Pompey boss John Mousinho gives his Exeter City verdict after the frustrating 0-0 draw at St James Park.
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00:00 John, frustration probably palpable this evening, what was your assessment?
00:06 I thought that we started the game okay for 15 minutes and largely controlled it, had a couple of chances
00:12 and then after that I think for 15 minutes onwards I thought we were really poor in the first half
00:16 and that was, I thought it was strange, it was strange, you know, I think usually if we don't start a game well
00:21 and maybe things get on top of us and we have to re-set a half time, but we'd actually started okay
00:25 and I didn't see a side that I properly recognised I thought in the first half.
00:30 We came out in the second half, we were much more dominant, we were much more bright, much more energetic
00:33 I thought the quality still wasn't quite there enough, we created chances, enough to win the game probably
00:40 but I think we want to create more and we want to make sure that we are more clinical when we create them
00:45 so yeah the bigger frustration for me was that I just felt we wasted 45 minutes of that game
00:49 and sometimes that happens, you can't just rely on a brilliant second half performance or a good second half performance
00:53 you can't rely on the subs coming on and changing the game because sometimes it just doesn't work out like that.
00:57 And also with your possession doing more with it and probably a bit more vigour and a bit more purpose, is that fair?
01:01 I think so, we've done that for the most part this season, there haven't been many games where I thought that we
01:05 you know, we haven't created enough to win them. Today, yeah I think we've probably still created enough to win the game
01:11 but only really in the second half, I can always forgive a draw or even if we lose the game but I think we've done enough
01:18 we've showed enough energy and we've showed enough purpose and enough aggression in the way that we go forward
01:23 and I didn't really think we did that, I just thought we wasted 45 minutes and against a decent enough side
01:29 who have had a real boost from the win on Tuesday and just showed that it was a tough thing to overcome.
01:35 Yeah, two changes tonight, what was the thinking?
01:37 Just wanted to freshen things up really, Joe's had a very, very heavy workload this season
01:41 particularly with the fact that he hasn't had all of the international breaks that the lads have had as well for a bit of time off
01:46 and he's played quite a few games so it was one we wanted to just guard against that, rest him
01:52 very, very similar with Abs as well, he's had a really, really heavy workload over his time with us
01:58 and the three games in six days we thought it was well worth bringing him out the side and trying to freshen things up
02:04 so yeah, it was obviously nice to have those options on the bench and we thought the game would suit Terry in that ten as well.
02:10 On another day, Colby buried that header in the first half as well, I suppose that's something, just one of those things for him normally?
02:16 Yeah, one of those things but that's fine, players miss chances, I think the more important thing is
02:21 I'd like to, particularly in the first half, we created a bit more, we created that chance
02:25 I remember it really well thinking 'ah, actually we deserve to be in that position, I thought we deserved to have created that'
02:31 and we looked like a decent side for 15 minutes and I think it was probably, I don't know if it was that chance
02:36 where the heads dropped and whether we lost a bit of faith in what we were doing but yeah, we didn't perform particularly well after that
02:41 and yeah, we just got to make sure we try and create a bit more.
02:44 And from the sidelines, you did everything you could to sort of change the game your way, including that triple change in the second half as well?
02:49 Yeah, I thought the triple change was something we were looking at at half-time, we wanted to see how the boys came out in the second half
02:54 and they actually, they did okay when they came out in the second half, had a couple of opportunities
02:58 but yeah, we wanted to sort of re-energise the side, get some fresh legs on there, get three
03:04 or certainly two attacking players on there and Joe Murrell giving us a bit more control in the middle of the park
03:08 and then obviously bringing Cass on, Leighton to try and push for the winner, that was obviously the thinking behind that
03:16 we thought that we had enough control of the game and obviously you always leave yourself a bit vulnerable to the break
03:22 when you put three centre-forwards on but it was one of those things, yeah, we did want to go and win the game.
03:26 That leads sort of ebbing away at the moment and the results over the Christmas period, not what you wanted anyway?
03:31 No, not at all, the results you can live with but it's the performances that are the things that I think we need to make sure that we address
03:41 and I could live with what happened on Tuesday because I thought we deserved to win the game
03:47 I thought Fleetwood in the first half tonight, we need to be a lot better than that and there are opportunities that have sort of drifted away from us
03:52 and we've put ourselves in that position now, it's a fantastic position in terms of the first 24 games, we've got 50 points
03:58 we're still top of the league but yeah, there's going to be a bit of a tinge of regret over the last three games
04:03 in terms of the fact that we haven't properly turned the screw and extended that lead.
