Portsmouth boss lifts lid on shock tactical switch - and why it may become permanent
The Blues boss surprisingly ditched his favoured 4-2-3-1 against Wrexham
John Mousinho has explained the reasoning behind Pompey’s surprise system switch against Wrexham.
And the Blues head coach is weighing up whether it’s here to stay after being encouraged by its effectiveness in the goalless draw with the Welshmen.
On Wednesday night, Mousinho opted for seven changes after the Birmingham drubbing - while also implementing a 3-4-3 formation.
In approaching 150 matches in charge of the Blues, he has rarely ventured beyond the tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 shape which won the League One title and earned a 16th-placed finish in the Championship.
However, that changed against Wrexham, with a back three of Regan Poole, Josh Knight and Ibane Bowat, flanked by wing-backs Terry Devlin and Connor Ogilvie.
And with a trip to Hull on Saturday (12.30pm), Mousinho is mulling over whether to retain his new system.
Portsmouth boss: We’ll have to see
He told The News: ‘I hope anybody who was at the Birmingham game wouldn't have been surprised by the number of changes, I suppose the system change as well.
‘The majority of the time, I’ve played a four, but, having watched Wrexham on Friday night with a front three, I thought it was one of those where we needed the extra number if we’re going to press the wing-backs.
‘We needed someone to go and cover the channels, so we had to have the extra centre-half, which gives us a bit more solidity.
‘Although we have that deeper back three, it gave us the licence to be more aggressive at the top end of the pitch and I thought we pressed them really well for the majority of the game.
‘I don’t know if it will stay, we’ll have to see. It’s something we’ve done before. We switched to that formation at Fleetwood in the League One title-winning season. We went to three at the back a couple of times last season, such as QPR away and Oxford at home.
‘The decision was pretty much made on Friday night and, after Saturday, it made it an obvious tactic.’
Recalls for Bishop and Chaplin
With Andre Dozzell and Luke Le Roux in the centre of midfield, Conor Chaplin, Colby Bishop and Josh Murphy were the front attacking three.
Mousinho believes Chaplin produced his best display since returning for a second Fratton Park spell, while there were glimpses of a return of Bishop’s all-round game following a form slump.
And even with the injured Ogilvie being replaced by Jordan Williams in the 27th minute at left wing-back, it didn’t appear to impact the Blues’ gameplan.
Mousinho added: ‘It obviously gives us the extra body at the back and when we’re asking our left wing-back - Connor Ogilvie or Jordan Williams - to go onto (Issa) Kabore, a lot of the time of you only have two at the back, which opens up that channel a bit more.
‘But that gave us the extra security at the back, so for Ibs (Bowat) to release it into the channel, Josh Knight can cover round, Regan can cover round. You have that extra body at the back and defending the box as well. I think it helps.
‘I suppose in possession you lose something or you gain something in certain parts, but you particularly lose something in those wide areas, that’s the thing with formations. It’s an interesting one.’