‘He feels everything’: Portsmouth boss salutes Michael Doyle following set-piece flak
The finishes against Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town could prove to be defining goals in the Championship season, with corners the route to those efforts.
John Mousinho lauded the return of Pompey’s set-piece threat and the ‘big, big moments’ he hopes can define their season.
And Mousinho praised the influence of first team coach Michael Doyle, as he helped deliver some key goals in the Blues’ fight for survival.
Mousinho on Doyle: ‘He feels everything and puts himself under lot of pressure’
Doyle has faced flak this term with the League Two title winner detailed to orchestrate dead ball situations and Pompey showing weakness in defending those situations.
But some big moments have arrived from corners and free-kicks in recent weeks, with the late winner at Middlesbrough and Conor Shaughnessy’s header against Ipswich Town standout moments in the season.
Mousinho said: ‘I’m really pleased for Doyler, because he feels everything and he puts himself under a lot of pressure.
‘With attacking set-plays we’ve looked a lot more dangerous over the past six-to-eight weeks.
‘I think it’s two and two and four in four all together since QPR, if you add in the Norwich goal and second phase against Oxford when Doz scored.
‘With the goals against Middlesbrough and Ipswich they are big, big moments in games and moments which make the difference.
‘My take at the time when we were conceding goals was our set-up was right and we were getting the right information to the players.
‘We were probably a bit too weak in certain areas in terms of getting blocks, in terms of losing runners and not being aggressive enough.
‘Sometimes it boils down to personnel as well. Stick Shaughs (Shaughnessy) in the mix for attacking set-plays and he’ll stick his head on it.
‘There’s been a number of factors. If you take Shaughs out of the side you then have a different back four, and our back four hasn’t been the biggest.
‘Swanny (Swanson), Regan Poole, Connor Ogilvie and Terry (Devlin) performed very well, but if you take Conor Shaughnessy out of it that’s one less player for the opposition to mark. Conor Ogilvie is then picked up by their best marker, but if you get Shaughs and Madiodio (Dia) in the mix it has a knock-on effect.
Mousinho on renewed set-piece threat: ‘Aggression is the key’
‘It then means your bigger full-backs, wingers or six isn’t picked up by the bigger boys and that has a knock-on effect when there’s bigger players in the team.’
While personnel has made a significant difference to Pompey’s threat, Mousinho noted it’s the added aggression in particular which has been a big factor in his side’s recent success from corners and free-kicks.
He added: ‘We’ve managed to put the ball in the back of the net at crucial moments. It’s about convincing the lads that every time there’s a set play, every time there’s a corner, throw or free-kick, it’s a precious moment in the game and it’s not to be taken for granted.
‘So do your jobs right and ultimately, regardless of what you do, good delivery and aggression is the key.
‘That’s like it is with anything. You can put as much detail into it or our defensive shape and how we press. If you press aggressively and win your battles you give yourself half a chance in the game.’