The big issues at Portsmouth and international midfielder in outstanding form that Sunderland will have to keep an eye on

Sunderland moved back to the top of League One with a convincing 5-0 win over Cheltenham on Tuesday – but what can Lee Johnson’s side expect when they make the long trip to Portsmouth this weekend?
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Pompey boss Danny Cowley made an encouraging start at Fratton Park when he was appointed in March, and the Blues narrowly missed out on a play-off place last season.

Yet the side have been struggling in recent weeks, and pressure is starting to build on the south coast ahead of Sunderland’s arrival.

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After winning their first three league fixtures, Portsmouth have now gone eight games without a win in all competitions and were beaten 2-1 at Burton last time out.

Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley.Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley.
Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley.

The result saw Portsmouth drop to 13th in the table with 12 points from 10 matches.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have won seven of their first ten league games and lost just once in all competitions this term.

To find out more about the Black Cats’ next opponents we caught up with chief sports writer Neil Allen at our sister title The Portsmouth News to get the inside track on Pompey:

How have Portsmouth fared so far this season and what has gone wrong in recent weeks?

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NA: “Well the first four games were favourable in terms of the opposition, hence they got ten points from those games.

"They beat Fleetwood 1-0, then beat Crewe who I think will be down there. They beat Shrewsbury and then drew with Doncaster, who have had an awful start.

“Since then it’s gone awry a little, they should have won at Charlton but they are now shipping goals alarmingly after not conceding in their first four games.

“They have conceded two in each of their last four games and there are also scoring issues so there are all sorts of problems popping up.”

Is pressure starting to mount on Cowley?

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NA: “Pressure will always mount the longer you go without winning games. Pompey haven’t won for eight games in total so the pressure is building.

“They haven’t been performing well enough in a variety of positions and some players are struggling, some players have been struggling for a while and he’s trying to get a tune out of them.

“The pressure is building because they haven’t won for so long and Pompey have consistently won games since they came into this division and two years before that.

“It has been a really disappointing period and Cowley somehow has to turn it around.”

What system are Pompey likely to play?

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NA: “Against Plymouth three games ago they produced a wing-back system, which was a bit surprising as they’ve not used it before.

"They played well and got a draw against Plymouth at home, got a draw at Charlton that they should have won, and started really well. But they were awful at Burton on Tuesday night and lost 2-1.

“He may still use that system, there has definitely been encouraging signs and it’s brought the best out of a number of players but they are still shipping in goals.

“Crucially, he has got two centre-halves who are injured so in his back three he has a centre-half, a central midfielder and a right-back.

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“It might be a case of the right system, wrong time. He is short of two natural centre-halves who are both injured.

“Clark Roberson is out until before Christmas and Connor Ogilvie has been out, another centre-half.

“Ogilvie might be back for Saturday and if he is back I expect him to go straight into the team as the left-sided centre-half in a back three.”

Who are the players Sunderland will have to keep an eye on?

NA: “Joe Morrell, a Welsh international midfielder plays every game. He started every game at the Euros and has really come into it since they have been playing with the wing-back system. He has been outstanding the last few games in central midfield.

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“It was a quiet start after they signed him from Luton but he has been getting better and better so is one to keep an eye on.

“Up front they have big issues. John Marquis has one goal in 11 games, eight goals in 42 and he sort of sums up the problems they have in the central striking area. That is a big issue for Pompey.

“Others to keep an eye on, Sean Raggett, a centre-half, has had a really good season and Mahlon Romeo who is on loan from Millwall, a wing-back.

“Romeo looks a really good signing, direct, pacy, attacking, he’s an attacking full-back whether he is wing-back or right-back and bombs on down that wing.

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“He is a Championship player who left Millwall for other issues so Pompey have got a real coup to have him.”

What is the feeling among Pompey fans ahead of a meeting with Sunderland?

NA: “Not good. There is not a lot of hope bearing in mind Sunderland’s start to the season and how Pompey are performing.

“At Burton Danny Cowley was very critical of his team afterwards so there is not a lot of hope from Pompey fans.”

Do you think Cowley will make many changes from the Burton game?

NA: “It’s a good question.

“He has to change something especially up front, particularly with John Marquis in horrendous form, both his goal scoring and overall game.

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“He could well change it up front but there’s not too much he can change really.”

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