If Portsmouth Football Club remain in the Championship come May, then yes. But it feels like it will be mighty close!
Of course, there will also be other variables at play. The form of the players, injuries, tactics, luck, substitutions, and team home and away form are all factors.
Impressive support from the fans should remain a given, or even go up a notch further given that the run-in is approaching. That support hasn’t made much of a difference away from home so far, although the signs were there against Burnley that central defensive reinforcements may provide a more solid platform for that support to become more of a factor in picking up the away points necessary for survival.
Right across the defence, things look a lot more positive now. Nicolas Schmid has generally looked reliable and capable of match-saving moments, West Brom being the most obvious exception. Will Norris never seemed likely to stay after disappearing from the squad following the Stoke City debacle.
Pompey have three right-backs competing for a single spot who’ve all shown real quality at times this season, although none have been truly consistent at a high level.
Despite Connor Ogilvie’s impressive progress this season, it’s good to have a back-up in the form of Cohen Bramall, and perhaps hecan also offer something different either at left-back or further forward.
But it’s in the middle where Pompey have had their biggest boost with the return of Conor Shaughnessy and the arrival of Hayden Matthews and Rob Atkinson. Hopefully Regan Poole can give us some more good news on the injury front before too long.
In midfield, Pompey have four options for what seems like the inevitable two places, although Marlon Pack could perhaps find a niche as part of a three-man midfield away from home.
Although Isaac Hayden hasn’t been at his best yet, surely there’s more to come. Freddie Potts and Andre Dozzell have to be the first-choice pairing right now, and whatever happens this area will need major surgery in the summer.
It’s sad to see Owen Moxon go, but the manager didn’t seem keen to use him this season. I felt he had so much more potential, but a number of times this season he was he was caught on his heels and gave the ball away. We’ll always have Derby County.
Up top, Colby Bishop still has to be the main man. The finishing touch must surely return but we need other options to deploy alongside him, or to replace him later in games. Kusini Yengi and Mark O’Mahony should return soon, and Thomas Waddingham has shown tremendous energy and willingness to press.
I think the crucial area, and the one that worries me the most, is that three-pronged attack behind the lone striker. How effective and impactful will Adil Aouchiche and Kaide Gordon be in case of tiredness, injury, or loss of form for Josh Murphy, Matt Ritchie, and Callum Lang?
I worry Gordon will be another Harvey Blair, and prove as yet unready for Championship football. John Mousinho says he’s direct and likes to play wide and get crosses in. I hope he does that and I wish him all the best.
Christian Saydee, much as I love him, hasn’t had made his presence felt for a while. It feels like make or break here.
I hope it’s enough, but we will only know at the end of the season and of course there’s nothing else that can be done now apart from a cheeky free agent coming along to fill that last squad place.
Maybe we should go back to pre-2002 when clubs could sign whoever they wanted before the end of March. I hate the media circus that surrounds the transfer window.
But on balance it’s good to get back to basics by letting the players and staff settle and prove their worth against the rest of the division. Meanwhile the fans can concentrate on willing them on. There’s a huge amount at stake. I love it!
Last-day survival at Huddersfield, Bradford, Wigan (nearly), we salute you! Hopefully the job is done before then.
Main photo: Martyn White Sports Images
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