Portsmouth 4 Coventry 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Brilliant attacker delivers timely transfer message to Michael Eisner

The January window is almost upon us - and the irrepressible Callum Lang epitomises what can be accomplished through ambitious recruitment without fear or prejudice of price tags.

The Blues stumped up around £400,000 to capture his services approaching 12 months ago, comfortably representing their most costly purchase since the arrival of Colby Bishop in the summer of 2022.

At the time, having regained promotion poise after negotiating a familiar festive wobble, the long-time League One leaders required strong playing additions to bolster their push for the Championship.

Certainly a considerable upgrade on the Bryn Morris and Andy Cannon window of January 2019 under Kenny Jackett was essential. Now that was costly, although clearly not in financial terms.

As a consequence, last January owners Tornante sanctioned an increase in John Mousinho’s playing budget, in addition to boosting his spending power during a window which, ultimately, brought in five fresh faces to get them over the line.

Leading the way was Lang, a high-octane performer with Championship experience and promotion pedigree. Approaching his one-year anniversary, it has proven an outlay worth every penny.

On Saturday against Coventry, he became the first Pompey player to register a league hat-trick since Marcus Harness in October 2020 - and not since Yakubu in May 2004 has anyone netted four times in a match.

With nine Championship goals this season, only Norwich’s Borja Sainz and West Brom’s Josh Maja have scored more so far than the dynamic attacker.

Irrefutably, Lang has been the stand-out performer for the Blues this season. While some of the glorious League One title-winning side have found the subsequent step up a struggle, he has continued to flourish.

Pompey’s survival battle encouragingly continues to gather pace, the entrance of Matt Ritchie and Colby Bishop into the first XI coinciding with a significant uplift in points and performance quality.

Yet irrespective of a remarkable 4-1 triumph over the Sky Blues which lifts Mousinho’s men out of the relegation zone once more, the January window represents a pivotal moment in a first Championship campaign for 12 years.

Pompey require a central defender, a central midfielder, a winger and surely, despite what Mousinho says, another striker. What’s more, they must spend to capture players of the required calibre and experience - just as they did with Lang.

Tellingly, of last summer’s seven purchases, just Nicolas Schmid is a first-team regular. Jacob Farrell and Ibane Bowat have played one game between them through injury, yet remain unknown quantities.

The others are absolutely nowhere near it. Signed for tomorrow, yet not equipped for the Championship today - and how the Blues need players in the here and now.

As a consequence of injury and illness, the substitutes against Coventry included two Academy players who featured against Leeds in the FA Youth Cup, one of which, Michael Ani, is a 16-year-old first-year scholar.

It further demonstrated the alarming lack of squad depth and frustrating shortage of options off the bench for Mousinho at present. Granted, there are bodies around, but many are presently way below the necessary standard for the Championship. In the future maybe, but not now.

Lang was at his brilliant best against Coventry, the man who made a magnificent instant impact upon his south coast arrival - and refuses to slow down.

Back in January, it took him a mere 18 minutes to stamp his mark by netting on his Blues debut at Oxford United. The following match he registered on his Fratton Park bow in the 4-1 dismantling of Northampton to provide crucial impetus in their title success.

He’s still going too. On Saturday, Frank Lampard’s men took the lead in the third minute when Norman Bassette tapped home, yet inevitable concerns of a Derby repeat were thankfully unfounded.

Lang’s first - 11 minutes later - was teed up by Bishop after retrieving a corner, with his subsequent shot from the edge of the area somehow beating keeper Bradley Collins at his near post.

He then put Pompey into a 2-1 lead when Freddie Potts’ free-kick down the right was misjudged by Jay Dasilva, with Lang nipping in behind before firing home a fierce angled finish.

The hat-trick was completed on 48 minutes when he was allowed a free header to meet Potts’ left-wing corner, then the 4-1 victory was wrapped up after pouncing from close range after Collins had twice brilliantly kept out a Bishop first-time shot.

Transfer fees can buy you John Marquis, Denver Hume and Ellis Harrison. But there’s also Callum Lang. More please, Tornante.