Portsmouth boss John Mousinho eyeing immediate first-team recall for axed striker after Derby 'reset'
The striker was dropped against Derby after three goals in 34 games this season
John Mousinho is targeting Colby Bishop’s first-team recall after opting for a ‘reset’ against Derby.
On Tuesday night, the Blues boss dropped the striker for only the third time this season amid his ongoing goal struggles and plummeting form.
Instead Jacob Brown was preferred in the lone striker role in a match which finished in a 1-0 defeat, representing four straight Fratton Park losses for Pompey.
Regardless of Bishop’s omission, the Blues’ alarming scoring problems remained against John Eustace’s side, once again struggling in the final third for creativity and a potent threat.
Even Bishop’s introduction in the 77th minute couldn’t provide the goal spark as relegation concerns deepened following one point from their last five fixtures.
Now Mousinho is eyeing handing the 29-year-old an instant return to the starting XI at QPR on Saturday.
‘It has probably been a bit unfair on Colby’
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘It’s a time now in the season where Colby is probably due a reset in terms of building his confidence back up and getting him back into a spot where he can play as well as we know he can play.
‘Off the back of Brownie scoring against Swansea and his assist at Blackburn, it was just a good opportunity to play him there.
‘When I say reset, I expect Colby to compete again for a starting spot at the weekend. I just think with him there’s been so much pressure and expectation over the past three-and-a-half years since he’s been at the football club to score goals, to lead the line, to do everything.
‘He’s never been afforded that opportunity for someone else to come in and take the burden off him a bit. It has probably been a bit unfair on Colby this season in terms of what we’ve expected him to do without really changing him.
‘Colby is naturally a confident lad, but there's that confidence and there’s that football confidence. Ultimately, if you are scoring goals, a lot of things go for you - but that just hasn’t happened for Colby this season.’
One league goal from open play this season
Bishop has scored three goals in 35 appearances this season, of which one has come from open play in the Championship - West Brom in August.
Pompey’s bench against Derby was boosted by the return of Makenzie Kirk after missing five matches with an Achilles injury, providing another much-needed attacking option.
He was introduced in the 83rd minute for Brown, thereby working in tandem with Bishop in the push for a leveller against the Rams which would never arrive.
Between Bishop, Brown, Kirk and Thomas Waddingham, the strikers have plundered a total of just five goals this season, reflecting Pompey’s primary problem.
Although, with nine games remaining to keep Pompey in the Championship, Mousinho remains confident that Bishop can still have a huge say in their relegation battle.
He added: ‘I know he’s going to turn it around, I know he’s going to score goals between now and the end of the season and pop up with some crucial ones.
‘Obviously, the sooner that happens the better.’
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