'I wasn't expecting that': Portsmouth boss on why he's surprised at Luton man's outstanding Fratton Park impact
The pacy winger made 12 league starts for Luton this season before his Fratton Park switch
If some of the Fratton faithful have been surprised by Millenic Alli’s instant Pompey impact, you’re in fine company - John Mousinho has too.
While the Blues boss is undoubtedly an admirer of the 25-year-old’s attacking talents, even he couldn’t have foreseen the impressive consistency of performances to date.
Despite not making a Luton squad since December 13, Alli was thrown into an injury-ravaged Blues side and asked to start three matches in eight days following his Fratton Park arrival.
The response was startling, with the loanee injecting pace, directness and skill to the left wing, helping Pompey collect five points in the process.
And while there were plenty of doubters over the capture of Alli from a League One side, it has been a hugely encouraging start to life on the south coast.
‘I didn’t think he’d have the output he’s had’
Mousinho told The News: ‘Milli has come in and started three games, which I wouldn’t have anticipated if you had asked me before he came in.
‘We judged him on his performances for Exeter over a consistent period and then his performances for Luton in the Championship last season.
‘He has been stop-start this year, in and out of a Luton side which have changed their manager as well, so that has been difficult.
‘So we looked at the body of work he’d done at the back end of last season when he came into a struggling Luton side which eventually got relegated - and he was very, very effective at the level. So we thought he was well worth a look.
‘I didn’t think he would be able to have the output he’s had over the first week because, although he has kept himself in good nick and trained well, he hasn’t started three games for a long, long time in a week.
‘Some of the glimpses of skill, pace and power we did expect, there’s a reason why we brought him in. I just didn’t think he would show the levels of consistency he has shown.
‘It’s what I like from wingers, we’ve got plenty of solidity underneath that, we want to get the ball wide to wide players and, for want of a better phrase, to get bums off seats!’
12 League One starts for Luton this season
Alli started 12 league matches for Luton this season, although just two have come since October 18, when the Hatters lost 2-0 at home to Mansfield.
Yet Alli had previously started six Championship games at the end of the 2024-25 season, after arriving from the Grecians in January 2025, and caught the eye despite the Hatters’ relegation.
And it’s that form which convinced Pompey to sign the attacker on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Mousinho added: ‘Considering Milli signed a couple of days before we played Sheffield Wednesday, his impact has been really impressive.
‘Physically, technically, he’s getting the press, he looks like he’s a player who is enjoying his football as well, so I’m really pleased.’