‘I definitely wouldn’t rule out’: EFL pundits deliver exciting Portsmouth prediction after Southampton draw
Pompey came away from Sunday’s south-coast derby against Southampton with a point.
Don’t rule Pompey out of the play-off conversation.
That’s the surprise call made by Ryan Dilks from Second Tier Podcast, who has been hugely impressed by the Blues start to the campaign, which included an imposing performance against Southampton on Sunday.
Although the score didn’t reflect the display, Pompey dominated large parts of proceedings against their fierce rivals, who last season were playing Premier League football.
And Dilks was encouraged by the showing put on by Mousinho’s troops - and has in fact tipped the Fratton Park outfit for a potential play-off push should their good form continue.
Don’t rule Pompey out of play-off conversation
Speaking on the latest episode of the Second Tier Podcast, he said: ‘They were pressing really well and made Southampton look a bit edgy at times when they had the ball.
‘What’s got to be kept in mind here is the last south-coast derby, you had Southampton who were an established Premier League team and Portsmouth were stuck in League One.
‘So it’s a sign of how far Pompey have come that they’re doing this now and coming out of the game looking like they probably were the better team against a side who were so established and have just been relegated from the Premier League.
‘You’ve got to remember as well, Southampton away will be one of their trickiest fixtures of the season for any team. Even if you ignore the derby narrative, Southampton have a lot of talent, spent a lot of money but Pompey have not only gone there and got a point they were the better side in my eyes.
‘They’ve shown they can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this league and I’d be very encouraged about the season ahead because I definitely wouldn’t rule Portsmouth out of the play-off conversation as time goes on.’
Pompey’s south-coast derby game plan praised
Dilks’ co-host Justin Peach was also massively impressed by Pompey’s approach to the derby and highlighted the attacking threat which the Blues possessed.
He added: ‘That’s the one thing to take away from it from a Pompey perspective is that they’ve gone away to St Mary’s, (against) a team who have spent a hell of a lot of money of the summer, and come away being the most likely to score throughout the game.
‘They controlled it, they made it hard for Southampton to create any momentum but they just missed the goal.
‘It’s something that their resilience deserved. Even saying resilience sounds like they were under the cosh but they weren’t they kept Southampton from getting into their own third.
‘John Mousinho will be very happy because it was a tight game but it was one that Portsmouth were much better equipped at handling than Southampton.
‘It still feels like Southampton are finding their feet under Will Still but Pompey fed into that, fed into the anxiety of the crowd and there was a lot of discontent at times when Southampton were playing it round the back.
‘Pompey allowed that to happen and made it happen. You’ve got to really applaud them for it.’