What we learnt from Pompey 4 Mansfield 0

Things looking Rosey for midfielder

Red cards change matches – you only need to look at Saturday’s game to see that.

But dismissals can also change the fortune of players’ seasons as others are given a chance to fill their boots.

And given Danny Rose’s man-of-the-match display on Saturday, Amine Linganzi’s rash two-footed tackle at Cambridge could be one he is left to lament for a fair while yet.

Linganzi has one more game to serve of his three-match ban.

But it will take a drastic turn of events for the Congolese midfielder to walk straight back into the starting XI.

That’s after Rose’s best display yet in a Blues shirt.

On Saturday, he was the key cog in Pompey’s wheel, seemingly on a one-man mission to cover every blade of grass on the Fratton Park pitch.

If he wasn’t starting Pompey attacks – breaking up play on the edge of his own box – he was on the end of them after making lung-busting runs to the edge of the area.

On a weekend of disagreements, my colleague Neil Allen and Pompey fans alike were united in voting him the best player on the pitch.

And with the added attacking impetus he gives, with skipper Michael Doyle and Linganzi both more adept in the sitting role, the more his importance to the team grows.

Absent Chaplin

On a match-day, my duties include providing minute-by-minute updates for our live runner and writing an on-the-whistle report for portsmouth.co.uk.

One thing I noticed at half-time, though, when I was taking stock of my jottings was the unusual absence of Conor Chaplin’s name.

A focal point of Pompey’s attack, the homegrown talent was rather shackled in the opening 45 minutes.

Of course, the visitors’ defence deserves it share of credit for that.

But the number of long, aimless balls hit up to the 5ft 5in forward did not exactly help his cause.

To me it seemed a little nonsensical to see Chaplin chasing after overhit passes and contesting a number of aerial challenges with opposing players who stood close to a foot taller than him.

Chaplin came more into the game in the second period, showing his ability with ball at his feet –although missing a sitter!

But quite why it took so long for the Blues to realise he is at his most dangerous in that capacity is beyond me.

On his day, Chaplin can be the best in this division.

But if you play long and direct to him then he may as well be any other striker.

Give him the ball to feet and work around him and Pompey possess a player who can fire them to promotion.