Portsmouth boss agonises over the battle for number 10 as fight ramps up at Wrexham
Conor Chaplin’s return from injury sees him challenging John Swift for trip to the Racecourse Ground
John Mousinho surveyed the intriguing new battle for Pompey’s number 10 spot and admitted: They offer different strengths.
The return to fitness of Conor Chaplin will see him vie with John Swift for the crucial role in tomorrow night’s trip to Wrexham (7.45pm).
Swift has flourished after being employed in his more natural attacking position during Chaplin's three-game absence, unquestionably producing his best form in a Pompey shirt.
That culminated with a goal in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Millwall, while his left-wing corner contributed to Marlon Pack also getting on the scoresheet for the Blues’ third.
Fit-again Chaplin previously started 11 of the Blues’ last 12 games as the number 10, before being sidelined by a groin injury after the trip to Preston earlier this month.
And Mousinho faces a difficult choice as his team strive for a third successive away win.
‘They have different ways of playing’
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I don’t think the role has necessarily changed, what we want is to have players play to their strengths in there.
‘Conor Chaplin plays in a certain way when he plays as a 10, Swifty plays in a certain way. We’ve also had other players, Langy was completely different there. Certainly with Chappers and Swifty, if you look at the two of them vying for that spot, they have different ways of playing.
‘Swifty has shown what he’s all about playing a bit higher up the pitch. In fairness to John, when he started the season as a six, he did pretty well in there as well, we were asking him to do a role he’s not particularly familiar with.
‘We were asking something from John which he delivered, but, since the opening 14-15 games of the season, his game time has been much more limited.
‘Playing him a bit higher up gives him a bit more freedom, you see some of the touches he has in and around the box, some of the finishes he is able to pull off.
‘That’s two goals he’s scored now, it would be very good to get him into more goal-scoring positions because he’s a good finisher.
‘It’s just about making sure we link all of the parts of John's game together - and I am sure he will go from strength to strength.’
Previously Mousinho’s preferred number 10 selection
After a spell out of position on the right wing following his arrival from Ipswich, Chaplin has largely been Mousinho’s preferred choice at number 10 this season.
He finally recorded the first goal of his second Fratton Park spell in last month’s 3-0 success over West Brom, sparking an emotional goal celebration in front of the Fratton End.
Swift previously had a stint in the position for five games from the beginning of October, but, following the 4-0 loss at Birmingham, featured in the starting XI in just three of the next 17 games.
Mousinho added: ‘John definitely has a different playing style about him, a bit more languid and laid-back, he will try certain things, like the backheel at Charlton in front of the away end. You get those moments from John.
‘Probably he’s naturally a bit more of a midfielder as well, he drops down a bit more to try to link play, he did it in the first half at Millwall really well, we had a good spell of possession.
‘Chappers is slightly different, a different intensity and style to his game, but very, very good at doing what he does really well.
‘He’s probably more effective higher up the pitch, closer to the forwards and the wingers, and has an extremely good goal-scoring record.
‘We have a couple of other options to play as a 10 as well - and it’s great to have that choice.’