Verdict: Only six points will do from next two Portsmouth games

That's the verdict of Blues writer, Jordan Cross, as Kenny Jackett's men aim to arrest a run of five league games without a win at Southend.

Cross feels it's imperative Pompey now start to show they have the capability to reach the Championship this term.

There's a new look to Jackett's side with six January arrivals and five departures, and the task for the manager is to quickly mould them into a cohesive unit.

Speaking to Will Rooney in the latest Pompey Talk, Cross feels that now has to be witnessed as the side go to Roots Hall.

He said: 'It needs to be six points (from the next two games).

'The press were speaking this week and one member said it needs to be four points from the next two games. We said it needs to be six.

'If Pompey are to show the minerals to go up, that's what it needs to be.

'Perhaps you could say seven out of nine with Barnsley being the third game in that spell. Even if you'd really want nine, you could see that.

'Going to Southend, who are a team struggling a bit a the moment, with Bristol Rovers being the game in hand on Tuesday, Pompey have to deliver a maximum return.

'That's got to be the ambition and they need to start looking like they can pull in the gap, or even keep pace with their rivals.

'So it's a maximum return needed from the next two games.'

Jackett has branded the run of five games in 15 days starting tomorrow as 'season defining'.

Cross feels that the run will decide if it's automatic promotion or the play-offs which are the focus at the end of the period.

He added: 'Kenny Jackett is not a man for hyperbole. He's a very level-headed man.

'So for him to call the run of five games in 15 days “season defining” shows that it is in terms of whether Pompey spend the final 10 games looking at automatic promotion or trying to secure a play-off spot.'