Portsmouth boss considers freeing Conor Chaplin for attacking switch as fans clamour for central Birmingham City role
Pompey fans want to see Conor Chaplin deployed centrally after an underwhelming Fratton return to date. John Mousinho discusses how that could become a Championship reality at St Andrews.
John Mousinho believes Pompey have the options to move Conor Chaplin to his preferred No10 role at Birmingham City.
The Blues boss highlighted Minhyeok Yang as a contender to move to the right flank, with Florian Bianchini another option for the role at St Andrews.
Spurs loanee could action Chaplin Pompey No 10 shift
Josh Murphy being in contention to start against the big-spending Championship new boys gives Mousinho some attacking flexibility he’s lacked, amid his side’s injury issues going forward.
The head coach has yet to decide on Murphy’s role, however, after his return against Stoke City following a six-game lay-off with an ankle injury.
Chaplin played the first two games after his Fratton homecoming in the withdrawn central role he’s now renowned for, but then moved to the right after those outings against Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday.
That’s a decision which has been a focus among supporters, with Chaplin struggling to reach the levels hoped for in that position.
Mousinho revealed he’s been without the two players he had earmarked to play down the right this term, in Harvey Blair and Crystal Palace new boy Franco Umeh. Meanwhile, Adrian Segecic has now joined the list of fitness absentees.
But with Yang catching Mousinho’s eye down the right in the past, there is a little more attacking flexibility than the Pompey boss has had of late with Murphy back.
He said: ‘Minhyeok’s only involvement on the right came against Reading, when he started on the right and switched over 60 minutes into the game.
‘I’ve seen Minhyeok on the right, I saw him play for QPR against Derby on a Friday night before we played Oxford away from home last season.
‘He played very, very well on the right-hand side and he’s more than capable of doing that. Obviously in Murph’s absence Minhyeok has been playing there, though (on the left).
‘I think if you looked at the start of the season and looked at the depth chart of the squad, in terms of what we were looking to do on that right-hand side.
‘It was mainly Harvey Blair and Franco, once we brought him in. The two of them have been unavailable, with the third one we brought in for that side Minhyeok, he’s been playing out on the left.
‘So that’s where we’ve been. I know everyone knows that, but that’s one of the big reasons (for Chaplin playing on the right).’
West Brom arrival returns at Birmingham after impressing
Another selection consideration in the mix at Birmingham is John Swift coming back into the fray, following his one-game suspension last weekend after accumulating five yellow cards. Swift had impressed in his previous outings against Leicester and Coventry City, with the midfielder’s first goal coming in the 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium.
The 30-year-old could be used in the 10 position he occupied in those occasions, or as part of the double defensive midfield pivot he operated in at the start of the season.
Mousinho added: ‘I think Swifty had a couple of his better games before the suspension, really growing into things. I thought he took his goal really well against Leicester and he was an attacking threat against Coventry playing as a 10. ‘So it was really good to have him back.’