‘The levels are different’ - Preston North End boss pinpoints reason behind Portsmouth’s struggles
The league’s basement club Portsmouth host fellow strugglers Preston North End in a crucial bottom the table clash
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has claimed that Portsmouth are feeling the jump up in standards of the Championship after winning promotion from League One last season.
The Lilywhites travel to Fratton Park for the first time since 2012 in desperate need of three points as they aim to avoid dropping into the relegation places before the November international break. Preston are winless on the road since March and are targeting a key victory against a Portsmouth side that currently have the worst home record in the division with no wins from six matches at Fratton Park.
Heckingbottom has described Portsmouth as a ‘well organised’ team that have been competitive at Championship level throughout the season and believes they have been unlucky in several instances this season. The ex-Sheffield United boss told the Lancashire Evening Post: "Whenever you jump up a league, there is no let up. It's tough. You can feel it, because the standards are there in terms of a team's base level. If you catch someone off their game slightly, then they are still a top team in the level below. When you catch someone on it, it can be too much for you. But, they've been in lots of games.”
Portsmouth took charge of large periods of the game against Plymouth Argyle in midweek but left the game with nothing after a late strike from Michael Obafemi in a slender 1-0 defeat.
Heckingbottom believes that Pompey have been unfortunate not to have more points on the board but claims that they will have to be more clinical to survive in the division: “I saw them play away at Burnley and they were really unlucky there. Looking at their games of late, they were really good at Hull and will be disappointed they didn't win there. The other night, they were probably the better team overall - so they are more than competing.
“Organisation, well coached... you can see that. The levels are different. I did not watch too much of them last season, but if they were creating 20 chances in League One, they might find it hard to create 20 - so you have to be more clinical at one end. Likewise, if they were conceding five chances in League One, they might be conceding a lot more. That is just how hard this league is. You have got to find a way to get those numbers in your favour, through performance and getting things right tactically.”
Heckingbottom is yet to travel to Portsmouth in his managerial career and is looking forward to the challenge of facing off against John Mousinho’s side in a potential six-pointer at the bottom of the table.
He continued: “It's a really competitive league. I have never been (to Fratton Park)! I have missed it every time I've been playing for a team and coaching, I've never been in their league. Twice, I think, when I was playing - and I missed those games down there. So yeah, it's a new one for me."