Hull 3 Portsmouth 2: Neil Allen's verdict - Hope doesn't strike twice as grim realisation hits hard
It’s now one win in 11 matches for the Blues as their worrying slump continues
The MKM Stadium provided the glorious backdrop for Pompey’s relegation resurgence last term, a timely season changer which transformed belief and impetus.
Barely 12 months later, John Mousinho’s men slunk away from East Yorkshire on Saturday with fortunes slammed in reverse amid escalating concerns over their current direction.
Indeed, rather than allay growing fears with a performance and outcome to reinvigorate flagging spirits, this time around a 3-2 defeat at the hand of the Tigers would instead deepen the gathering Fratton Park gloom.
With one victory in 11 matches, a solid start to the campaign has swiftly disintegrated, putting Pompey on collision course for a familiar Championship relegation battle.
The Blues ended the previous international break by inflicting Championship leaders Middlesbrough’s maiden defeat, yet since returning have taken two points from a possible 18 and lost four matches.
Whereas they were 14th at the start of October, they are now 20th, having scored four goals and conceded 11 during that six-game period. In the last two away fixtures alone, seven goals have been shipped.
In desperate need of inspiration
Granted, Pompey can take solace from the fact they have still to occupy the bottom three this season, yet the unpalatable truth is this is a team locked-in on a downward trajectory at present - and in desperate need of inspiration.
A second-half fightback and heartening 1-1 draw, culminating in the home support baying for the dismissal of head coach Tim Walter at the final whistle, it proved to be a pivotal moment for Mousinho’s men.
Suddenly the Ritchie-led high pressing game was born. Coupled with the shock return of Colby Bishop two games later following heart surgery, the pair magnificently galvanized the Championship’s bottom club, spearheading the head coach’s adaptation of the playing style.
Now both have gone. Ritchie’s bitter bust-up with Mousinho, partly of his own doing, now sees him reside in League One with Reading. Bishop remains, of course, but this version is sadly unrecognisable.
Never has Bishop been more ineffectual for Pompey than at present, such are the depths to which his confidence and form have sunk. Just as much of a glaring problem is there isn’t an experienced alternative to lead the line.
Undoubtedly, the former Accrington man will come good again, certainly few could have foreseen his current struggles after plundering 11 goals in 32 outings during last term’s maiden Championship season.
What’s more, his impeccable commitment, fitness and attitude can never be faulted. This is merely a blip, it happens, particularly for those challenged to inspire teams in attacking areas. A drawback of the job.
Nonetheless, while Makenzie Kirk is taking up positions to miss the occasional opportunity - there was a late headed chance on Saturday - Bishop is struggling to discover such danger areas.
Admittedly, he has suffered more than anyone from Josh Murphy’s seven-game absence, yet the winger has largely hit the ground running in his last two starts. In contrast, the three-time leading scorer continues to splutter.
No one-man no-show
However, Bishop isn’t Pompey’s sole issue at present, this isn’t a one-man no-show. They are a team struggling to effectively utilise the majority of their summer signings, while stranded between playing systems in Mousinho’s pursuit to unearth that winning formula.
Bravely, he has ditched his favoured - and highly successful - 4-2-3-1 system during the last week, with mixed results over its opening two matches. Against Wrexham, they should have won. Against Hull, they were defensively extremely poor and struggled to create.
Terry Devlin’s deflected shot opened the scoring on 16 minutes, before the hosts struck back through Enis Destan and Kyle Joseph to put themselves on track for a half-time lead.
That was until Devin grabbed his second two minutes into first-half stoppage time, heading home a marvellous Murphy left-wing cross to restore parity.
The second half sank into an uneventful affair, with the Blues comfortable at the back, yet not remotely threatening in attack. Then, 11 minutes from time, a diagonal ball from deep over the top of Ibane Bowat released Joe Gelhardt, who lobbed Josef Bursik for the winner, with Mousinho fuming.
Questionable summer recruitment
It is now more than five weeks since the Blues last won, while Connor Ogilvie is the latest first-team regular to join Nicolas Schmid, Callum Lang, Conor Shaughnessy and Segecic in the treatment room.
As for the 11 summer recruits, just Adrian Segecic, Bursik and, to an extent, Minhyeok Yang have been a success. Florian Bianchini hasn’t been used in the last four games, while £1m men Luke Le Roux and Mark Kosznovszky are nowhere near regulars.
With Freddie Potts, Rob Atkinson and Ritchie no longer around, it raises legitimate concerns over whether the team has actually improved, with injuries further watering down the quality.
This time last year the MKM Stadium generated cherished hope. It was in desperately short supply after Saturday’s outcome.