Portsmouth boss on why ex-West Brom man's new role could be permanent after 'brilliant' glimpses
The former Chelsea man has been named as Pompey’s number 10 in their last two Championship games
John Swift may be here to stay as Pompey’s number 10, according to John Mousinho.
And the Blues’ head coach has praised the former West Brom man’s ‘brilliant touches’ since being elevated into his more natural habitat.
The summer recruit began his Fratton Park first-team career operating as a holding midfielder, starting the opening six Championship matches in the absence of Marlon Pack and with Luke Le Roux still adjusting to the English game.
By Mousinho’s own admission, Swift was being played out of position during those fixtures, yet performing solidly enough to remain there.
Now the 30-year-old has been pushed forward into the number 10 role, having been preferred to Adrian Segecic and Conor Chaplin in the last two matches, including Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough.
Portsmouth boss: We want players to be brave
And Mousinho believes the ex-England under-21 international may be there for good following an encouraging start.
He told The News: ‘John is more suited to that position. He picked up some really good pockets against Watford, some of his passing, some of his touches, were brilliant.
‘He gave the ball away on a couple of occasions as well, which is going to happen I suppose. Maybe there’s a bit of frustration around that, but we are asking players to be creative.
‘Ultimately, when you sign a player like John and play him as a six, asking him to do a different role, to then playing him as a 10, sometimes the ball is going to break down.
‘We want players to be brave, we want them to get into good positions, we want them to take responsibility. He had a big part to play in the second goal against Watford and gets himself into some really nice spots.
‘In terms of John going forward in that more advanced position, that’s certainly where we will see him a lot more.
‘We’ve had a combination of a few different ones. Christian Saydee when he was here, Callum Lange is probably more of a running and powerful 10. A few times in that League One season we played with Alex Robertson as a 10, while a couple of times with Tino Anjorin.
‘Maybe Swifty is closer to the Alex Robertson mould in terms of a 10 than anything else, so we can definitely do it.’
Segecic has chiefly been first-choice in the number 10 role this season, lining up there in five of the opening seven league games.
Conor Chaplin was subsequently the preference against Southampton and Sheffield Wednesday before moving to the right wing, while the injured Callum Lang began the campaign as a right winger as opposed to his usual number 10 slot.
‘Swifty is more of a pocket player’
Mousinho added: ‘It’s just finding a different way of playing with the players we have. John’s not Christian Saydee, no-one is really, Callum is an absolute 110 per center, really high energy, runs in channels.
‘Swifty is probably more of a pocket player, getting on the half turn, trying to create a bit more, rather than doing it through athleticism and power. Very different.
‘There are many different ways to play that role, which also depends on the way the team is playing.
‘When we’re slightly more direct and go from back to front a bit quicker, it suits a different type. When we are trying to build a bit more and play through the nines, it suits a different type too.’