Football Season Guide

Pompey were champions of League One last season and with this they got back to the Championship for the first time since 2012. Despite not having the best attack or the best defence Portsmouth had by far the best record. They lost only 5 games out of 46 (28 wins and 13 draws) and this got them promoted nearly a month before the end of the season. Coach Mousinho was the architect behind this craved success in what was his first full year in charge. He now has the task to lead Pompey in the higher division where the team’s ability to grind down results even when not playing very well should help a lot. Mousinho is yet to make any major moves on the transfer market. Full-back Jordan Williams and winger Sam Silvera are the only ones of the newcomers that could hope to become regular starters as the season unfolds. The main worry over the summer has been the condition of the top goalscorer for the last 2 years Colby Bishop (21 league goals last term). He was diagnosed with a heart condition and needs some treatment. Hopes are Bishop will be ready to shine again next season. If his condition doesn’t improve expect Pompey to be looking aggressively for a new striker. Mousinho often shifts between 4-4-2, 4-5-1 and 3-4-2-1 formations. This makes Pompey unpredictable and helped them a lot to surprise opponents last term. Captain Pack is the key figure in midfield. Moxon and Morrell are also very important players in that area of the pitch. The defenders in the squad are all experienced players and they also carry significant threat from set pieces. Last season Portsmouth scored the most goal from dead-ball deliveries in League One. Connor Ogilvie is particularly dangerous in the air, he averaged 4.5 goals per season for the last 4 campaigns.