'Doesn't go away' - Portsmouth warned as key issue continues to impact Championship ambitions

Pompey’s squad depth has been exposed by injury issues this season.

And it’s a problem that won’t go away for the Blues, unless there’s a shift in the club’s recruitment strategy.

That’s the verdict of The News’ Jordan Cross, who believes greater quality is still needed at Fratton Park in order for John Mousinho’s side to consistenly compete in the Championship.

Pompey once again boosted their first-team ranks during the summer transfer window with 11 new additions welcomed to the club. They also waved goodbye to nine players from last season, senior members of the group who they believed would not provide the competitive edge needed to build on last term’s 16th-place finish.

Despite the overhaul and seven of their newest recruits commanding fees, the Fratton Park outfit conducted their business with one of the lowest budgets in the division. And that has become apparent as Mousinho & Co sit just two places and four points above the relegation zone after 15 games.

It goes without saying that the sheer number of injuries experienced in the opening three months of the current campaign haven’t helped the Pompey cause and have contributed to seven league defeats so far. For their last match against Hull City, for instance, nine first-teamers were ruled out of the 3-2 loss because of injury.

Furthermore, Nicolas Schmid, Conor Shaughnessy, Connor Ogilvie, Callum Lang and Adrian Segecic would all have been considered likely starters for the game at the MKM Stadium had they not been sidelined for the November 8 fixture.

But with a busy treatment room a common theme in the modern game in general, and not just at Pompey, Cross believes the Blues’ lack of true depth will continue to be exposed if greater funds are not made available for transfers.

‘Greater quality in terms of recruitment needed’ at Pompey

Speaking in the latest episode of Pompey Talk, the award-winning writer said: ‘There's problems that need to be sorted with the lack of cover.

‘I mean, those problems (injuries) are going to rear their head again, because Pompey play with such an intensity under John.

‘Players do get more injuries, and you're seeing them more and more regularly in the game now. The number, and there's a FIFA Pro report on this, (tell us) about how players do get more injuries now, more muscular injuries because of the games they're exposed to and the number and volume of games that they play.

‘So, this is going to be something that doesn't go away for Pompey, I don't think, these kind of injuries.

‘It's not more for Pompey, by the way - the volume. But you're just seeing things that are probably going to hurt Pompey more than other squads, because they maybe haven't got the depth of other squads.

‘So they need to find the answers, and probably that means greater quality in terms of recruitment needed.’

Pompey injuries latest

Mousinho’s options could be boosted over the remainder of the international break and just in time for the visit of Millwall to Fratton Park on December 22.

Five of the nine injured players who sat out the trip to Hull and the majority of games prior to it are expected to be in contention to feature against Alex Neil’s side.

Among those hopefully in contention to return are Schmid, Lang, Segecic, Harvey Blair and Franco Umeh. John Swift should also be available after missing the Tigers game because of illness.

For your next Pompey read: Portsmouth reveal how much Southampton fans will have to pay for south-coast derby tickets at Fratton Park