That’s according to whoscored.com, who have been calculating all club’s players’ performances since the 2022-23 season began at the end of July.
All four teams who presently sit above the Blues in the table – Plymouth, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough – would have players picked in a 4-4-2 formation.
Yet there would be no Pompey representation, even with striker Colby Bishop – the Fratton Park outfit’s current top scorer with eight third-tier goals this term – coming in with an average rating of 7.07 per game.
Indeed, surprisngly, only he and Michael Jacobs (7.03) average above the 7/10 rating per game, despite the Blues’ solid start to the season.
So if no Pompey players makes the current, who does?
Well, just to tease you – there’s a former PO4 striker who has been banging in the goals this term, and a Bristol Rovers forward whom Danny Cowley was linked with during the summer.
Here’s the starting XI...

9. Aaron Collins (Bristol Rovers)
Games played: 17. Goals scored/assists: 9/6. Average rating: 7.3. Photo: Harry Trump

10. Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough)
Games played: 17. Goals scored/assists: 11/2. Average rating: 7.4. Photo: David Rogers

11. Ellis Harrison (Port Vale)
Games played: 14. Goals scored/assists: 7/1. Average rating: 7.3. Photo: Morgan Harlow

