Mousinho Doubles Down on ‘Great’ Centre-Back Pairing Ahead of Derby Clash Despite Coventry Heartbreak

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has thrown his full backing behind centre-half pairing Regan Poole and Connor Ogilvie, despite the disappointment of a stoppage-time loss to Coventry in midweek.

Pompey’s 1-0 defeat on Wednesday night came via a gut-wrenching late goal, but the manager was quick to absolve his defenders of any blame, instead praising their resilience and quality throughout the contest.

“I don’t give any blame for Coventry’s goal to the centre-halves, to be honest. I thought they were great,” Mousinho told The News.
“They dealt with everything — blocks, squeezing the line, being brave on the ball at times. I was really pleased with their performance.”

Poole and Ogilvie have now started four consecutive matches together in central defence, three of which have come on the road. With Conor Shaughnessy, Rob Atkinson, and Hayden Matthews all sidelined through injury, the duo have formed a solid stopgap partnership that has earned the trust of the head coach.

“They Were Very, Very Solid Again”

Despite conceding late against Coventry, Mousinho pointed to consistency in recent performances — particularly clean sheets against Blackburn and a strong showing at Preston — as evidence that the pairing is worth persisting with.

“If we hadn’t conceded that late goal, I would have been waxing lyrical about what a good away point it was… I thought they were really good,” he added.
“They were very good away at Preston, excellent against Blackburn, and solid again on Wednesday. So 75 percent of the time, they’ve been very good.”

Atkinson Return Still on Ice

While Rob Atkinson is edging closer to fitness following a five-week absence with a calf injury, Mousinho believes it’s “too soon” to consider a return to the matchday squad this weekend against Derby County.

“Rob was due to have a tapered training session on Thursday… but not with a view for the weekend,” Mousinho confirmed. “It’s too soon for him.”

Meanwhile, Ryley Towler continues to be overlooked, despite travelling to Coventry. Marlon Pack, usually a midfielder, has filled in at the back on occasion, while Terry Devlin was preferred on the bench.

Shaughnessy Nearing Comeback

There is some light at the end of the tunnel, though, with Conor Shaughnessy expected to return to training next week after a seven-week layoff. However, Mousinho emphasized the need to be “cautious” after such a lengthy injury spell.

“Shocks is pencilled in to come back into training next week and then we’ll see,” he said. “We must make sure we’re cautious with him.”

With three home matches remaining and a massive clash with Derby looming, Mousinho seems determined to stick with his makeshift but trusted pairing — and believes they can hold the line as Portsmouth look to finish the season on a strong note.

In other news, Portsmouth Boss Fires Warning Shot at Underperformers Ahead of Derby County Clash: “We’re Carrying Players”