Colby Bishop v Makenzie Kirk: Portsmouth boss weighs up who starts in key striker battle at Birmingham City
There looks like there’s only room for one in his first XI at St Andrews tomorrow. Blues boss John Mousinho discusses the assets offered by Makenzie Kirk and Colby Bishop, in the battle to be Pompey’s starting striker.
John Mousinho eyed Makenzie Kirk invigorating Pompey’s forward threat as he considered his starting No 9 at Birmingham City.
But the Blues highlighted a conviction Colby Bishop can also stretch opposing defences, as he weighed up who leads the line at St Andrews.
Bishop v Kirk: Who gets Pompey nod at Birmingham City?
It looks like a straight shootout between Mousinho’s established forward and the new pretender, for who gets the nod to face the big-spending Championship new boys.
Mousinho opted to utilise both men against Stoke City last weekend, with Bishop starting in a deeper role behind the deadline day arrival from St Johnstone.
Kirk impressed against the Potters with his running off the shoulder of defenders, in a full debut which caught the eye of his head coach.
Meanwhile, Bishop is enduring a barren nine-game run without a goal, though the club’s top scorer for the past three seasons has continually shown his value to Pompey’s cause in that period.
With John Swift returning from suspension or potentially Conor Chaplin being used centrally, it looks as if there’s only space for one of the strikers to start this weekend.
Mousinho acknowledged Kirk has certainly given him much to consider with his striking mobility.
He said: ‘I thought Mak came into the side and did really well against Stoke. He stretched the game really well and on another day he gets a couple of goals with the chances he created.
‘He was slightly unlucky in the first half playing off the shoulder and getting caught offside, against a really good line. But if he times those runs a little bit better he actually gets in a couple of times as well.
‘There was one which was really, really tight where (Viktor) Johansson ends up clearing, when Doz (Dozzell) put the ball around the corner. It didn’t look offside from watching it back. Then the others are a yard here or there.
‘Sometimes you have to play on the edge, but what you can probably hope for when operating between the two centre-halves is one of the full-backs may have just switched off and is two or three yards behind the line.
‘We do want Mack to run in behind and play to his strengths, he very nearly got there last weekend. It was a positive - very, very positive - full debut for Mack and he’s also scored his first goal as well. He could have had a couple more as well.’
Leeds United goal shows Bishop offers threat behind defences
Kirk’s ability to play on the shoulders certainly caught the eye last weekend, with Bishop associated more with being a focal point and the art of leading the line.
Mousinho didn’t dismiss the 28-year-old being a threat behind the back line, however, with his winning goal against Leeds United last term a clear example of doing just that. The Pompey boss also feels it’s on his team to offer runners beyond Bishop, in a manner which has been lacking at times this term.
He added: ‘Colby’s strength isn’t necessarily running behind, but we saw that he can do that last season.
‘The goal he scored against Leeds showed he can do that, but it’s also about having other players out there who can stretch the game as well.’