Portsmouth boss reveals Callum Lang’s level of Millwall involvement as injury return’s given green light
The key Pompey attacker is back against Millwall after three months out - John Mousinho gives insight into the minutes Callum Lang can produce on his Championship return.
Callum Lang is ready to be considered for up to ‘50 or 55 minutes’ of action on his injury comeback.
And the Pompey boss now has to consider whether his key attacker is best utilised starting or impacting the Millwall clash from the bench, as his Championship return is given the green light.
Mousinho on Lang: ‘May have to beshort burst - 50 or 55 minutes’
Lang is available for selection this Saturday, as he makes his return from three months out after hamstring surgery.
The 27-year-old’s presence will be a big boost for John Mousinho’s side, as they bid to arrest a run of a single league win in 11 outings at Fratton Park.
The Wigan signing is joining Adrian Segecic and Nico Schmid in a triple fitness fillip for Pompey, as their fitness woes show signs of easing. It’s Lang who eyes will be keenly on, however, as Mousinho explained his thinking over the dynamo’s level of involvement.
He said: ‘There’s no managing the way Langy plays because he will go out and give 100 per cent every time.
‘We need to make sure he’s properly at it, because that’s how he plays and how he plays at his best. He will go out and tear around, so it’s up to us to tell him not to do anything differently but manage it in terms of minutes.
‘If he does start it may have to be a short burst, like 50 or 55 minutes. If he does come off the bench it will need to be something similar. We won’t bring him on if he’s going to pick up an injury after five minutes.
‘So it’s managing that gametime, but he’s in very good nick and ready to go.’
Pompey boss: ‘It gives us more strength in depth’
With Pompey’s injury issues focussed on attacking areas there will natural hopes the likes of Segecic and Lang can help solve a lack of sufficient goal threat, with Mousinho’s side the division’s second lowest scorers.
Mousinho added: ‘It gives us more strength in depth, there’s a huge amount we can do in terms of selection now. The area we’ve been a little bit lacking this season has been across that front line.
‘In terms of the injuries we’ve picked up, Segs, Langy, Franco (Umeh), Harvey (Blair), Murph for a lot of the season, we haven’t been able to get anything flowing at the top end of the pitch.
‘I know we conceded three against Hull and four against Birmingham, defensively we’ve been pretty good apart from that.
‘It’s been putting the ball in the net, that’s something we need to change and be a lot better at.
‘There’s been players who have been fit, too, who we could demand a bit more of. With all those things coming back into fold it gives us a big boost.
‘Ultimately players returning from injury gives us more options and more firepower going forward.
‘If they perform well, it will give everyone a lift. Whether it’s players coming back from injury and those big names coming back, or another player stepping up - it’s good performances and results which give everyone a lift.’