'Best performance in a Portsmouth shirt for a long time': Boss hails popular player's welcome return to form
The former Manchester United man has made 93 appearances for the Blues since joining in July 2023
The Pompey favourite has roared back to his best, according to John Mousinho.
And after applauding Regan Poole for his finest performance of the season, the Blues’ head coach has called on the centre-half to maintain it.
Mousinho was delighted with Poole’s defensive showing in Saturday’s hard-fought 1-0 victory at Norwich.
The Wales international had fallen out of favour after being dropped from the side following the opening two games of the season, with Benjy Arthur and Madiodio Dia preferred to partner Conor Shaughnessy.
However, following injury to Arthur and Shaughnessy, Mousinho turned to Poole as the only remaining available central defender.
And since his comeback at Southampton, the 28-year-old has returned to the level of displays which saw him finish as runner-up in last season’s The News/Sports Mail Player of the Season.
‘Best performance in a Pompey shirt for a long time’
Poole told The News: ‘I thought Saturday was Regan’s best performance in a Pompey shirt for a long time, he was outstanding, I said that in the dressing room as well.
‘The team defended well, the back four defended brilliantly well, Regan and Jojo were magnificent. Regan was very good and appropriately ended up with the captain’s armband.
‘It was his best performance this season. Clearly I don’t think he had been playing well because I took him out of the side after the first two games - but he was great at Norwich.
‘It's lovely to have Regan back to where I know he can get to. Off the top of my head in terms of his performances this season, that was really good, his best.
‘Now he has to maintain that, that’s the same for the entire squad, but I think Regan is a player who will thrive off that confidence. He should have that going into the next few games.’
No injury let up for trip to Wolves
Nobody played more for Pompey last season than Poole, totalling 43 outings, while also emphatically proving he was well over his injury problems.
With Arthur and Shaughnessy currently still on the sidelines, he and Dia will continue as the centre-half partnership - and deservedly so following their outstanding Carrow Road showing.
Next on their gruelling schedule is tonight’s trip to Wolves (7.45pm), although the squad continues to be devastated by injury.
Bishop has now joined Shaughnessy, Arthur, Josh Murphy, Thomas Waddingham, Franco Umeh, Keshi Anderson, John Swift, Connor Ogilvie, Tayo Singerr, Mark Kosznovszky and Luke Brooke-Smith on the sidelines.
Certainly none of the walking wounded are expected to return in time for tonight’s Molineux visit, which may prompt Mousinho to boost squad numbers with youth, promoting from the Academy or utilising his three first-year pros.
‘It will be touch and go’
He added: ‘I don’t think we’ll have any more players back for Wolves.
‘We will see what a couple of those look like, but we’re looking at Waddingham and Murph for post-Millwall.
‘It will be touch and go for Saturday, but I don’t think we’ll see them before then. Maybe that free week from Millwall to Birmingham, because we can't afford any more injuries.’
Your Next Pompey Read: 'Running himself into the ground': Portsmouth boss addresses Marlon Pack concerns