‘Real struggle to see win coming’: Sky Sports pundit’s worrying Portsmouth message ahead of huge QPR and Cardiff City clashes
Sky Sports pundit Andy Hinchcliffe admitted it’s a challenge to see where Pompey’s first Championship victory will arrive after their winless start to the season.
And the EFL expert underlined a conviction the immediate task for John Mousinho is to restore confidence, he feels would have been battered by their struggles over the first nine league games of the campaign.
Hinchcliffe was stunned to see the Blues battered 6-1 at Stoke last week, in a game he anticipated would see them pick up their first second-tier victory of the campaign.
After letting the lead slip against Oxford this weekend, the former Manchester City and Everton defender feels the level of improvement required is there for all to see.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Essential EFL podcast, Hinchcliffe said: It’s the fixture list, it’s been horrendous for them - but Stoke is the most worrying result this season.
‘Stoke were very good and Tom Cannon outstanding, but that result came out of nowhere.
‘Before a ball was kicked I thought it was a chance for them, but they just completely capitulated.
‘Conceding six in any game is bad, but to a team like Stoke was a big surprise.
‘The defeat and the manner of it - did the players down tools?
‘Watching the goals go in I think there was a lack of organisation and energy defensively. It wasn’t good enough.
‘Then they are a goal to the good against an Oxford side who came up with them - and they can’t hold on for the win there.
‘So again it’s confidence. It’s not just tough games and not winning them, that’s bad enough.
‘But getting beat 6-1 and then being ahead at home and drawing against a team who came up with you.
‘It’s another two weeks for John Mousinho to try to work some magic.
‘They have to put this section of the season to bed and try to improve, but, looking at their stats, it’s a real struggle to see where a win is going to come from.
‘It’s within their own dressing room. Don’t worry about the opposition, they have to say we clearly have to be better than we were against Stoke and Oxford.
‘It’s down to them, because they were a team who were fantastic in League One.
‘How quickly confidence can get eroded within nine games - it’s how quickly they can restore that.’