce in the league.

There’s still cup action to contend with on two fronts but Jackett is relieved to get back to the prime focus of the season.

He added: ‘It’s great the league games have come around again really.

‘The league is our priority we know that.

‘We always try to do well in the cups and on it when they do get paid.

‘But we’ve had a long break between league games again so we’re pleased to say there’s some points up for grabs again and games to play in the next four days. That’s good news.’