'It's our best chance': Why pragmatic Portsmouth boss is a managerial rarity - willing to sacrifice playing principles for Plan B

And he is convinced the newly-implemented Plan B leaves the Blues better equipped to retain their hard-earned Championship status.

Pompey have taken eight points from five matches and clambered off the foot of the table since altering their playing approach at Hull last month.

Gone is building up steadily from the goalkeeper and dominating possession, notable team characteristics during their memorable promotion campaign.

Instead, Mousinho now favours a ‘pragmatic’ and ‘practical’ style, involving more direct football and a higher press.

And he’s adamant such tactical flexibility and willingness to adapt to their new surroundings can bolster hopes of avoiding relegation as they bid to build on their improved form against Norwich tonight (7.45pm).

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘We have probably been a bit more practical and a bit more pragmatic about the way we want to play,

‘We have found a different way of playing which has brought us a little success and got us within touching distance of trying to get ourselves out of the position we’re in - and we have to keep going on that trajectory and all the positives we have seen over the last couple of weeks.

‘On Saturday, there was one time in the second half where we played a short goal kick and Fratton Park took a big intake of breath! We did it multiple times last year, pretty much every goal kick went short.

‘It’s just about making sure we don’t invite pressure and play sensible football in sensible areas of the pitch. That has been the adjustment in the Championship where sides press us with more intensity and more physicality, they can hurt you a bi more in the turnover.

‘We still want to play, we still have technical players in the side, and I think we can play good football at the right times. That has been the big adjustment, making sure we do it at the right times and don’t invite too much pressure.

‘If you look at the evidence and where we were, we have gone nine games without winning, we had been in plenty of games, we had mixed it with some of the big boys, but hadn’t quite got there.

‘I thought we overplayed against Stoke at times and confidence was probably quite low. So we could keep going the same, trying to outplay sides and trying to play from the back - or be slightly more practical and a bit more direct about it.

‘We haven't hidden behind that, we have no issue adjusting as a coaching staff and the lads have had no issue adjusting as a team either. That is credit to the boys that they have managed to take that message on board.

‘It’s a slightly different message to what we gave them in pre-season. We have tried to stay as consistent as possible within that in terms of the way we operate, but just changes tactically slightly.

‘There’s not a right or wrong way to do it, it’s just the way we feel is the best way for Pompey to go about our business and try to stay in the Championship.’

In terms of goalkeeping, Nicolas Schmid is clearly operating under a different remit to predecessor Will Norris when in possession.

Previously, Norris initiated the build from the back through his use of the ball, usually playing out through short passing.

Although Mousinho denies the ongoing omission of last season’s title-winning keeper is behind the change in playing style.

He added: ‘The change of goalkeeper and the change of playing style has been a coincidence more than anything.

‘Say Will or Jordan were in the side, we would be playing the same way. Nico is capable of playing from the back and capable of being very, very comfortable on the ball, as we’ve seen.

‘We are just asking everyone and everything to be a bit simpler on the pitch to take away that massive element of risk.

‘There’s still plenty of time and plenty of room to play good football and to try to put some good moves together. It’s about having the right mix, but certainly less of an emphasis on the need to play out from the back.’