Portsmouth have to stick with Colby Bishop - and why criticism in £500,000 man is simply unjust
Colby Bishop has scored 57 goals in 141 appearances for Pompey and is the club’s top scorer in the 21st century.
There is no doubting the huge impact Colby Bishop has on Pompey’s Championship hopes - so now is not the time to doubt the Magic Man.
The Fratton faithful have been longing for a number nine like Bishop over the years, with countless strikers crumbling under the intense scrutiny at PO4.
The 28-year-old has played a vital part in the Blues’ rise in recent years, netting 57 goals in 141 outings following his £500,000 move from Accrington Stanley in 2022.
Unlike other campaigns, it’s been a tough start for Bishop, who has netted just once in Pompey’s opening nine games of the season. By his own admission that is far from the numbers he, or John Mousinho would’ve hoped for going into the second international break of the term.
That has prompted the seasonal calls from some sections of supporters for the prolific goalscorer to be dropped from the side in a bid to try something new.
Colby Bishop’s start to the season in numbers
But there are so many factors contributing to the League One title winner’s frustrating start to the campaign, which are simply hard to ignore.
We are all well akin to the the Magic Man’s best attributes by now, hounding opposition defences in their own box (3.26 touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes) being his bread and butter.
That was down to his service thanks to the arrival of Josh Murphy, with the pair linking up on a number of occasions to create a formidable partnership reaping both goals and assists.
The key issue this term, though, is the absence of the 30-year-old. Take the winger out of the equation and Bishop has very little service, with both his shots (1.35 per 90 minutes) and xG (0.3) down from the 2024 -25 campaign (1.67 and 0.4 respectively).
‘We know the goals will come from Colby, we’ve seen that other times. Perhaps the slight tweak in the way we’re playing is not quite as conducive to creating chances for Colby, maybe we have to do a little more for him.’
Tried, tested and failed with other strikers
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What Bishop is also highly skilled at, which is fundamental to how Pompey set-up, is his physical presence, ability to lead the line and be an aerial threat. That is something Pompey were massively missing 12 months ago, when the 28-year-old was sidelined after undergoing open heart surgery.
Rewind the clock one year and Mousinho’s men sat firmly in the relegation zone, after a terrible start on their return to the Championship.
Kusini Yengi, Christian Saydee, Elias Sorensen and Mark O’Mahony all tried and failed but simply couldn’t fill the gapping void left by Bishop. At that point, the Fratton faithful were desperate for the League One hero’s return and when he did, it coincided with an upturn in form.
In fact, the former Notts County youth product was one of the most clinical finishers in the division, with only Leeds United’s Joel Piroe (14) scoring more than his 11 following his comeback in November 2024.
Colby Bishop: He just gets Pompey
What Bishop adds to this Pompey side is indisputable and his outstanding goal return speaks for itself. The Magic Man is the Blues’ top scorer this century (57) and is the first striker to score 20+ goals in successive seasons at Fratton Park during that time.
Crucially, he just gets Pompey and can handle the stage. The Fratton faithful have been longing for a forward who isn’t undermined by the prospect of playing at PO4, unlike some recent signings who have crumbled under the intense pressure.
We’ve seen throughout his three years on the south coast what he brings to the side and he will once again be critical to how the team progresses under Mousinho.