04:07 Well you've quite rightly set the standards so far this season so when you don't quite reach up to them
04:11 and you're going to reflect on that with frustration, you expect more I guess?
04:15 Yeah, there's nothing, I don't think I'm asking the lads to do anything more than is what's fair and what they can produce
04:21 I don't think I'm asking them to do anything that we shouldn't expect of them and the fans shouldn't expect of them
04:25 and the fans shouldn't expect of us as a football club, I think it's pretty reasonable, we're not asking them to blow every side away 4 or 5-0
04:31 we're just making sure they do the basics right and don't squander opportunities like I think we did in the first half
04:36 and yeah, that's all, it's not rocket science, we just want to make sure that we are well on top of ourselves
04:42 and we give ourselves the best possible chance to achieve something this year.
04:45 A little bit of frustration aimed at Will Norris for his distribution tonight, I mean he didn't get it all right
04:49 but I mean, what he's done this season and his bravery on the ball has been imperative to what you're doing, isn't it?
04:56 Yeah, and Will's been brilliant this season, I think everybody would agree that he's one of our best performers I think across the board
05:03 not only has he changed the way we've played, I think in terms of his distribution, he's also kept quite a few clean sheets
05:09 and I think probably the best defence in the league, which is pleasing
05:14 but a big part of that is obviously what he does on the ball and what he creates for us
05:19 and we naturally expect so much of Will, if he doesn't quite hit those heights then there's going to be frustration
05:25 but I think Will is first and foremost a goalkeeper, he's kept a clean sheet tonight
05:30 so fair play to him for doing that and obviously the distribution from everybody, the quality from everybody
05:36 I thought could have been better and I think it would be unfair to pick Will out to be honest
05:41 I thought we did all of the things that you have to do to keep a clean sheet and draw 0-0 away from home
05:48 your work rate was there, I thought we were not pulling out of tackles, not anything I'd ever expect
05:53 but we're not pulling out of tackles, the desire's there, the work rate's there, the energy was there in the second half
05:58 and I thought it was an issue with the quality throughout the 11 and to a certain extent the subs that came in
06:02 and that was what was missing tonight, so we had the ingredients to come and keep a clean sheet
06:07 and keep it at 0-0 but we need a lot more than that because we are very disappointed with the point here
06:13 Fair assessment on that one, on the transfer front, first name of probably many that's going to be coming in the next few weeks
06:18 Jordan Edmondson, probably an area you might be looking at the centre half department, don't you think there?
06:23 Yeah so, true story, I learned this the hard way in the summer, it was actually with an Ipswich player commenting on
06:29 I think it was Panucci Kamara's fitness and actually the lesson coming out of that was
06:34 until the players are either on a free or through the door, probably best when they're contracted to another club
06:39 to not speak about them regardless of whether the rumour's true or not, so yeah that's what we're going to do for now
06:44 just make sure there's no comment on that and make sure, particularly with the transfer policy
06:49 we spent a bit of time with Rich today in the hotel, making sure that we're really solid in terms of the way we want to move forward
06:55 get the game done on Monday, reassess for our own squad and then go from there
07:00 Was that the head department that you would consider? I know you're looking at all areas
07:03 We want centre half down so it is a possibility, there is the fact that Connor Ogilvie's coming back from injury as well
07:09 and he can fill in there but naturally when you have Regan pull out for that long it's a consideration for us
07:14 but we're not going to do anything that we don't think is going to strengthen the side
07:18 and that's something that we have to think very very carefully about when we're taking into consideration any transfer
07:25 Yeah just onto the new year now, you do take a lead into the new year and even the most successful teams have blips in results
07:30 so now it's a chance to put that right and kick on again
07:33 Yeah and the blips, I keep saying the blips in results, that happens in football
07:39 the blips in performance are the ones that I think we need to really make sure that we step on and turn the screw
07:46 Flutewood and I thought the first 45 tonight, they weren't good enough
07:51 and so we looked at the game, we looked at the Bristol Rovers game and thought we created more than enough
07:55 we dominated the game, we caught this sucker punch, we didn't do everything properly but I thought it was a good performance
08:00 Tonight, yeah I just think we weren't quite at it
08:03 Cheers
08:04 Bye.