‘It is getting’ - Former Portsmouth favourite’s relegation concerns after Preston and Plymouth defeats
The race for Championship survival race is heating up at the bottom of the table, with Pompey now firmly back in the relegation dogfight.
After the late defeat to Preston on Saturday, Guy Whittingham believes there could be reason to panic after the Blues’ cushion to the bottom three was reduced once again.
Despite a 10-point gap going into the week after last Sunday’s heroic 1-0 win over table-topping Leeds, John Mousinho’s men have since been dragged back into the relegation picture.
That’s after a surprise disappointment against rivals Plymouth in midweek was followed up by a 2-1 loss to Preston at Deepdale. With sides around Pompey also picking up key points in the battle of survival, they now sit just four points clear of the danger zone.
With the international break now underway, the Blues won’t return to action until March 29 when they face Blackburn in the start of a crucial eight-game run-in.
And while four sides currently separate the Fratton Park outfit to Derby in 22nd, Whittingham is adamant Pompey will be concerned after consecutive defeats.
Speaking after the game at Deepdale, he told BBC Radio Solent: ‘It is getting tight. The good thing is that there are three or four teams below Pompey that are just above relegation.
‘You are a part of that mix but it’s disappointing - having last weekend moved 10 points out of the relegation zone and that’s down to four. That does start your panicking again with some tough fixtures coming up it has to be said.
‘Certainly the Plymouth one they didn’t start the game well enough in terms of the way Plymouth played, they stayed deep and then this one. The game was there to be taken in the first-half but not realising that at the time on the pitch and players not being able to do anything about it.’
Pompey didn’t convert first-half pressure against Preston
Stefan Thordarson slumped Pompey to their second defeat in less than four days with an 87th-minute winner after a mix-up at the back between Nicolas Schmid and Connor Ogilvie.
However, Whittingham has made it clear the Blues should’ve taken advantage of a poor showing from Preston in the first half and will be disappointed to leave empty handed in Lancashire.
‘It’s frustrating here as well because the game was there to be taken in the first-half. Preston looked out of sorts but Pompey couldn’t take advantage of that. I don’t think they played well enough, didn’t create enough chances. They got the ball into good positions in that final third but just couldn’t create anything.
‘I don't know if Yengi going up made a difference with Bishop as a number 10, Aouchiche on the right-hand side and Bramall and Murphy didn’t look like they hit it off in the first-half on the left. There were too many players not playing - or allowed to play - in their best areas.
‘That was so frustrating because Preston didn’t offer anything in the first half and then made the four changes at half-time. They came out and really went to grab the game. They scored, Pompey equalised and you have to say it looked like it was going to be a draw in the end but the winning goal from Thordarson was well taken. The ball over the top, you’re not quite sure if you should get caught by one of those but the first touch from him was excellent and then the finish from a tight-angle was even better.’