The Portsmouth starting XI observation that raises concerns and will give Plymouth, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton & Co confidence

Apart from Colby Bishop’s goal, some top saves from keeper Josh Griffiths and the fact that WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury said hello to some Blues fans, there’s very few highlights that will have supporters reminiscing about their 2022-23 season trip to the Mazuma Stadium in years to come.

But before we put the 1-1 draw in a dark corner of our mind, never to be spoken about again, one worryingly pertinent point is worth mentioning.

A lot has, correctly, been made of Pompey’s injury situation in recent weeks – and Danny Cowley went into the game with Derek Adams’ side without Joe Rafferty, Louis Thompson, Michael Jacobs, Tom Lowery and Ronan Curtis.

Marlon Pack returned to the centre of midfield following a near month-long hamstring problem, which handed the Blues a massive boost.

That lack of game time over the past four weeks was evident as the former Cardiff and Bristol City ace struggled to reach the levels he’s previously shown since his return to Fratton Pak.

Yet his sheer presence will have lifted those around him and provided the psychological lift that many will have needed during a less-an-inspiring set of league results.

Pack’s involvement meant Cowley was also one step closer in fielding, what many would argue, is his best XI on paper.

Indeed, add Lowery and Rafferty to the team that started on Saturday – taking out Zak Swanson and Ryan Tunnicliffe – and there you have, arguably, the Blues’ strongest side struggling to break down the division’s third-worst performing team.

Told you it was, worrying!

Some could rightly disagree with that supposition, particularly given Josh Koroma’s drop in form, Owen Dale’s recent struggles to impact games, Dane Scarlett’s 10-match run without a goal, and Zak Swanson’s emergence at right-back.

Others might want to throw Wales midfielder Joe Morrell into the mix – a player who stood out for the Blues last season and is one of only two players at League One level jetting out to Qatar to play in the World Cup.

But before injuries really took hold of selections, there’s little doubt a team comprising Griffiths, Rafferty, Raggett, Robertson, Ogilvie, Dale, Pack, Lowery, Koroma, Bishop, Scarlett would have been Cowley’s go-to team.

Ten of that 11 started the Blues’ 2-2 against Plymouth on September 17, with Rafferty, by then, already nursing a groin problem.

With that in mind, it makes Saturday’s 1-1 at Morecambe and Pompey’s failure to make inroads on the teams above them even more frustrating.

You can forgive one or two players suffering a drop in form, being short of confidence, or simply not able to make an impact on any given day.

But with so many underperforming on the Lancashire coast when you are so close to your supposed best team, alarm bells start ringing!