Portsmouth boss lifts lid on key reason behind surprise tactical change in QPR humiliation
John Mousinho has explained why he opted to make a key alteration during Pompey’s dismal defeat to QPR on Saturday.
John Mousinho has admitted he opted to utilise Ebou Adams in a more attacking role against QPR in a bid to find an answer to Pompey’s goalscoring woes.
It was an afternoon to forget for the Blues in west London, who were dismantled 6-1 by the mid-table Rs as the relegation battle took a further twist.
While it was presumed the 30-year-old would slot in behind Jacob Brown in the forward line and Adams resuming his partnership with Marlon Pack in the engine room, the ex-Derby County man instead occupied the number 10 role.
Although the Blues found themselves 3-0 down after just 29 minutes at Loftus Road, Mousinho opted to stick with the original game-plan, with Adams eventually slotting back into the deep-lying role as the head coach rolled the changes on the hour mark.
Goals continue to be a major issue for Pompey, having netted just four goals in their previous six matches, despite totalling 102 shots during that time.
Pompey boss explains shock change at QPR
With Swift, Conor Chaplin, Jacob Brown and Adrian Segecic all tried and tested over recent weeks in the number 10 role, Adams became the latest figure in an attempt to answer their goalscoring woes.
And Mousinho explained the decision behind the tactical switch was in a bid to utilise the 30-year-old’s energy to unlock QPR’s defences.
‘I think where we’ve struggled recently is scoring goals, obviously,’ he told BBC Radio Solent after the 6-1 defeat to QPR on Saturday afternoon.
‘We’ve had a lot of control in games where we’ve probably felt like we’ve had a lot of possession, we’ve dropped down, we connect really well and get the ball into the right areas but there’s no real impetus of getting into the box.
‘I feel Ebou gives us that energy to stretch in behind and to really connect with the centre forward. So that’s why we did what we did.’
Pompey legend’s take on surprise tactical switch at QPR
Whittingham questioned the decision to switch the pair around, with Swift and Adams both playing out of position at Loftus Road.
And the former striker was left puzzled by Mousinho’s call not to revert the midfield duo, despite finding themselves 3-0 down on the half-hour mark.
Speaking after the game, he said: ‘We said it during commentary, Ebou Adams playing as the No. 10 and Swift as the deeper midfielder alongside Pack, you've got no legs there.
‘You know, Pack and Ebou Adams in that, I wouldn't say defensive role, but the more sitting midfielder roles seem to work pretty well.
‘But, today, it was poor, poor, it really was. And Ebou Adams, for all his effort and his gusto and everything he puts into the game, isn't a No. 10.
‘That's a big decision made by John Mousinho which didn't pay off in my eyes today. And it's not very often that you say that about John Mousinho, his decision to play a certain way, and he kept it that way as well.
‘We were expecting it to change, but it didn't.’
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