Kusini Yengi - Where it went wrong for popular Portsmouth striker at Fratton Park

Roll back the clock to this time last year and no-one could honestly have predicted the situation Kusini Yengi finds himself in today.

Twelve months ago, Pompey’s popular Aussie striker was being held aloft at Fratton Park as a hero after playing a key role in the Blues’ League One title-winning season.

With nine goals in 26 league outings during his maiden campaign in English football, many were predicting the powerful, dynamic and physical frontman to be the focal point of Pompey’s attack in the Championship, a prized asset destined to lead John Mousinho’s side into an exciting new era.

Unfortunately, those forecasts never came to fruition. Yengi’s season was impacted by three separate, costly injuries - two of which were picked up on international duty. And as the Blues celebrated remaining a Championship club after a difficult start to second-tier life, all the 26-year-old had to show for it was 14 meagre league appearances and a goal tally of zero.

That presented Pompey boss John Mousinho with a difficult decision to make as thoughts turned to the end-of-season retained list. Yet you’ll find it hard to find someone who disagrees with his conclusion that the Blues are best placed to plan for the future without Yengi in tow.

With that in mind, The News’ Jordan Cross was asked the simple question in the latest episode of Pompey Talk: Where did it all go wrong for Kusini Yengi? Here’s how he responded…

Where did it go wrong for Kusini Yengi at Pompey?

‘I think it was maybe a perfect storm of different circumstances,’ said Cross.

‘Remember, Kusini Yengi was starting at Leeds (on the opening day of the season), he was going to go into that game (as the main striker), he was leading the line.

‘Then he just didn't get going. He got the groin injury. He then had a season impacted by a knee injury he picked up on international duty, which I don't think helped him with the supporters.

‘I think the fact that he's gone away… the momentum was looking there at certain times, it was arriving, and then he'd go away on international duty. There were questions asked about players going halfway across the world and coming back again and whether that had an impact on things?

‘It wasn't great optics to supporters and I get that, but what was he supposed to do? I'd want to represent my country if I was an international, I'm sure most of us would. So I think that's a little bit harsh, but he just didn't get going for that (reason).

‘I also think it's fair criticism when fans talked about his work rate at times. Whether his style of play married with the switch that John Mousinho put in, that played such a big role in keeping Pompey in the division - the high press and the high distances covered - I don't think we saw that too much from Kusini.

Kusini Yengi’s Pompey stats

‘That was a frustration for me and Plymouth away was one that really got to me, where he's got everything in his locker, has every club in the golf bag to be a great number nine in the Championship.

‘You see balls coming up around his shoulders and he's not controlling it, he's not getting his body behind it, it whizzes past him and the defenders are eating them up. He's got to be doing more and it was infuriating to see that at times.

‘That was one for me and I know that was echoed within the Pompey camp as well. I know John Mousinho was frustrated with him at Preston, that was a cause of consternation as well.

‘Then, after that, he didn't make the final squads, which I think you can draw your own conclusions about that.

‘You can talk about Zak Swanson and the questions about how robust he was (when there were doubts about his Pompey future last summer).

‘He answered that to a decent degree this season, but Kusini hasn't. We needed to see that he was more robust and could get a run of games as well.’

This season’s Kusini Yengi ‘simply wasn’t good enough’

Cross added Yengi simply wasn’t good enough at Championship level.

He said: ‘Kusini didn't step up this season. It wasn't good enough. There were reasons for that, and you can be critical of that, but we didn't see the best of Kusini Yengi this season.

‘He was capable of more.

‘Whether he could step up as part of John Mousinho’s side in the Championship is debatable, but he's got more in his locker than what he showed.

‘You don't go from taking out probably the two best players, the best defenders in League One in Ricardo Santos and Ronnie Edwards twice (if you haven’t got something about you)

‘You don't do that if you don’t have capability at Championship level. ‘I’m frustrated he didn't reach it (that level). It’s disappointing, but a parting of ways was understandable, and we move on.’

Pompey Talk is available to watch in full on Freeview channel 262.

For your next Pompey read: The 25 players still contracted at Portsmouth next season - and when deals expire