Fan Focus: Portsmouth fan Andy is predicting a win for Regis Le Bris' Sunderland side today!

01/05/2025 01:00 AM

Ahead of today's match, Matty spoke to Andy Mitchelmore of the PO4cast, to find out more about John Mousinho's side. Who should we be wary of?

Over 20 matches have been played since our two teams met, how would you summarise your season so far?

A real mixed bag.

There have been a couple of total horror shows (Derby, Stoke) but we've been competitive in most other matches with very early and very late goals really being what have punished us. Being on the receiving end of a genuinely terrible refereeing performance against Watford also hasn't helped.

There have been promising signs though. Being able to draw more attritional games (e.g. Norwich) and some good wins in there too have raised spirits.

The managers of clubs in and around the bottom three always come under pressure - are fans still behind John Mousinho?

Yes. There's a small minority on social media who want wholesale changes after every defeat, but the overwhelming majority of fans are very much behind him.

I'd be surprised if there was a change this season, even if we're looking like being in trouble in a few months' time.

He's doing an excellent job with what he's got and the thought of him being sacked hasn't really entered my head as a possibility, to be honest.

If you had to give your honest opinion, do you think Portsmouth will avoid relegation?

It's going to be close. I don't think we have the squad depth at the moment to really pull away from the relegation zone, but I've seen enough to think that we've got a decent chance.

When we get fixture congestion and have to rely on squad depth, we really do seem to struggle. I'd say I'm pretty 50/50 at the moment on it. I do think that Hull and Plymouth are likely to go down… we've just got to be better than one other team!

Looking at your home and away records, Pompey have really struggled on their travels, but you have scored 4 in your last two home games - what do you think has caused your struggles on the road?

To be brutally honest, we aren't defensively solid enough to keep clean sheets away from home and teams' chance creation levels at home against us has been high.

I'm pretty sure that you will score this weekend. We've also not been clinical enough with the chances we have created. You don't get many good chances away from home in the Championship compared to League One, and we just haven't been clinical enough with ours.

To be fair, the away defeat against Watford on Boxing Day really wasn't deserved, though.

Portsmouth have announced the loan signing of centre-back Rob Atkinson from Bristol City. What are your thoughts on this move?

It's a position we do need strengthening. Since you last saw us, we've now started playing Marlon Pack at centre back who is a centre mid really, but he's done a good job considering.

Conor Shaughnessy continues to be injured, Regan Poole has had injury problems and struggled slightly when fit, and Tom McIntyre has struggled with the step up from League One at times.

As such, signing a player who has had such a difficult time with injuries is a bit confusing, but his physical profile does fit what we're missing a bit. I'm really hoping that he manages to stay fit and succeeds with us but his lack of match fitness in recent times is a concern for me.

Winger Callum Lang is the club's top scorer with nine goals, four of which came in one match! What makes him so dangerous?

Callum Lang has consistently caused Championship sides issues by not being afraid to run at defences with the ball. He originally played on the right side of a 4-2-3-1 for us last year but now has found his home at 10.

He had absolutely no service against Sunderland earlier this season as we got completely trapped trying to play out from the back to our defensive midfielders.

It's becoming worryingly clear how reliant we are on him and Josh Murphy for chance creation, though, but as long as they are both fit, we pose a threat.

Last time we spoke I asked about the progress of Colby Bishop, who is now back on the pitch scoring goals - how great is it to see him back playing again?

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when he came back on as a sub for his first appearance. To go from heart surgery to playing in the Championship in 12 weeks is just absurd.

Without him, we had players like Christian Saydee playing in a 9 role who are really a 10 by trade, and as a result there just weren't those runs attacking the six-yard box. Colby Bishop does this.

He's got that sixth sense of where to be at the right time. I don't think he's quite back to his clinical best, which is very understandable, but he's doing a great job working back towards it.

Aside from the above-mentioned players, who do you think will cause Sunderland problems?

Josh Murphy wasn't fit when we played against Sunderland at Fratton Park and has caused some teams big problems on the left side of a 4-2-3-1. His goalscoring record in League One for Oxford wasn't amazing but he's really found his scoring boots this season.

Matt Ritchie has also found form since the Fratton fixture against Sunderland. He struggled in his first few games this season but has really hit form and become one of our key players.

Nicolas Schmid in goal has also been a stand-out; taking the gloves from Will Norris and single-handedly (literally) keeping us in a number of games.

How do you think Mousinho will set up tactically at the Stadium of Light?

Mousinho has shown a bit more adaptability as the season has progressed. At the start of this season, we were fairly one-dimensional in terms of a high press and playing out from the back.

Neither of these things worked at all against Sunderland at Fratton and we ended up just stuck with the ball with our midfielders facing our own goal. Since then, Mousinho has introduced more of a low block in some games and isn't afraid to employ a more direct style of play where appropriate.

Based off our game at Fratton, I think we'd be more likely to employ that low block and more direct style this weekend, as Sunderland just dominated central midfield when we tried to play through it. Having said that, Swansea struggled against the high press and it forced them into defensive mistakes that gifted us a couple of our goals.

Are any players missing and who do you think will start?

The main players missing are Kusini Yengi (although he's struggled with the step up a bit) and Conor Shaughnessy. The starting lineup will say a lot about whether Mousinho truly thinks we're getting anything from the game or whether his focus is keeping key players fit.

We'll play a 4-2-3-1 unless something changes completely. I would hope our lineup will be Schmid in goal, Ogilvie, Towler, Pack, Swanson (L to R) as a back 4, probably Potts and Dozzell as CDM, Murphy, Lang and Ritchie (L to R) as 3 attacking mids, and Colby Bishop at 9.

If you see any of the front four on the bench, there's an element of squad rotation going on.

Sunderland won 3-1 in our fixture earlier in his season - what is your score prediction for today's match?

As much as I'd love to predict a surprise and I think the centre of midfield is slightly weakened without Chris Rigg, I can't really see us picking up a result at the SoL.

I'd snap your hand off for a point. We know that shocks happen in the Championship though, so you never know.