Pompey boss John Mousinho gives his reaction to the 2-1 EFL League One win over Oxford United at Fratton Park.
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00:00 Here with Pompey boss John Massino. John, what a breathless game of football that was this afternoon.
00:05 I think that's really well described to be honest. I thought two good teams going at it, trying to play good football and sometimes when you're pressing as high as both sides are as well, that leaves you a bit exposed at the back.
00:15 I think both sides probably felt the crunch there a couple of times but an enjoyable game to watch I think. At some points not so if you're the head coach of both sides but I think that's a really good advert for Ligue 1 football.
00:29 To be honest Oxford, I think my assessment of it is that they count themselves unlucky to not come away with at least a point because I think they're a good side. I'm really, really happy that we've managed to come away with all three.
00:39 They didn't look like a side which is one win in nine, did they? They've really created quite a few opportunities and got quality as you indicated in the build-up to the game and so on.
00:47 Yes and sometimes you look at sides like Oxford and they're littered with players that I think are really competitive at this level and I played with quite a few of these obviously so I have a bit of insight.
00:58 Josh Murphy for example I think is one of the best players at this level on his day. I used to train with him and think he's got Premier League quality and he showed that at times today and thankfully we got away with a couple I think that hit the post.
01:10 They've got that I think for either side so to come away and beat an Oxford side, I think over the years there's been so many 1-1 draws against Oxford and I've been involved on both sides.
01:20 It was nice obviously to actually win the game and I think when the dust settles, maybe not the best performance of the season but a good game of football and three points.
01:28 What's your deeper assessment of how the game unfolded?
01:31 Well, I thought we obviously started really well and we got the goal and then after we got the goal, I thought we stepped on and played pretty well for that short period before Oxford equalised.
01:40 The only disappointment I think was maybe we felt slightly sorry for ourselves after the equaliser because we didn't really get to grips with the whole game after that, especially up until half-time.
01:50 It was quite open, I didn't think we pressed well enough, it wasn't for want of trying but I thought we got a few of the details wrong on the press and Oxford had a good couple of opportunities.
01:59 Then the second half, I didn't think we started particularly well and the biggest bonus for me from the game was I thought that once we got the second goal to go ahead, I felt we were then well in control.
02:11 Obviously, behind the set-piece, I think where we cleared the ball off the line-up, I actually thought we were much, much better towards the last 20 minutes of the game and we still kept playing.
02:19 It was really pleasing as well, we didn't panic and go too long, we still kept playing, trying to find the sixes and work off the back of that.
02:26 So, overall, plenty of elements to improve upon, some really good stuff, especially in possession but the result is the most important thing.
02:34 You say character to dig out those three points as well.
02:37 Yes, character to dig out the three points and it's something I know our players are going to have to deal with.
02:43 Sides are going to come here and they're going to up their game.
02:46 I think Oxford are a good side anyway but that was certainly some of the best football I've seen them play.
02:50 They're going to come here, they're going to up their game, they're going to want to beat Portsmouth, which is quite right.
02:54 I used to do that as an opposition player and there's two sides to it.
02:57 I think there's obviously that but there's also the support that we get and the atmosphere we can generate here is a really difficult thing to play against.
03:03 I think in the last 10-15 minutes, especially, everybody felt that.
03:07 One change, what was the thinking behind that one?
03:09 A couple of things really.
03:11 Nice to have the option, first of all, I think we've got two very different players in Miles and Owen Moxon.
03:15 I think that Owen was probably a bit ahead of where we would have envisaged him being with Tom Lowry's injury,
03:21 being thrown straight into the deep end of a side that is obviously challenging at the top of the league.
03:25 I thought it was another week we could work with Owen and just give him a breather and we thought the game would suit Miles quite well.
03:31 I think as the game unfolded, you had the best of Miles, Per Harris, that we saw in the game and a few areas that he needs to improve.
03:38 That's why we did it and two young players, especially with Miles, it's different with Marks because he's only played, I think, two full seasons so far.
03:48 One and a half, actually, one and a half full seasons in the Football League.
03:52 It's just part of the learning and the development.
03:54 We've got good players in the squad that we can change things around and we just pick players to suit games.
03:59 Miles loose ball for the build-up to the penalty.
04:02 He doesn't go under though, does he?
04:04 He always looks for the ball and keeps it.
04:06 Yes, and that's one of the reasons we wanted him in there and find loose ball for the penalty.
04:11 We want fewer of those, obviously, but we want the side to play as well.
04:16 I think one of my criticisms last week of the lads was that we didn't play.
04:21 I think we went into our shells a bit and we went a bit direct, but in the second half especially, I thought under decent enough pressure, under a good press, we played.
04:28 When we do break the press, you can see how dangerous we are on the other side of it.
04:31 So, was it a committee for the Christian Zadey introduction?
04:34 Most of the time it is and we've got a couple of substitutes that we plan pre-game if things pan out.
04:41 To be honest, the way that football games go, it's good to have that planning in, but you go with the feel in the moment.
04:49 Zesk comes down at half-time from being in the gantry.
