'Get him in side’: Adrian Segecic comes to fore as Portsmouth boss searches for right attacking formula at QPR
Pompey know they have to find the answers to their lack of goal threat - starting at QPR tomorrow. John Mousinho discusses the role of his top scorer in that process.
John Mousinho is mulling over the best role for Adrian Segecic as he weighs up turning to Pompey’s top scorer to get his side firing.
Mousinho on Segecic: ‘We want to get him in the side’
The Blues boss insisted he wants to get Segecic back into his starting XI, as they go in search of a big three points at QPR ahead of the international break.
It’s one start in seven for the Aussie striker, who has six Championship goals to his name in his maiden season in English football.
And with attacking threat a big problem for Pompey of late, Segecic is an obvious consideration for Mousinho at Loftus Road.
He said: ‘Segs is always in the thought process for starting games.
‘He’s scored a lot of goals for us this season and we’ve tried to find the right spot for him in the team, whether that’s as a 10 or seven.
‘We’ve shuffled things around and tried to get the right balance.
‘There’s been times when Segs has been in the team and we’ve looked good. There was that run of games from Sheffield Wednesday, where he was in the side and looked good.
‘But he wasn’t in the side for our two best away wins of the season against Charlton and Millwall, so it’s getting that mix right.
‘Segs is always at it in training and always competing. With the goal threat he has, we want to get him in the side.
‘We don’t want to just shove him in the side for his goal threat without getting him close to the goal, so we need to find him the right role in the side.’
Segecic’s ‘preferred position is as a 10’
Segecic started the season in his preferred central attacking role, where he made a strong impact at the Championship campaign’s outset.
But with Conor Chaplin arriving in a surprise deadline day move, the 21-year-old’s only game there since November came in the 1-0 loss against Hull City at Fratton Park last month.
Mousinho added: ‘I think his preferred position is as a 10. Trying to fit that into the way we play is something that’s not been so much a challenge, but we’ve been trying to come up with a solution to what that looks like.
‘If you look at him and Chappers in that 10 role, Chappers probably likes to drop down more, get involved in the build-up and dictate play from deeper.
‘Segs will want to play closer to the centre-forward, get his shots off and get in the box. So we’re trying to find the right balance between those two, it’s something we’ve been trying to work on this season.
‘Segs would naturally want to play as a 10, but he’s also scored a few goals off the right where he’s looked effective.’