Regan Poole drops hint over Pompey defensive partner ahead of injury returns
Regan Poole has lauded the emergence of his impressive Pompey defensive partnership with Connor Ogilvie.
And one of the Blues' outstanding performers this season, has highlighted the pair’s close relationship as a key factor to their recent success as a centre-back pairing.
Poole believes the strength of their link-up over a period of six games shouldn’t be underestimated, with John Mousinho’s side set to welcome back reinforcements in their back line.
Both Conor Shaughnessy and Hayden Matthews are close to injury returns, as they up competition in the Welshman’s position. Poole wants to see his Ogilvie partnership continue at the level they’ve broadly been operating at, however.
He said: ‘Me and Connor are good and I like playing with him.
‘We’re best mates and we spend a lot of time together off the pitch. We share a room together, we’re really close and we’ve got a good relationship together.
‘We talk each other through the game, but that was the toughest 45 minutes we’ve had. We’ve had to scrap, fight and battle for the duels because they changed for us. It took us a little while to adjust to that.
‘But we’re really enjoying playing together and, look, we’re doing alright. We need to keep that going.
‘There will be competition for places for sure, but me and Connor are doing okay at the minute. We’ve formed a good partnership. We’re good friends and help each other on and off the pitch - hopefully we can keep it going.’
Pompey couldn’t find a third successive away win at Wrexham, as they laboured in the first half last night before rallying after the break at the Racecourse Ground.
The 2-1 reverse doesn’t puncture the Blues’ momentum, however, as they found a way to rouse themselves when looking leggy after a stretched squad negotiates a busy run of games.
Poole added: ‘We shot ourselves in the foot a bit in the first half and I think we were a bit shocked by how they changed their ways. They completely spun us in behind a bit, like Coventry at home when they changed.
‘We’re quite a high-pressing team and didn’t have the chance to do that, because everytime they got it they found the 10 or spun us in behind.
‘It’s a credit to us that teams have to change for us, but we didn’t adjust well enough.
‘When we had the ball we didn’t create anything in the first half, but it’s not easy to come out and have a right good go in the second half like we did.
‘You risk going further behind, but that’s a credit to where we are at the minute. We came out fighting - I think that shows we’re in a good place.
‘We won’t let this get us down because it feels like we’ve turned a corner. We’ve got more belief, so will come back Saturday, get a win and that will top off a good period.’.