Portsmouth still in the dark over length of Andy Cannon absence after injury blow
Pompey are in the dark over how long they will be deprived of in-form Andy Cannon.
The energetic midfielder collected a groin injury after 23 minutes of Saturday’s FA Cup triumph at Ipswich.
Despite being immediately withdrawn, replaced by Ben Close, the extent of the damage has still to be established.
The Blues are to send Cannon for a scan on the troublesome groin area later this week.
As it stands, Joe Gallen insists he is unable to estimate the length of the former Rochdale man’s absence.
What is certain, however, is the 24-year-old’s first-team run of seven successive starts is at an end – for now.
He told The News: ‘Andy will be hopefully going for a scan in the next few days to find the severity of it.
‘It looks like a groin strain of some sort, I don’t know how serious that is or the timescale involved, we have yet to find out.
‘I don’t want to speculate, I don’t quite know.
‘If you want me to put a time and date on it, I can take an arbitrary number, but he will probably be out for a little while.
‘Until we get the scan I don’t know, I really don’t.
‘When it happened, he got ice on it straight and realised that, more than likely, it’s going to be a spell out on the sidelines.
‘So Andy will be disappointed, especially with the form he had been showing.’
Cannon’s current spell in the side signified his longest first-team presence since his January 2019 arrival.
That coincided with Pompey employing a 4-4-2 system – and a huge upturn in form following a poor start to the campaign.
Cannon has thrived after entrusted with a central-midfield role alongside Tom Nayor, having been patient for an opportunity.
Selected ahead of Ben Close and Bryn Morris, he has helped the Blues to six wins from the last eight matches he has started in all competitions.
And Gallen has noticed a marked improvement in Cannon during his recent spell in the side.
Pompey’s assistant boss added: ‘Andy has done well in the centre of midfield, he was making the spot his own. He now has to get fit and get back.
‘He’s improved in terms of handling a bit of disappointment. He can tend to become disheartened if the referee doesn’t give him a foul or someone doesn’t see him with a pass, but I think he has done very well mentally to get tougher.
‘Maybe going back into that number four position makes you a bit more responsible.
‘Andy looks strong and has picked up a lot of second balls. We are going to miss him.’
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