How Portsmouth's alarming set-piece frailties compare to rest of Championship

Pompey’s frailties when it comes to defending balls into their box from set-pieces was exposed again on Wednesday night at Sheffield United.

The problem has been the Blues’ downfall for the majority of this season to date, costing John Mousinho’s side valuable points in their battle to retain their Championship status.

And, unsurprisingly, that inability to defend their goal properly when opposition teams whip crosses into their penalty area from corner-kicks or free-kicks reared it’s ugly head once more at Bramall Lane, with two of the hosts’ three goals coming from such scenarios.

Of course, Sydie Peck’s opener from the penalty spot won’t count in official figure produced. However, he was only presented with that opportunity after Terry Devlin stopped the ball going into the Pompey net following a United corner.

Meanwhile, Patrick Bamford netted his first goal for the Blades in the second half, when we was gifted the simpliest of opportunities after the Blues failed to cope with yet another corner-kick delivery.

The worrying consistency of such goals being conceded is a huge cause for concern, especially as Pompey dropped to 20th in the table on the back of their latest trip to Bramall Lane.

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Yet what causes more alarm is the fact that Pompey’s are the division’s serial offenders when it comes to this issue. Indeed, only Sheffield Wednesday come close to challenging them for this unwanted title.

It’s, therefore, something that desperately needs fixing ASAP, with nearly have of the Blues’ goals conceded this season coming from set-pieces.

Here’s how Pompey’s set-pieces defending stats compare to the rest of the teams in the division - starting with those most comfortable dealing with balls into their box from corners or free-kicks, to those who go weak at the knees at the sight of such a delivery.

For your next Pompey read: Portsmouth defender delivers brutally honest verdict on alarming concern after Sheffield United woes