Portsmouth boss' Jacob Brown admission as Luton loanee struggles for first-team chance

John Mousinho has urged Jacob Brown to be ‘patient’ - and reaffirmed why Colby Bishop continues to be preferred leading Pompey’s line.

The Luton loanee was earmarked to bring much-needed goals to the Blues attack, yet has started just once since his deadline day arrival.

Indeed, since last month’s debut at Preston, the former Stoke man had totalled 57 minutes off the bench over four matches, despite Bishop’s frustrating ongoing scoring problems.

With Makenzie Kirk (Achilles) and Thomas Waddingham (thigh) still sidelined by injury, Brown offers the only alternative to Bishop, who has three goals in 31 matches so far this season.

And with Pompey heading to Blackburn on Saturday (12.30am) for a crucial clash, it appears Brown must continue to bide his time as he attempts to force a way into Mousinho’s starting line-up.

‘Colby at the moment is more deserving of the shirt’

The Blues’ head coach told The News: ‘I think Jacob has done pretty well. It’s just a case of him being patient, we consider him (for the first-team) all the time.

‘He came in and led the line well against Preston, then he came out after that because I thought Colby had been exceptional a couple of weeks before when he got that injury against West Brom.

‘For the most part, Jacob did well against Preston and, when we decided to make the chance for Sheffield United, that was because Colby had been in such good form. I thought Colby was excellent against Sheffield United, the subsequent away games as well.

‘With Colby’s performances post-West Brom, he deserves to have that starting position. They are two very different number nines as well. If we think the game suits Jacob more than it suits Colby and vice versa we will make that decision.

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‘Colby at the moment is more than deserving of the shirt - as we have spoken about - he has put in some very, very good performances.

‘Very, very rarely have I seen the likes of Lloyd Jones, Caleb Taylor and Jake Cooper have as decent a physical battle as that and Colby probably came out on top in those areas. So I think he deserves the spot.’

Pompey beat Barnsley to Brown’s signature

Brown had been set for a loan move to former club Barnsley before Pompey intervened late in the transfer window.

The 27-year-old had returned to action at Kenilworth Road in November following long-term injury and featured seven times in League One.

Although the former Stoke man was subsequently overlooked for the next six squads before the Blues stepped in, with sporting director Rich Hughes identifying the centre-forward as capable of bolstering their attacking threat.

And Mousinho is adamant that remains the case as the Blues seek to climb away from the Championship relegation zone.

He added: ‘I think Jacob is up to speed now, he has started a game and come off the bench four times as well. So I think he’s fine.

‘He can get the goals, he has done that, he has done that in the past, it’s just a case of making sure we keep creating. Hopefully, when we do get a chance and it falls to anybody on the pitch, they put it into the back of the net.’

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