Don't just blame summer signings: Portsmouth boss' honest squad admission amid Championship struggles
John Mousinho believes ‘absolute Championship bankers’ in his Pompey squad have failed to reach the required levels so far this season.
And he is adamant the 15 ‘first-team ready’ new signings should not bear the brunt of criticism over the Blues’ poor start.
Pompey will enter November bottom of the table, having won just one of their opening 12 league fixtures in a difficult start.
Inevitably summer transfer dealings have come under scrutiny, with a number of recruits not possessing Championship experience, yet instead are regarded as talented young prospects.
And while the Blues have struggled on occasions, Mousinho insists more established players should be raising their game.
He told The News: ‘I think they are first-team ready. We keep going back to when the players have come into the side and we’ve been at our best, I think we are good enough for the level.
‘That’s the only benchmark we can look at. There have been times we have dropped off the level as well. You look at how we’ve recruited in the summer and you can ask that question.
‘I also look at the players we have in the building, that we would say are absolute bankers to do well in the Championship, and they have fallen below the level as well.
‘We just have to look at it as a whole - in terms of where we are as a team - and make sure we’re a lot better.
‘For example, I have seen Regan Poole put in an outstanding, outstanding performance away at Burnley and then not quite be able to follow it up in subsequent weeks.
‘We all know he is capable of playing at this level. Although Regan has a really good excuse at the moment with the fact he has been out for 11 months and we are wheeling him out day in, day out to play football games.
‘We have players in this squad who are capable of playing at this level, we need to show it consistently.’
At present, some of their summer signings don’t appear ready for the Championship, but Mousinho has defended them.
The Blues head coach added: ‘I don’t think you are ever going to be in a position where you’ve got 22 players who are ready to start every week.
‘Maybe we had that luxury at points of last season because of the size of the club at League One level and how established we were, but it’s a different kettle of fish when you come into the Championship. It takes a bit more building.
‘You might have 22 Championship starters at some of the top clubs - and to be honest even then they don’t necessarily have that - but there’s always that level of competition.
‘We just have to make sure we put sides out which compete a lot better.’