Exclusive:'He's not happy': Portsmouth boss delivers first-team challenge to new-found super sub
The midfielder has made three Championship starts for the Blues since March
John Mousinho admits Ebou Adams ‘is not happy’ with new-found substitute duties.
Nonetheless, he has challenged the midfielder to reproduce those influential displays off the bench when first-team starting opportunities come knocking once more.
Adams has started just two Championship matches this season, with Marlon Pack and Rocco Shein preferred as the central-midfield pairing for the Blues.
Instead the former Derby man has been restricted to substitute outings in five of the last six games, to his credit largely making a huge impact upon such entrances.
While there was a stunning goal at Lincoln, Adams was named as the sponsors’ man of the match in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Blackburn, reflecting an impressive 45-minute performance.
Introduced at half-time in place of Shein, the 30-year-old’s showing also drew praise from Mousinho - who wants plenty more of the same from the January signing.
‘He had the bit between his teeth’
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘Ebou came on against Blackburn and did very well, he dominated those second contacts and was everywhere on the pitch.
‘He will be massively disappointed that he hasn’t started the last couple of games, but he had the bit between his teeth on Saturday. I thought he was really good.
‘We made the change because we hadn’t dominated enough in the middle of the park. We had control of the game, but we weren’t quite there, a couple of balls dropped and Sammy Morsy got there, while we were a little bit lackadaisical at times.
‘Ebou gives us that energy and he gives us that impetus. What we are trying to do with Ebs as well is he’s been really, really good off the bench, his impact has been massive, so we need to get that matched up to some of the games as well.
‘With team selection we’re looking at where we’ve been. We have been decent when he’s been in the side, we have been decent when he’s not been in the side and everything in between.
‘So we’re still trying to find that balance. He just needs to keep playing well and hopefully he’ll get back into the team.’
Scored against Southampton on home debut
Following his January arrival, Adams enjoyed a whirlwind entrance into Fratton Park, including scoring on his home debut against Southampton in January’s 1-1 draw.
However, since sustaining knee damage at QPR in March, he has started just three Championship matches, most recently the 2-0 home defeat to former club Derby earlier this month.
Although he has featured in all eight of Pompey’s matches this season, five have been off the bench. In contrast, Estonia international Shein has started seven games in all competitions.
Mousinho added: ‘I know Ebou’s not happy with it, I don’t want him to be happy, I don’t want anyone to be happy who’s not playing games.
‘Any player who comes in and I tell them they're not in the side and they’re happy, well it’s a problem. Any player I tell they aren’t in the side and they react in the wrong, that’s the problem there.
‘I know everybody wants to play football. Odin Bailey will be unbelievably disappointed to not have made more of a contribution over the past few weeks, but got his head down and impressed in training last week.
‘We put him (Bailey) on to make a difference against Blackburn and he did well.’