'We are falling apart': Danny Cowley on dwindling Portsmouth squad numbers after fresh double setback

Pompey boss Danny Cowley admitted his squad is ‘falling apart’ after yet more setbacks.
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Meanwhile, Michael Jacobs is the latest to be sidelined by the sickness bug which has swept through the Pompey dressing room, joining Joe Morrell.

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Last week, Louis Thompson collected a hip problem to rule him out for up to four weeks.

As a consequence, Academy trio Harry Jewitt-White, Harvey Hughes and Dan Gifford were named on the bench against the Owls at Fratton Park, yet were unused.

Cowley told The News: ‘Michael came in on Monday and looked really rough, he wanted to train to try to flush it from the system.

‘Then he phoned me about 9am on Tuesday, he must have been up all night, he had a really high temperature and a high fever.

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‘We tested them all for Covid and they have all come back negative. Which is good.

Danny Cowley urges on his Pompey players in last night's goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImagesDanny Cowley urges on his Pompey players in last night's goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Danny Cowley urges on his Pompey players in last night's goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages

‘We’ve even lost Dan Ashby, our analyst, he’s not been in for the last 7-8 days, so I couldn’t tell you if they were penalties or not against Sheffield Wednesday because I haven't had the chance to look at them back.

‘That’s just been where we have been as a group, we are falling apart – but the ones we do have available really stepped up last night.’

Morrell, arguably Pompey’s best midfielder, has now missed two matches, having also been absent from Saturday’s FA Cup elimination at the hands of Harrogate Town.

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The Blues are desperate for him to return to contention for this weekend’s visit of Morecambe to Fratton Park.

But, as it stands, Cowley is unable to pinpoint when Morrell’s illness will have passed.

Pompey’s head coach added: ‘With Joe we are not sure, it takes a lot for him to be unavailable.’

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