Pressure building as age-old Portsmouth problems still obvious despite splashing out £12m
The Blues have scored 10 goals in nine matches in all competitions so far this season
They were 45 minutes, spanning a second half, yet of sufficient length to serve as a powerful microcosm of Pompey’s long-standing problem.
Challenged with breaking down 10 men in the south-coast derby, John Mousinho’s men lacked the necessary quality in the final third to change the course of the result.
Although there were plenty of promising build ups against Southampton, while the numerical advantage inevitably enabled them to dominate, the visitors once again demonstrated an alarming lack of creativity, goal threat and intelligent decisions.
Even of the five substitutes employed, four were attacking players, while Terry Devlin is hardly a stay-at-home defender focused on prevention.
Yet Southampton keeper Daniel Peretz still enjoyed a comfortable afternoon, challenged to deal with just two efforts on target for the entire St Mary’s match.
Age-old Portsmouth problem
With 10 goals in nine matches in all competitions this season, Pompey’s age-old goal-scoring problem clearly has still to be remedied. Likewise, their creativity struggles in the perennial absence of Josh Murphy.
Last term, only relegated pair Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford, plus West Brom, Charlton and Blackburn, scored fewer goals than the Blues’ Championship tally of 49.
It prompted summer recruitment prioritising on strengthening attacking areas, with the arrivals of Marko Milovanovic, Abu Kamara, Tyrese Shade, Odin Bailey, Eoin Kenny, Luke Brooke-Smith and Chelsea loanee Ryan Kavuma-McQueen.
Yet here we still are. Struggling for goals.
What’s more, selection options also continue to be impacted by injuries, poor form, and the need for adjustment and patience for some who have never performed at this level.
Old habits die hard
Old habits die hard. Colby Bishop has started six matches, Murphy has featured for 44 minutes because of injury, there is still no successor to Marlon Pack, and everyone is eager for Conor Shaughnessy to come back from injury to improve the centre of defence.
Of course, it’s easy for the current mood to be dictated by the Southampton outcome. Certainly had the Blues capitalised on the lifeline helpfully provided by Cameron Bragg’s 44th-minute departure, such criticism would be muted.
In fairness, as a team performance against Southampton, it wasn’t a poor one. Indeed, there are those among the Fratton faithful anticipating a landslide defeat inflicted by a free-scoring side, particularly on home territory.
However, Pompey failed in the crucial area of the pitch when presented with the golden opportunity of a maiden league victory at St Mary’s - which hurts supporters the most.
Kamara had the beating of Ryan Manning, but his final ball was dreadful, Shade electing not to put Segecic clean through, Jayden Meghoma’s wild shot rather than squaring to Kamara, Zak Swanson sending a strike into orbit despite falling to his favoured right foot, the spurned opportunities were endless.
As a consequence, Southampton supporters now possess prized ammunition to mock their fierce rivals’ inability to put 10 men to the sword and finishing as the losing side.
Must-win against Sheffield United
Victory over Sheffield United on Wednesday night (7.45pm) is essential, with the hope that Milovanovic is now ready to start following his recent injury, replacing Bishop up front. Yet still no Murphy.
Encouragingly, Kavuma-McQueen is a class act and an astute loan signing, while surely the talented Kamara will rediscover the spark which has so far eluded him seven appearances into his second Fratton Park spell.
While the 13-minute cameo of Keshi Anderson off the bench against Southampton represented one of the plus points, having been sidelined since the start of July through another injury set-back.
Ultimately, Pompey hold an ambition to progress in the Championship, building on last term’s 18th-placed finish. Without goals, however, they aren’t going to get close, with a reverse trajectory a very real alternative.
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