The damning facts behind Portsmouth's six-and-a-half month striker crisis which threatens Championship future
It has been 31 league games since a Pompey starting XI striker last scored from open play
Collecting a Conor Shaughnessy pass down the left, Josh Murphy managed to gain a yard on West Brom’s Tom Fellows before whipping in a high left-footed cross.
It was met by the head of Colby Bishop, who had timed his run to perfection, arriving ahead of marker George Campbell to steer it into the far top corner of the net from eight-yards out.
A wonderfully-worked second-half goal which cancelled out Mikey Johnston’s opener, earning John Mousinho’s men a hard-fought point at the Hawthorns in their third Championship match of the season.
Yet that was six-and-half months ago now - and the last time a starting Pompey striker scored from open play in the league.
Granted, Bishop finished a penalty at Charlton, he netted against Arsenal in the FA Cup, while substitute Makenzie Kirk registered a fine 96th-minute consolation against Coventry.
That’s it, however. Four goals between Bishop, Kirk, Jacob Brown and Thomas Waddingham in all competitions in the 2025-26 season to date.
And, breaking that down, none from open play over the last 31 Championship games from a striker named in Mousinho’s Championship starting XI.
Missing Josh Murphy
Certainly Blues centre-forwards are continuing to miss the calibre of ammunition supplied by the classy Murphy at West Brom in August 2025. Now ruled out for the season with a broken toe, the reigning The News/Sports Mail Player of the Season last featured on December 20 at Derby.
He has since been replaced by Millenic Alli on the left wing, with the Luton loanee immediately impressing with his pace, directness and the constant threat he offers, even during quiet times.
Then there’s Gustavo Caballero, who, in five games, has already offered far more on the right wing than his seven predecessors over the course of the season. The oft-injured Callum Lang included.
Undoubtedly it has been an encouraging introduction for the Paraguayan, although, it must be stressed, these are still early days as he continues to adapt to the English game and Mousinho’s requirements.
Nonetheless, even with Alli and Caballero’s heartening impacts since arriving in the January transfer window, the goals still won’t flow for Pompey’s strikers, particularly Bishop.
The 29-year-old has made 31 league appearances this term, of which 28 have been starts, yet totals just two goals - West Brom and Charlton. Both away from Fratton Park.
Although Mousinho will rightly point out that Bishop offers more than just goals, his all-round game is also clearly suffering. Inevitably, sustained goal droughts devastate confidence levels, irrespective of other strong sides to a striker’s game.
This is nowhere near the Colby Bishop of previous seasons and Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Hull was another painful example. Crucially, however, the alternatives don’t even appear to convince Mousinho.
Unconvincing striking alternatives
Against Coventry in October, Kirk’s excellent movement saw him collect Terry Devlin’s pass into the right channel and, with the ball bouncing, he produced a clever first-time right-footed clip over keeper Carl Rushworth from the angle.
It was a 96th-minute consolation for Blues in a 2-1 defeat against the Championship leaders, yet marked the former St Johnstone man’s maiden goal since his September arrival.
Nonetheless, in four starts and nine substitute appearances, it is clear the 22-year-old is still adjusting to the demands of the Championship, having moved from the Scottish Championship for around £500,000.
Certainly Kirk is no direct replacement for Bishop’s physicality in a lone striker role, offering differing attributes, while an Achilles issue has sidelined him for the last three matches.
Elsewhere, Waddingham featured off the bench in the opening four Championship matches after scoring four goals during the pre-season friendly schedule.
However, he remains sidelined by the thigh injury sustained in September and, having been pencilled in for a potential return last month, Mousinho still doesn’t know when the Australian will return.
Then there’s Brown who, curiously, cannot dislodge a struggling Bishop, despite being recruited on loan from Luton on deadline day to bolster the centre-forward position.
Handed a debut at Preston when Bishop was sidelined by an ankle injury, the former Stoke man has totalled just 57 minutes from four matches since, sometimes not even playing as a striker.
Having returned to action at Kenilworth Road in November following a long-term injury, before dropping out of their first-team plans, there was always the suggestion it would take a little time to bring Brown up to speed.
He has now been at Fratton Park for a month and was given nine minutes against Hull on Saturday, having not even been used off the bench in the 2-1 loss at Wrexham.
West Brom seems a long time ago, it was a long time ago, six-and-a-half months to be precise. That’s 31 league games since a starting striker last scored from open play. The count goes on.