Criticism for John Mousinho after Portsmouth 'missed opportunity' against Southampton
Pompey went down to a 1-0 defeat at Southampton despite playing with a one-man advantage for the entire second half at St Mary’s
John Mousinho has been told he ‘missed an opportunity’ to get something out of Sunday’s derby against Southampton.
Criticism has come the Blues boss’s way after his side failed to find an equaliser against 10-man Southampton, who played the entire second half at St Mary’s with a player less following Cam Bragg’s 44th-minute sending off.
According to Sky Sports pundits Billy Sharp and Jobi McAnuff, Pompey’s decision-making and lack of quality in the final third really let them down against their fierce rivals.
Meanwhile, the head coach’s decision to keep faith with his preferred 4-2-3-1 system amid five substitutions and a reluctance to revert to two strikers up front subsequently backfired on him.
The Blues substituted Colby Bishop with Marko Milovanovic in the 65th minute as he replaced like for like.
Only three of the Fratton Park side’s 16 shots were on target, while their XG for the crunch fixture was 0.72, compared to their hosts’ 1.28.
According to McAnuff, that’s a tale of Pompey’s season so far, with the Blues’ nine Championship goals to date only better than Preston North End, Derby Charlton (all 8), Lincoln and Watford (both 7).
For Sharp, those figures would have been improved upon against Southampton if Mousinho had simplified things.
The former Sheffield United striker said: ‘If you can't do that (put serious pressure on a side) when you're up against 10 men, you know, last 20 minutes of a local derby... simplify it.
‘Set balls back. Put balls in the box. Put one more extra body in there, just so when it does get knocked down, like it did a few times, someone will be there.
‘Someone like Colby Bishop, who I've seen quite a lot where he is up there on his own fighting, he'd have thrived off that, having someone up there with him.
‘Yeah, I think he (Mousinho) probably missed an opportunity there just to put an extra striker in the box.’
McAnuff added: ‘I think it's a similar story for the whole season, really. Just that lack of quality in and around the box.
‘They got into some good positions on the pitch (against Southampton), but it was, for me, a question of that final pass.
‘It was sometimes the wrong decision, sometimes the shot wasn't on target.
‘Rather than maybe trying to pick somebody out, it was almost just flashing balls across for the sake of it...
‘It's really interesting that you're bringing Colby Bishop off. And again, when you are having a little bit of trouble, maybe try something a little bit different.
‘You're bringing Milovanovic on. Big presence. Again, maybe almost sort of simplify it a bit.
‘Get the ball into wide areas. Put crosses into the box.
‘Test people out. That might then free up Colby Bishop, who we know can get himself free in those areas.’
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