Pragmatic Kenny Jackett shows Portsmouth have more important goals - plus the tackle on Arsenal ace that reinforces defender's improvement

The ultimate pragmatic decision

The hysteria Pompey’s starting XI caused told you everything.

Six changes were made in total, with key players in skipper Tom Naylor and winger Ronan Curtis rested.

It was a decision that split supporters, with some ruing the fact the Blues had surrendered any chance of pulling off an FA Cup giant-killing with a national focus on the game.

On the other hand, others understood the reasons behind that call, with some, in fact, saluting Kenny Jackett’s rationale.

What the Fratton faithful have got to know over the best part of three seasons is the boss is a pragmatist – and this was the ultimate pragmatic team selection with the bigger picture in mind.

League One promotion is by far the main priority, and this year the Blues have an outstanding opportunity to achieve their goal.

It was undoubtedly disappointing to go out of the Cup, especially as Arsenal themselves made wholesale changes.

But imagine if Curtis had been on the end of a tackle like Lucas Torreira and was ruled out for the rest of the season.

Or, if Naylor went to ground ominously clutching his hamstring heading into crunch games with Peterborough and Fleetwood.

Pompey have gone further in the competition than most hoped for when they went to Harrogate Town in November.

More than £1m has been added to the coffers, which will come in handy during the summer transfer window.

The promised land of the Championship is what the Blues set out to reach at the start of the season.

With two months and 11 games remaining, that can now be the full focus – irrespective of another trip to Wembley to face Salford in the EFL Trophy final.

Bolts up

It was a challenge that sent swathes of Gooners into meltdown on social media.

But any Arsenal player or fan who felt James Bolton’s 12th-minute tackle on Lucas Torreria was an illegal one is just plain wrong.

Yes, it was robust and unfortunately the Uruguay international left Fratton Park on crutches with his leg in a brace.

But Bolton's challenge was as clean and fair as they come.

His timing was perfect and helped reinforce the game plan that Pompey were not there simply to make up the numbers against heavyweight opponents from the Premier League.

The crunching interception typified Bolton's performance.

Thrown in to play as a makeshift centre-back, after only finding out hours earlier of his role, the former Shrewsbury man enjoyed a fine evening next to Christian Burgess – who yet again proved another absolute rock.

Certainly, Bolton's gone about things the right way and proved his doubters wrong, having suffered setbacks in the formative stages of his PO4 career.

Now with a sustained run of games under his belt, the ex-Stoke schoolboy is underlining why he was brought to the club and given a three-year deal.

A case ofdéjà vu

Only six months ago Pompey had a Premier League side in south-coast rivals Southampton against the ropes when they met in the Carabao Cup.

Unfortunately, the Blues couldn’t make their pressure count that night.

Meanwhile, Southampton were ruthless when opportunities arose – and eventually ran out 4-0 victors.

With that in mind, there was definitely a whiff of déjà vu in the first period against Arsenal, with Kenny Jackett's men more than matching the heavy favourites.

Marcus Harness was Pompey's chief threat, with his close touch and low centre of gravity causing the Gunners plenty of problems.

But the one thing the lively winger lacked was that bit of end product when he got into dangerous positions.

The best chance that Pompey conjured up fell to Gareth Evans.

The skipper for the evening timed his run into the opposition six-yard box to perfection, but headed the chance created wide.

That’s when it became palpable the Blues were going to be punished for their profligacy.

Arsenal’s opener perhaps could have been better, with Reiss Nelson afforded too much space down the flank.

But his cross, plus the finish from Sokratis Papastathopoulos, were both outstanding.

Nelson, who has eight goals in as many England under-21 appearances, again highlighted why he's one of the country's brightest young talents when he set up Eddie Nketiah for the visitors’ second.

He put the afterburners on to beat Steve Seddon and whip in a ball for his team-mate to put the tie to bed with 39 minutes remaining.