Fingers firmly pointed at guilty Portsmouth parties after Derby County debacle
The Pompey players culpable for the shocking defending at Derby have been named and shamed.
And Sky Sports pundits have put Josh Murphy, Terry Devlin, Tom McIntyre and Connor Ogilvie under the microscope at the 4-0 Pride Park debacle.
Former Blues favourite, David Nugent, was covering the game last night with ex-Millwall and Birmingham boss Gary Rowett.
No punches were pulled over the terrible nature of the goals shipped, with Nugent highlighting Murphy not tracking Kane Wilson for the opener.
Devlin not reacting to Eiran Cashin attacking the ball from a corner for the second and Tom McIntyre’s role in the third goal in the 29th minute were also highlighted.
Nugent told Sky Sports: ‘With the first goal Josh Murphy knows where he is. If he just runs back five yards quicker he stops the goal going in.
‘You can see he’s running back but he reacts to the ball going across to Kane Wilson two seconds too late and they are 1-0 down.
‘It (the second goal) is a poor goal. Devlin takes a steps back but what a head from Cashin to make it 2-0.
‘But Devlin in that first group of three - he backs away. The way they are marking defenders he goes the other way and gives Cashin a free header 12 yards out.
‘Again the third goal they get a bit of luck but the goal is avoidable.
‘McIntyre is a defender and he has to get touch tight with Ebou Adams. Either a hand on him or get his hands around him. Defenders need to be on top of the ball.’
Rowett knows Pompey boss John Mousinho after making him his captain at Burton Albion and is aware of how he will react to the insipid defensive play.
The former Millwall boss added Connor Ogilvie to the guilty parties for his role in Derby’s fourth goal.
Rowett said: ‘Derby caused Portsmouth a lot of problems and John Mousinho will be really disappointed with how those goals went in.
‘Sometimes you want a defender to make a two-yard run to stop a goal - and you’re 1-0 down because they don’t it. That can be really frustrating.
‘If (for the second goal) you’re one of those platers there in that front-line three, you’re there to disrupt the attackers - and he (Devlin) doesn’t actually get near to Cashin.
‘By taking a step back it opens up the space, Cashin just waits and all of the sudden he can just come on to it.
‘McIntyre tries at the last minute to get there, but Cashin is in control of that. He’s still got to score and actually the bounce does it (over Lang). It’s a well-worked set-piece.
‘Ogilvie (for the fourth) helps Derby out. He steps out, leaves a big gap and Harness is on his own. It’s a great bit of composure to calmly take it around the defender but Ogilvie can’t do that.
‘You can’t jump out of that area and Dozzell has to get out there. The defender (Pack) can’t do a lot and is running back to goal.
‘It’s good play from Derby but really symptomatic of some poor decision making from Portsmouth.’