‘We let ourselves down’: What Championship can expect from new-look Portsmouth as Leicester City wait
Pompey won just three times away from home in the Championship last season.
John Mousinho believes Pompey’s away-day miseries are behind them.
And the head coach has lifted the lid over key adjustments, which will make his side more competitive on their travels.
The Blues struggled to adapt to the Championship in the opening months following their return last season, earning just one win in the first 14 games.
Although results at Fratton Park picked up, victories on the road were hard to come by, with Pompey winning just three times on the road throughout the season.
After hugely disappointing defeats to Stoke City, West Brom, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle and more, displays away from home did improve during the back end of the campaign as they fought to avoid relegation.
The Blues have already claimed one win on the travels this term against Oxford United as well as hard-fought draws against West Brom and Southampton, while the only defeat came in a close contest with Ipswich Town.
And Mousinho believes key adjustments to the Pompey’s away-day preparations along with a change in play style will make his troops a harder team to beat away from home.
Why Pompey will be harder to beat on the road
He told The News: ‘The West Brom game was the last time we lost a game away from home by more than a goal.
‘We still lost too many games by the odd goal here and there - Coventry, Millwall, Preston - they were really disappointing because we played so well in a couple of those games, maybe not at Millwall. But at Preston and Coventry we were outstanding, forced Preston into four changes at half-time, couldn’t get the result so I thought that was building.
‘I thought the away form had got better. We had beat Oxford and was coming by the time we beat Norwich, it did feel like that was just everything coming together on the day and was a really positive result for us. We even managed to take a point at Hillsborough when we didn’t play particularly well and Sheffield Wednesday were better than us.
‘A big part of that was the team’s transformation. We got too used to going away to places last year, losing heavily and then having to rely on our home form the next Saturday. We did it well enough to stay in the league but it wasn’t a pleasant experience.
‘There’s a number of things (which have changed). We’ve tweaked a lot of things practically but also tactically. Little things how we approach away games with training in the week, how we approach away games with travel and preparation but probably more importantly is that change in playing style.
‘I think being more practical away from home and adjusting to how sides play on bigger pitches with what’s just a completely different set of circumstances you’re faced with. Regardless of what it should be like, football is just played on a pitch with 11 players but for some reason home and away are very different.’
What to expect from Leicester City
The tough away days continue on Saturday, with the Blues making the trip to third-placed Leicester City.
And Mousinho is adamant Pompey’s fresh approach will once again be put to the test by a side who were operating in the Premier League last season.
‘We’re facing a very, very good side. We’re facing a team, despite the lack of incomings, littered with talent which was signed for the Premier League. We will have to be right at it and we will have to be competitive.
‘One thing away from home last year against some of the big boys we were but it was against some of the other sides which we let ourselves down.
‘We have to take confidence from the fact that we took a point at Southampton, we took a point against West Brom, we lost 2-1 to Ipswich in what I thought was a disappointing performance because we didn’t get going but we were okay.
‘We should take all of those positives and think we are not a million miles away but we do need to get better in certain areas and are competing with some of the big boys in the league.’