‘The reality is...': EFL experts’ Portsmouth relegation message in battle with West Brom, Oxford United & Co
Six league games without a win has left the shadow of Championship relegation hanging over Fratton Park, as EFL experts Not The Top 20 assess Pompey and the picture at the bottom of the table.
Pompey have been told they’re still a long way from going down as prophets of doom predict their Championship demise.
But the Blues have been warned they need to address their ‘very concerning’ defensive lapses to turn their league fortunes around.
EFL experts: Pompey being cut open is ‘very, very concerning’
And the technical lapses of the ‘chaotic’ and ‘high-octane’ attacking players in John Mousinho’s squad have also been highlighted, amid their concerning run of a single league win from six fixtures.
Pompey’s collapse at QPR and home defeat to Derby County leaves them a point outside of the bottom three across the international break.
Respected EFL pundits, Not The Top 20 (NTT20), focussed on the Blues' plight in their latest podcast, looking at how things stand on the pitch for Mousinho’s men and the mood off it among the Fratton Faithful.
NTT20’s, Ali Maxwell said: ‘Pompey played Derby and I was struck by how chaotic the game was. It was played at a million miles per hour, by choice for Portsmouth, and they were on the wrong side of it.
‘That was partly because when the ball got into the final third with Alli and Caballero, these are quite chaotic players suited to playing a high-octane style, they didn’t have the technical side of the game locked in. They were really poor in the final third and that meant a chaotic game went against them.
‘We had a chuckle, and this isn’t meant to single out any particular Pompey fan, but we both saw separately Pompey fans saying: “That’s us, we’re down” (after QPR).
‘That’s an understandable reaction to getting pumped, rompy Pompey at QPR or whatever you want to call it.
‘They’ve got one point from their last six games in the league, they thought they were safe and they’re anything but.
‘They’re also not in the relegation zone and have a game in hand, at home to Ipswich, not an easy one but they do have a game in hand on sides around them.
‘We were reflecting that, this season, there has to be at least half a dozen teams who, at some point, have had portions of the fanbase saying they’re down and can’t come back from this.
‘The reality is no one is down yet, apart from Sheffield Wednesday.
‘All these teams are saying they’re down - no one’s down. None of you are down. Portsmouth, not down. Oxford, not down. West Brom, definitively not down.’
NTT20: ‘One of most bizarre statistical games we’ve ever seen’
NTT20’s, George Elek, focussed on events at Loftus Road and one of the ‘most bizarre’ EFL games he’s ever watched, when it comes to the game’s statistics.
Elek highlighted what he saw as a lack of mobility in a high Pompey back line being exploited by the Londoners.
He added: ‘It’s one of the most bizarre statistical games we’ve ever seen.
‘QPR for their six goals only had six touches in the opposition box, compared to Portsmouth with 34.
‘QPR had nine shots, eight on target and three big chances. It’s just wild how the game transpired.
‘It was an incredible attempt to breach a high line from Portsmouth.
‘They played with Terry Devlin, Conor Shaughnessy, Regan Poole and Connor Ogilvie, it’s not a particularly quick back four.
‘Given how high they’re playing under Mousinho, it felt they exploited that really well.
‘It’s mainly just one of the best displays of finishing I’ve ever seen in the EFL. Incredibly clinical.’