Portsmouth team tinkering or victim of circumstance? Danny Cowley has named one unchanged side in five months

While, overall, he has kept the same team on just five occasions during the 40 fixtures played so far this season.

Saturday’s dramatic draw with Fleetwood marked the first time in more than six-and-a-half years that the Blues had fought back from a three-goal deficit to claim a point.

However, it also raised significant questions over how Cowley’s men found themselves occupying such a losing position against the League One strugglers.

That includes surprisingly ditching the wing-back system after 16 straight matches in favour of a back four against Fleetwood.

And there were the four changes to the side which won 2-1 at Shrewsbury in the week for a third successive victory.

Shrewsbury match-winner Louis Thompson, fellow scorer Aiden O’Brien, Mahlon Romeo and George Hirst made way for the Fratton Park encounter.

In came Joe Morrell, Reeco Hackett, Tyler Walker and Marcus Harness as Pompey’s head coach rotated his squad.

Cowley has subsequently drawn criticism from supporters over his penchant for changing a winning team.

Indeed, the last time he retained the same side was two-and-a-half months ago.

That was Morecambe’s visit to Fratton Park on December 11, when the Blues secured a 2-0 success to climb to ninth in League One.

In the subsequent 12 matches, during a period which also had fixtures lost to Covid and weather, the team has changed each time.

In mitigation, Cowley can rightly point to a small squad devastated by injuries at times, with suspensions also forcing alterations to the starting XI.

On Saturday, Joe Morrell was available having served a three-game ban following his harsh dismissal at Oxford United.

As a key Pompey performer, his return against Fleetwood was entirely expected, albeit perhaps not at the expense of Thompson.

Still, considering Thompson’s awful career injury record and the necessity to ease him through the season to prevent further breakdown, the manager felt it made sense to pull him out.

The other three changes can be strongly debated, particularly the inclusion of the uninspiring Walker in place of the in-form O’Brien.

Yet injuries have often influenced selection this season.

Clark Robertson, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Michael Jacobs and Thompson have suffered lengthy spells out, while Shaun Williams and Kieron Freeman may not play again this term.

Gavin Bazunu has been absent on international duty, most notably the 1-0 win at Wycombe in November.

Alex Bass and Miguel Azeez were dropped the following match to make way for Bazunu’s return and Jacobs.

Meanwhile, one of Pompey’s most impressive performances this season under Cowley was a 3-0 triumph at Lincoln that same month.

With Raggett suspended for the next match at Gillingham, it meant one enforced change.

On the occasions of Cowley naming an unchanged starting line-up, the first instance was against Shrewsbury in August, following a 2-0 win over Crewe.

Then, in September, a 2-2 draw with Plymouth heralded the same team for three successive fixtures – Charlton, Burton and Sunderland.

Of that squad which beat the Tractor Boys 4-0 at Fratton Park, just 10 are presently available to Cowley.

Meanwhile, expect at least one change against Oxford tomorrow night – Ronan Curtis is suspended for two matches.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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