I tried to predict a Portsmouth starting XI and bench for Blackburn Rovers but soon ran into difficulties
Scoring goals hasn’t been too much of an issue for Pompey this season.
Yes, nine of the Blues’ 24 Championship fixtures to date have seen John Mousinho’s side fire blanks - a failure in front of goal that has contributed to six costly defeats.
But a quick glance at the current standings shows that finding the back of the net is not the main reason behind Pompey’s nervous position of 21st heading into Wednesday night’s game at Blackburn Rovers.
With 30 goals already in the can this term, only Coventry (34) and Derby (31) have scored more among teams presently in the bottom half of the table. Tomorrow night’s hosts, Blackburn, have netted 28 times and sit just outside the play-off positions in seventh. Meanwhile, second-placed Burnley are enjoying a concerted promotion push despite having scored one more goal than John Mousinho’s side (31).
It’s the goals against column that has inflicted most of the damage on the Blues this season, with the 41 they’ve conceded so far the third worst in the division.
Given the injuries suffered by central defenders Conor Shaughnessy, Ibane Bowatt and Regan Poole this term, plus Jacob Farrell’s persistent problems exiting the treatment room, it’s no surprise that Pompey have struggled defensively and made Championship-savvy Bristol City centre-back Rob Atkinson their first signing of the January transfer window.
But heading to Ewood Park for another key fixture on the road, for once it’s not the Blues’ defence that is causing the most concern.
Numbers-wise, Pompey are currently well-stocked there, thanks to Atkinson’s arrival, Jordan Wiliams’ return to fitness and make-shift defender Marlon Pack’s return from a one-match ban.
It’s a pity the same cannot be said for the Blues offensively, though!
Pompey’s shortage of attacking options
It is anticipated that all of Mousinho’s preferred frontline attackers will be in the starting XI for the Rovers game, with Colby Bishop, Josh Murphy, Callum Lang and Matt Ritchie expected to start and help put memories of Friday night’s awful defeat to Wycombe in the FA Cup to bed.
Individually, all four - with the exception perhaps of Ritchie - provide the Blues with reliable sources of goals, with 18 scored among them this season and nine assists registered. Meanwhile, collectively, they can be counted upon to give opposition defences in the Championship a serious test of their mettle.
But behind this fearless foursome is a worrying dearth of attacking options that, without being too harsh, would rival anyone in the middle of a ‘Turkey Teeth’ procedure!
Injuries to Kusini Yengi and Mark O’Mahony - plus forgotten man Havery Blair - haven’t helped matters here. And while this month’s departures of both Elias Sorensen and Sammy Silvera are both regrettable, they’re understandable given their struggles over the first half of the season.
It, therefore, leaves the Blues with just Paddy Lane and Christian Saydee (three goals between them) as the only serious back-up options.
It also leaves Mousinho’s options from the bench at Blackburn tomorrow night significantly lop-sided with those more akin to preventing goals heavily outweighing those who can impact the game in an attacking sense.
The Blues boss has already said a couple of times this window that he won’t be adding to his striking pool between now and February 3. For clarity, young Aussie forward Thomas Waddingham is considered ‘one for the future’ rather than the here and now when he eventually arrives.
An additional winger and attacking midfielder can’t be ruled out, though, we’re told.
A look at his options in the Ewood Park dugout might provide the reminder Mousinho needs, however, that attacking reinforcements are a necessity this month - and should not be considered anything less!