Frustrated Portsmouth boss rues creativity problems after first Fratton Park defeat in 3 months as Millwall triumph
John Mousinho rued Pompey’s lack of quality in the final third as they slumped to a first Fratton Park defeat in three months.
Despite taking up plenty of promising positions, Mousinho’s men proved infuriatingly wasteful, barely testing Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts.
Certainly Pompey never suggested they would find an equaliser as they spurned a number of opportunities to deliver dangerous balls into the box, while Colby Bishop miscued a golden first-half chance in front of goal.
Mousinho told The News: ‘It was frustrating from a couple of points of view. First of all, we didn’t put the ball in the back of the net with a couple of good chances, but it was more the opportunities and areas we got ourselves into.
‘We got into some really good areas and didn’t test the goalkeeper enough. Then the fact we had gone a goal down in the first place to a side who know how to play at 1-0, they do it very well, they did it very well on Saturday against Luton.
‘The goal was really disappointing because I thought we were well in control of the game. It was a good bit of play from Millwall, but there’s no way we should have let Ra’ees Bangura-Williams get the other side of us.
‘We had the ball, we were driving close to their box, so it was very, very disappointing the way we conceded.
‘We started the game really poorly and they had the chance at the back post, which was really, really sloppy from us. Then it settled down completely after that, Nico had very, very little to do too.
‘Having said that, with the amount of pressure we had on Millwall's goal, we didn’t just test the goalkeeper enough. We didn’t quite have enough to get back into the game.’
One player who especially frustrated was Josh Murphy, despite putting in a strong attacking performance.
He was consistently Pompey’s biggest creative threat, running Tristan Crama ragged down the left flank - yet too often didn’t produce the quality of final delivery required.
Although he certainly wasn’t alone in failing to capitalise on good attacking positions throughout the Fratton Park encounter.
Mousinho added: ‘I think that is probably the next step with Murph.
‘When he’s at his best we've got those goals and those assists, but against Millwall there were a lot of opportunities and really good play down that left - and ultimately not the end product we would like.
‘On another day we come good and get the equaliser and maybe the win. We can be annoyed by not creating off the back of being in those really good positions.’