Hamstring injuries aside this has been a great week for Pompey, and I’m so pleased for Colby Bishop. He’s established himself as one of the club’s best-ever strikers, and best signings full-stop.
Whilst statistics can be over-used these days, 50 goals in such a short space of time compels reflection and evaluation. But the win at Oxford United makes me wish more front-men were able to show what they can do, more often.
Bishop is undoubtedly the main man in the established 4-2-3-1 formation. He does so much so well, as his performance against Cardiff City showed.
He was outstanding that night, including a beautiful finish for the first goal. He has missed some chances recently, but Pompey weren’t creating so many before he came back into the team and he’ll continue to score goals.
However, I don’t think Bishop would have scored the second at Oxford. In that moment Mark O’Mahony did everything Bishop can do, but with the pace to race though and finish.
This is far from a criticism of Bishop. If he’d been able to score that goal, Portsmouth would have a player worth £10m on their hands.
But there are currently four strikers at the club, with space for only one of them in the team at a time. How do the other three get enough game time to keep match fit and develop?
I know this is not necessarily the manager’s main problem and I’m no tactical expert either, but I do miss the traditional strike partnership.
I won’t name them all here, but Paul Walsh and Guy Whittingham were electrifying at their best. However, it does seem Pompey will continue to substitute strikers one-for-one rather than pair them, so that differing attributes can be employed or Bishop rested as necessary.
John Mousinho knows what he’s doing, and I’m sure there will be moments where ‘Plan B’ means the other strikers are given the opportunity to demonstrate their individual qualities, as O’Mahony did at Oxford.
What’s really prompted this nostalgia for 4-4-2 is the ITV ‘Big Match’ re-run shown last weekend, which featured one of the first matches I ever attended at the age of seven. Pompey played Oxford in a mud-bath at Fratton Park just before Christmas 1984.
That day my Grandad rubbed my head just before Alan Biley’s equaliser, for luck and a goal. He did it again just before Pompey took the corner that led to the winner!
I’ve been known to ask people to engage in this ritual during difficult moments at Pompey games, and I can’t guarantee it won’t happen again.
But back to Bishop himself. He’s a true Pompey great for me and as he said himself, I hope he stays for another 50 goals.
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