Why Portsmouth boss is persevering with Kamara as Chelsea starlet's sacrificed amid impressive Fratton stay
The Hull City capture has started every game since his return, while the 17-year-old starlet is being regularly withdrawn amid fine Fratton form. John Mousinho discusses the squad picture out wide.
John Mousinho is certain Abu Kamara will come good as the wait for his Pompey homecoming to spark to life continues.
And the Blues boss has outlined his thinking behind continuing to rely heavily on the winger, as Ryan Kavuma-McQueen is sacrificed in games.
Mousinho: ‘We’re asking Abs to go again, again and again’
Kamara is still waiting to get off the mark following his high-profile £2.5m return to Fratton Park from Hull City in the summer.
The 23-year-old has started every game since completing his return, with the League One title winner the only player is Mousinho’s squad to do so.
Kamara has completed the full 90 minutes in eight of those appearances, in contrast to Kavuma-McQueen who has been withdrawn in all but one of his eight Pompey starts.
That was the case once again against Millwall on Saturday, as Kamara struggled to have a major impact on the game but the Chelsea starlet was withdrawn.
Mousinho explained the thinking behind that, with the 17-year-old clearly fatigued as Kamara lasted the game’s duration.
The Pompey boss is confident a clear week before the trip to Burnley will aid the former Norwich City man, as he starts consistently amid injuries to the likes of Josh Murphy, Keshi Anderson, Luke Brooke-Smith and Franco Umeh.
Mousinho said: ‘In terms of our wingers, we have our fitness issues with the unit in general.
‘Hopefully we can get a few come back because we’re asking Abs to go again, again and again.
‘I think this break this week will do him the world of good.
‘Once something drops for him that’s fine, but in the meantime he’s looking threatening and he’s a real physical presence in the box as well as doing his job defensively.
‘I’ve got no concerns about Abs at all coming good, I love him to bits.
‘In terms of Ryan, if you go across the weeks he’s started against Southampton, he’s started against Sheffield United, started against Norwich and came off the bench the other night in a tough fixture.
‘He’s started again against Millwall, so for a 17-year-old to start four of those five games and come off the bench for a significant part of the other is a lot.
‘He was very close to being in a couple of times and on another day those moments go for him.
‘(Millwall defender) Crama is excellent on that side and gives us real problems, with the fact he’s physical, quick and a very good player as well. I felt Ryan did a good job.
‘We try to rotate with wingers, but with Abs it’s a bit different and touch wood he can stay fit in terms of that ability to go again. This is Ryan’s first taste of senior football and, in those 12 games so far he’s been excellent.’
Pompey have been boosted by Umeh’s return to fitness, with the winger on the bench for Saturday’s win over Millwall.
Meanwhile, Murphy is expected to be available for the long trip to Burnley on Saturday after double groin surgery.
Anderson is expected to be out for up to eight weeks after suffering a fresh hamstring injury against Sheffield United last week.
Meanwhile, Brooke-Smith is out until the new year after being hit with a dislocated ankle in training last month.