Ryan Williams: Portsmouth aren't pretty to watch - and we don't care

Ryan Williams admitted Pompey’s promotion charge isn’t pretty to watch.
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But the winger vowed he doesn’t care if the ‘effective’ play being produced by Kenny Jackett’s side isn’t easy on the eye.

Williams believes all that matters this season is delivering promotion and the Blues are producing a brand of football which is capable of achieving that ambition.

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Pompey face a rival to reach the Championship tonight as they bid to make it 10 wins on the bounce against Coventry.

The Sky Blues are unbeaten in 12 games but it’s been an almost perfect start to 2020 for Jackett’s men with nine wins and a draw - and just two losses in 24 in all competitions.

Williams accepted it may not be free-flowing football for his side, but it’s hard work which is delivering the results which are needed.

He said: ‘We do what we’re good at, but we’re not exactly unbelievably pretty on the eye.

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‘But it’s effective football. Everyone knows what they need to do, everyone is working hard and it works - we’re winning games.

Ryan Williams believes Pompey's players are working for each other. (Photo by Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com)Ryan Williams believes Pompey's players are working for each other. (Photo by Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com)
Ryan Williams believes Pompey's players are working for each other. (Photo by Daniel Chesterton/phcimages.com)

‘Saturday was a typical away performance, the same as Lincoln. Two similar games.

‘It’s effective football. That’s what it is.

‘I’m not bothered. I’d rather win the games than be told we’re playing unbelievable football.

‘We played Rochdale and they absolutely popped us off the park. You’d like to play that kind of football but, in my experience, it’s not really sustainable in this league.

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‘My experience is getting promotion out of the league tells me the first thing you have to do is work hard.

‘That’s what we do very well: we work hard and we take our chances. That’s why we are where we are.’

Jackett has dealt with criticism from supporters this term over his style and play and been tagged as a ‘long-ball manager’ at times through his career.

Williams doesn’t believe his manager will be losing any sleep about that, however, a stance the Australian international echoes himself.

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He added: ‘I don’t think he’d care too much about being pigeonholed in any way. There’s not a lot you see that really affects him.

‘If we get pigeon-holed as that (being a long-ball side) and end up in first or second and get automatic promotion, no one will care.

‘You want to be efficient and make the most of what we have. ‘No one will care how you go up as long as you go up.’

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