Pompey Q&A: January improvement, squad capabilities and the reasons for Portsmouth’s amazing turnaround

Pepe Lacey is joined by chief sports writer, Neil Allen, as the pair discuss all the big issues, following the 1-0 triumph at Gillingham on Saturday.

The conversation centred on the the strength and capabilities of the squad, Pompey’s turnaround in form, an overperforming squad and the main areas Danny Cowley needs to improve in January.

Pompey left it late on Saturday against Gillingham, it wasn’t the best win in the world but it got the job done.

‘We talked about afterwards that there were some good performances defensively, the back three and the goalkeeper were solid but across the pitch there were a number of low par displays.

‘Completely contrasting to that performance on Tuesday night against Lincoln, where Pompey as a team were excellent.

‘There were disappointing performances across the pitch but Pompey got the win didn’t they, two minutes into stoppage time deflected in but it was a great moment right in front of the Pompey fans as well.

‘It also didn’t please Steve Evans, which made it extra sweeter as he was positioned right in front of us and it was intriguing watching him throughout the game and then reading his post match comments, very sweet it was.’

A classy performance against Lincoln but more of a gritty win on Saturday, does that show the strength this team has to pull out a win regardless of who they face?

‘Before Ipswich we were saying there was no heart, no fight and no character to this side and then after Ipswich first game they went to Accrington, they showed those qualities.

‘It was obvious something was there and they’ve kept showing that. Saturday was another great example of that, they didn’t play well, it was a difficult game, difficult opposition albeit they had injuries like Pompey did, the conditions weren’t great and Pompey couldn’t quite get any fluency going.

‘They had some great chances early on but they didn’t convert them and for me a draw would’ve been a fair result. but they dug in and scraped away and they got three points at the death which good sides do.

‘That's two Saturdays running Pompey have done that, so there’s definitely some character and spirit about this side, which was completely absent at the capitulation at Rotherham the debacle against Ipswich, it was just shocking.

‘Danny Cowley was at his wit’s end afterwards and then suddenly we’re seeing a new side to this team, George Hirst has made a big impact and he’s even short in players when changing the system and they’re still picking up wins, so it’s going fantastically well.’

Danny Cowley’s side are the form team in the country, are we finally seeing the best of this team?

‘There’s still a lot of work to do. It’s patched up at the moment, he’s got three centre-halves with one actually is a centre-half.

‘Danny says that Ogilvie isn’t a centre half, Ogilvie says he’s spent his career as a left-back or centre-half and he is.

‘He’s been phenomenal since he came in after the Ipswich game, he’s been absolutely superb and he was my man of the match on Saturday.

‘He needs to strengthen in the centre-half position, he’s got no cover in that position whatsoever he also needs to sort out up front as well.

‘John Marquis has faded out of it and he’s injured at the moment as well. Pompey have been thriving without him, let's face it.

‘Left wing-back, Reeco’s been disappointing. He had a really bad game for me on Saturday, his delivery has been really poor. Is Lee Brown a left wing-back?

‘I can’t really see that nor is Connor Ogilvie, so if he wants to play wing-backs then he needs a left wing back.

‘There’s still plenty of work to do with this side and of course people like Bazunu and Romeo are on loan, so you can imagine they won’t be here next season.

‘So there’s so much to do but it’s still really encouraging. It’s lifted everyone and there is so much to be heartened about.’

With the injuries and lack of depth in the squad, do you feel this side are over performing?

‘It’s difficult because previously we thought they weren’t too good and now they’ve hit some form, clearly they were underperforming.

‘They’d gone nine away games without a win in all competitions and suddenly they’ve won three on the trot away from home in the league. So perhaps they were underperforming before and this is their natural level.

‘We never thought Pompey were play-off contenders previously and then suddenly this resurgence they are.

‘If you look at Pompey’s points since they lost to Ipswich they’ve got a lot more than Ipswich have.

‘Something has clicked amongst the squad, something has happened.

‘We've seen a lot of good performances from players. Harness has been outstanding, Morrell, too. Both were poor admittedly on Saturday, but they’re still quality performers,

Ogilvie’s come to the fore, Raggett has been outstanding all season, Bazunu has been really good all season, so there’s a number of really good performances now.

‘Then Kieron Freeman has been a revelation since he came back in during the last two games in the back three. It’s clicking all over the pitch and Shaun Williams is another one so, there are so many good performers in there at the moment.’

Looking ahead to January, we’ve reported Kyle Wootton is on Danny Cowley’s radar. What are the key areas of development needed in the January window?

‘There are two main areas. Firstly He needs a central defender. Robertson we don’t know when he’s back yet and Cowley doesn’t like to put a time on it but he might be back in January.

‘In the meantime, he’s got Raggett and Ogilvie, Downing has got too many injury problems clearly his time at Pompey- two-and-a-half years has been ravaged by injuries.

‘He’s got no one else, he needs a centre-half. The other is the intriguing position as striker.

Hirst has come basically from nowhere to be outstanding for Pompey’s team.

‘I think most people had given up on him, and then suddenly he’s emerged and established himself.

‘He has actually given us an insight into what an all-round centre-forward can bring, winning the ball in the air, holding it up, physically outmuscling defenders, giving defenders a battle. We’ve not seen that for years.

‘Defenders must rock up to Fratton Park loving it apart from when Harrison elbows someone in the face to bring pain to the defenders, but suddenly these defenders are being put on their backsides and there’s somebody who can head the ball.

‘For me, Hirst has been absolutely outstanding, he's a young lad, his forms a little up and down.

‘Saturday that lob was wonderful when the keeper pushed it on to the bar, he’s quick he’s mobile and Pompey have lacked this for a number of years.

‘Cowley needs to strengthen in that position. I’ve said this for well over a year that Pompey need at least two strikers.

‘Hirst is perhaps one but they need another striker. We’ve not seen too much of Wootton, I believe he’s a big target man, he’s got a lot of goals for Notts County so hopefully Pompey can pursue that one and he can be the solution.

‘But you do wonder whether he will be equipped to go straight from the National League and flung into League One to try and make an impact. It’s a position that's needed strengthening for ages so, they’re the two main ones for me.’