'You can see' - Portsmouth legend spots key difference in Sheffield Wednesday display that will lead them to League One title

Guy Whittingham has credited the Sheffield Wednesday defence for the Owls’ 1-0 victory over Pompey at Fratton Park.
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The Blues legend – who also spent four-and-a-half-years at Hillsborough – believes the defensive superiority that Darren Moore’s side have been displaying all season was on full display at PO4 as the visitors got one over their hosts.

Despite enjoying the majority of the possession and mustering more shots than the League One leaders, Pompey were unable to properly test visiting keeper Cameron Dawson.

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Not even the 78th-minute sending off of Wednesday centre-back Dominic Irofa offered John Mousinho’s troops a proper glimpse of goal as the Owls recorded their 21st clean sheet in the division this term.

According to Whittingham, the Blues’ inability to break down the away side’s rock-solid defensive unit – plus their own defensive error – proved their on-doing.

Speaking to BBC Solent at the final whistle, the former striker said: ‘It was a good competitive game, a tight game, and poor defending from Portsmouth has been the one thing that has cost them.

‘But Sheffield Wednesday, defensively, you can see why they’ve got such a good record. They’re so hard to break down and Portsmouth weren’t able to do it today.

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‘(The Blues had) lots of possession, decent shots but they got blocked or went wide.

Pompey duo Joe Pigott and Joe Rafferty are tightly marked by the Sheffield Wednesday defence during Saturday's game at Fratton ParkPompey duo Joe Pigott and Joe Rafferty are tightly marked by the Sheffield Wednesday defence during Saturday's game at Fratton Park
Pompey duo Joe Pigott and Joe Rafferty are tightly marked by the Sheffield Wednesday defence during Saturday's game at Fratton Park

‘Look, Sheffield Wednesday have conceded 22 goals in 34 games, and three (of them) was the first game of the season, so 19 goals in 33 games!

‘And you could see why this afternoon. Their three centre-halves were very solid for balls coming into the box, there were recovery runs from midfield players and Barry Bannon – no wonder they love him, the Sheffield Wednesday fans. He was all over the place.

‘Pompey couldn’t force the keeper into any saves because they couldn’t create that one chance that would give them an opportunity to score.

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‘They kept putting decent balls into the box but Sheffield Wednesday just defended well and didn’t allow (Colby) Bishop to have a free header.

‘A couple of times when you thought someone would get on the end of something, and it was a decent cross, there was always a Sheffield Wednesday player there to clear it, to block it. You just didn’t get that drop down that fell for a Portsmouth player.’

The defeat sees Mousinho’s side remain 10th in the table, but drop to 12 points off the top six.

It’s a different story for Wednesday, though, who are five points clear at the top following Plymouth’s 3-0 loss at Barnsley.

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Whittingham, who scored 25 goals in 130 appearances for the Owls, now believes the Hillsborough outfit’s return to the Championship is inevitable.

He added: ‘Without a doubt (they’ll win the league). I can’t see anybody catching them. They’re on a great run – and even if they drop a few points, they’ve got games in hand still.’