Why John Mousinho is convinced he can finally rediscover Portsmouth's missing £2m player
The Swansea loanee has totalled 16 minutes in three matches since the Sheffield Wednesday defeat
Just 13 months ago, Florian Bianchini was a £2m player - and John Mousinho is convinced he can bring him back.
It has been a disappointing introduction to the Fratton faithful as the Frenchman struggles to find his feet following a demoralising first season with Swansea after his August 2024 move from Bastia.
Having started four of Pompey’s opening six Championship matches, he has now found himself dumped on the bench since the dismal defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
Indeed, Bianchini was unused in both Fratton Park fixtures against Watford and Middlesbrough before the international break as Mousinho’s men picked up their form and collected four points.
But Pompey’s boss has every faith he can help the 24-year-old to bounce back and prove his worth in the English game.
Portsmouth boss: His work-rate is exceptional
Mousinho told The News: ‘We signed Flo as a winger and I see him as a winger.
‘It’s probably part of the process with Flo, he has played so much as a centre-forward that we’re trying to get him back to his best where he was playing for Bastia when he signed for Swansea for a really good fee.
‘He was a very, very dangerous player out in France and we want to try to get him back there. He did it at times for Swansea last year, but mainly played as a centre-forward. He can definitely play there, but we think he’s more of a winger.
‘You want him to hit the ground running, but it's just not always possible. Flo has had some really positive impact so far in terms of the minutes he has shown on the football pitch and, ultimately, he’d probably want a little more final product from some of the chances he’s had and a little more involvement in certain parts of the game.
‘He is still young and learning the system, which is very, very different to how he would have been coached last year. It’s a completely different way of playing and that takes a bit of adjusting to. I’m sure he’ll get going when he’s given time.
‘Flo has always been involved in impactful moments in games, he’d have wanted to put his chance away against Oxford, his chance away against West Brom, probably wanted to have created a bit more when we got the ball to him against Sheffield Wednesday.
‘But he’s always in and around. His work-rate is exceptional, he’s never let the side down, it’s just getting that quality in the final third. I think we can really improve him.’
Minhyeok Yang leading by example
Mousinho believes Bianchini can find encouragement from the re-emergence of Minhyeok Yang, who hadn’t featured for five matches at one stage.
Subsequently, the Spurs loanee was handed his full Pompey debut at Ipswich and remained in the side, with a goal against Watford and then the winner over Middlesbrough.
Certainly the 19-year-old’s much-improved displays in successive Fratton Park fixtures have now won over supporters previously unconvinced over his talents.
‘It changes very, very quickly’
Mousinho added: ‘Flo understands, that’s just part of the squad and part of the way we are doing things at the moment. It changes very, very quickly and hopefully the lads see that.
‘Minhyeok played for 23 minutes against Oxford United and there were five games played between that and Ipswich when he didn’t play a minute. Now we’re praising him because of his performances.
‘Terry (Devlin) hadn't appeared for a couple of league games either, yet came off the bench in the last two.
‘We need players to be ready, we need players to be at it, we need players to be disappointed when they’re dropped. Ultimately, we want them ready when they come back in.’