Portsmouth crisis for Leeds United explained as rivals suffer fresh double injury blow
Portsmouth crisis for Leeds United explained as rivals suffer fresh double injury blow
Problems are piling up for Portsmouth as they prepare to face Championship pacesetters Leeds United. Pompey sit 17th in the table, eight points above the relegation zone, after a disappointing defeat away to struggling Luton Town yesterday.
Jordan Clark’s 25th minute goal proved decisive as Pompey’s three-match winning streak came to an abrupt end. The visitors managed just one shot on target.
Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho, whose side entertain the Whites next Sunday in front of the TV cameras, said: “We started the game horrifically. First half was really poor, it was an unacceptable first half and ultimately we shot ourselves in the foot by conceding the goal in the way that we did.
“We huffed and puffed, had loads of possession and loads of opportunities to cross the ball from set-pieces, we had enough pressure and I think those are the games where if it isn’t quite happening for you, if you can’t quite find that magic tough in front of goal, you come away with a 0-0.
“But if you defend as poorly as we defended for 45 minutes then you don’t, so I’m really, really disappointed.
“We had that one really good chance with Conor Ogilvie’s header, but apart from that, we had loads of possession, loads of territory, quite a few crosses, quite a few set-pieces, but we didn’t have enough quality.
“Luton defended the box really well and in those sorts of games where sides aren’t going to open up against us, if we don’t manage to score, just come away with a clean sheet, 0-0, so it’s one of those days.”
Mousinho also confirmed the double injury blow of Hayden Matthews and Rob Atkinson. Matthews is set to undergo surgery after picking up an ankle problem against Queens Park Rangers and will miss the rest of the season, while Atkinson faces up to eight weeks out with a calf issue. With ex-United defender Conor Shaughnessy (hamstring) and Ibane Bowat also long-term absentees, Mousinho is low on options at centre-back. He fielded Marlon Pack, a midfielder by trade, alongside Regan Poole at the heart of their rearguard against the Hatters.
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