‘Goals and assists’: what Portsmouth are getting as they unveil key new January signing

There’s an Alex Robertson-sized hole in Pompey’s promotion aspirations.

So there’s certainly a temptation to view Myles Peart-Harris as the successor to the outstanding Aussie, after his season-ending hamstring injury.

Eyes are going to be on the 20-year-old, who has completed his move to Fratton Park from Premier League Brentford for the rest of the season.

For a player who bills himself a ‘powerful box-to-box midfielder’, the yardstick is likely to be the powerful box-to-box midfielder who left such a wonderful indentation on the Blues’ 2023-24 campaign.

But Pompey are getting a player who is very much his own man. Anyone thinking Alex Robertson 2.0 is on his way are off the mark.

Robertson may have arrived at Fratton Park as an eight or more probably a 10, within the framework of the 4-2-3-1 formation used more often than not by John Mousinho this season.

The 20-year-old undergoes the long rehab from surgery for a grade three hamstring tear with Pompey staff viewing the number six position, as the one he was best suited to. It’s certainly where he had some of his most impressive showings in royal blue.

The number six position, however, is not one you’ll likely be seeing Peart-Harris operating in anytime soon.

A pacy and tricky customer who likes to drive at defences, the Londoner has spent most of his young career operating in a variety of roles at the front end of the pitch.

In fact, he finished last season playing as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation in a Forest Green side who finished 19 points from safety and - 17 points from their nearest rival at the foot of League One.

Peart-Harris still managed to grab six goals and three assists at New Lawn and opted to stay loyal to a side who looked condemned for much of the campaign, despite having opportunities to go elsewhere at this stage of the season.

Operating as a left or right-sided eight centrally or 10 were positions occupied in 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations. Pompey midfielder Ben Stevenson was a central partner at times, with Forest Green also utilising a back three.

This season, Peart-Harris has picked up Premier League minutes for Brentford. Playing on the left of an attacking trio in a 4-3-3 as well as right wing, left wing-back and as a central striker have been the roles taken up in 83 minutes of Premier League and FA Cup football.

All of the positions previously mentioned were occupied in his football education at Chelsea before his £1.5m move across west London, with Peart-Harris acquainted with assistant head coach Jon Harley from their time together at Cobham.

A berth in one of the three advanced positions behind Colby Bishop is the most likely position for the second new face this month, with his heatmap showing a tendency to take up positions on the right and slightly more frequently on the left.

His career stats show an average 60 actions per 90 minutes with a 53 per cent success rate. Peart-Harris also shows an average 0.19 goals, 0.15 assists, 1.14 shots and an xG of 0.18 per 90 minutes.

Other figures include an average 27.24 passes (78.5 per cent accuracy), 1.58 long passes (50 per cent accuracy), 1.22 crosses (27.7 per cent accuracy), 2.79 dribbles (57.7 per cent successful), 21.56 duels (42.1 per cent won) and 2.55 interceptions per 90.

How that translates in simple terms is best left up to the man himself to describe.

‘I like to get goals and assists,’ Peart-Harris has previously said of his game. 'I’m very powerful with and without the ball, creative and a powerful runner. I like to be on the ball and express myself.’