04:51 I always ask him and John to work on substitutions because I'm so involved in the game and sometimes lose sight of what is an obvious one.
04:59 But the all three of us thought that, first of all, Callum was on the booking, he'd scored the goal, he was lively, but probably needed to protect him because he gave away three or four fouls straight after that.
05:08 So, it was then who do we replace him with?
05:09 We've got a couple of options there, but Christian had been the outstanding trainer of the week for us.
05:16 He did it last week as well, but he didn't get a sniff at Charlton.
05:19 He did it again this weekend.
05:21 I thought, you know what, I felt that he was going to come on and do something without trying to sound too much like a visionary.
05:28 I've dealt with loads of players and they haven't done anything, but today it thankfully worked out.
05:32 It's been quite limited for actual minutes for him of late, but we all know what an impact player he can be and what a wrecking ball he can be when starting, but especially when introduced as well.
05:41 Yes, I mean, if I cast my arm back to the first day of the season, he came on at half-time for Tom Lowry and we changed shape and Christian was outstanding for the second 45 against Bristol Roses.
05:49 And I think he got him out of the match that day as well and quite deservedly so.
05:53 And he's done that time and time again throughout the season.
05:56 He's had plenty of highs a couple of times where he hasn't performed quite as well.
06:00 The big thing that's been missing from his game is obviously goals because he hasn't got a league goal yet and he put everything together today.
06:05 I thought he put the whole performance together because he was really difficult to deal with in there.
06:10 We asked him also to go and man-mark Cam Branigan, which is a tough thing to do in and of itself.
06:14 He's one of the best midfielders in the league and he did that and off the back of it, he scored the goal.
06:18 So, I mean, just thrilled for him not to go on too much about it. But Christian found himself subbed off at half-time against Leighton Orient and not involved a huge amount over the last couple of months.
06:29 And that can be a tough, tough place for a footballer to be.
06:31 But the reason, if he'd gone under and if he'd assaulted and if he'd not trained well, there's no chance we're bringing him on, let alone him being in the squad.
06:38 So hopefully it goes to show to the rest of the squad that we do notice things and we do value it and he's got a huge part to play.
06:45 Lee Evans through the door. So what's the thing behind that one?
06:47 Yes, as soon as Tom went down with the injury, we started to look at alternatives in terms of what we'd be able to do to bring in a holding midfielder.
06:54 And sometimes you get lucky. I feel in this instance, we've probably got lucky with the free transfer market or the free agent market.
07:02 And the outstanding name on the list was Lee Evans. He brings a huge amount of experience.
07:06 We knew we probably weren't going to get him if he was fully fit.
07:10 So we've got that to contend with, but we think he's got a big part to play for the rest of the season once we get him up to speed.
07:15 A player that's got a huge amount of Championship experience. He was promoted out of this league last year and certainly, in my opinion,
07:22 one of the outstanding sides that Luke Owen's probably ever seen. So we're really happy that we've got him through the door.
07:27 Where's he at at the moment?
07:28 So he had surgery, I think, five months ago on his knee. He's been training with Ipswich U21s and for us, we brought him in.
07:38 We did the physical battery of tests earlier on in the week, which he was great at.
07:42 He trained fully with us yesterday. That was his first training session with a first team since the injury and he trained fully today.
07:48 So it's not something that's going to be immediate, but with 10 games left, I think if he can make an impact in seven or eight of them,
07:54 then it's well worth the effort and obviously the investment from the owners to do it.
07:58 Yes, investment from the owners. I guess you're kind of trying to anticipate issues that are going to arise.
08:02 And that was an obvious one in midfield, wasn't it?
08:04 Yes, and that was one where we looked at it after the Tom Lowry injury and we had those two recognised sixes in, say, Owen Moxon and Marlon.
08:12 And to be fair to Owen, he hasn't played a huge amount in that position in his career, let alone for us in the system that we play.
08:20 I've spoken about how I think that's a big part for him to learn and to get used to that.
08:25 And we looked and thought, obviously, Miles, we see as being able to play there, but we don't think he's in his primary position.
08:30 So we thought it was a really good option for us to be able to do that, just to have that, not just cover there,
08:35 because we're bringing in a really, really excellent player.
08:37 The board went up for five minutes of stoppage time today and it felt like the fans sensed that they needed to carry the players on.
08:42 You must have sensed that, that endless chance of Blue Army to get the team over the line.
08:46 Yes, I mean, I thought for the last 15 minutes, it was just noise and it was incredible.
08:52 It was brilliant. We do feel it. We feel it on the bench. I 100 per cent guarantee the players feel it as well.
08:57 And in seeing out the game, which I thought we did really well, I think the fans made a massive difference.
09:01 And it's obviously great to be in this position in March where we've got something to play for and the fans have got something to sing about.
09:07 Yes, there's a synergy there and there's an optimism now. Now we're 10 games to go. It's all about going and getting over the line, I guess.
09:12 Yes, and today was largely about that. It was about getting over the line today, getting the result.
09:17 On a weekend, we didn't play as well as we could have done. We had plenty of good stuff there, but that's what it's all about.
09:23 Especially at home, we've got five games left and we need five more afternoons like that.