Pompey boss John Mousinho gives his verdict on the 2-1 Championship win over Middlesbrough.
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00:00Here with Pompey boss, John Massino. John, a really exciting, frantic afternoon of football against a powerful opponent.
00:07You must be really pleased to come out on top.
00:09Yes, really well summed up.
00:10A really good game of football and powerful, technical and just an excellent outfit.
00:16I've seen Middlesbrough quite a few times this season.
00:19We had the fortune of going up to the riverside a couple of weeks ago when we were up in Sunderland to watch a really,
00:26really good display, a 2-1-1 against Cardiff, but I thought a really, really positive display from Middlesbrough.
00:31So we know they're an excellent team.
00:32So to be able to do that today, have that level of performance and obviously get the result was very pleasing.
00:36Where does that result rank this season?
00:39It obviously feels at the moment like one of the most important, coming off the back of three away losses.
00:45So it feels like one of the best wins of the season for a number of reasons.
00:49I think the circumstances of Wednesday night, the fact that we had to pick ourselves up after a long journey back and the morale,
00:56morale was low.
00:57We didn't expect everyone to come bouncing into the training ground on Thursday morning,
01:00but for the boys to be able to pick themselves up was excellent.
01:04There's only individuals and there's a collective.
01:07That's something that the boys have done themselves.
01:10And yeah, I'm really, really pleased with all of those aspects.
01:13I thought the performance was excellent.
01:14The result was excellent.
01:15And yeah, we've come away with three points, which is the most important thing.
01:18You had a really good place in the game.
01:19Then the setback, then there was a bit of a bad response to adversity, perhaps for a few minutes and then got back on top again.
01:25Yeah, we just have to be careful there where we did concede the goal.
01:27I think it was one of those that we were really good for half an hour without, obviously, scoring and going ahead.
01:34And Biddlesborough caught us on the break.
01:35Really, really good goal.
01:36And we didn't respond really well to it.
01:38There was another chance just after that.
01:40We had sort of a three or four minute period where things went a bit mad and we weren't quite at it.
01:46After that settled down to the back end of the first half, I thought we were actually really good, which gave us a bit of momentum going into half-time.
01:51So we didn't completely fall apart.
01:53We just have to be really careful and concede a goal and don't make it two.
01:55We nearly did against Coventry here as well.
01:57And it's a big lesson for us.
01:58It's a big lesson to go, right, settle in the game.
02:001-0 is absolutely fine.
02:01Get back into it.
02:02Just make sure we keep doing the right things.
02:04I don't want to harp on too long on a positive afternoon, but Marlon, does he need to come out and do that there in that deep in their heart to engage with the ball there?
02:11I just think once he makes the decision, and I haven't actually spoken to Marlon about it.
02:16I'm sure he'll agree once he makes the decision.
02:18Just make sure either the ball doesn't emerge on the side or the player ends up in the north stand.
02:23So, yes, I think you've got to balance that off with the fact that the second goal that we score comes from Zac going really aggressive in the middle of the park,
02:31comes right out of his slot, goes aggressive, wins the ball back and we end up going and scoring down the other end.
02:36So I do want the players to be aggressive.
02:38Sometimes that's going to come at the cost of us conceding goals on the break.
02:43My preference would be, obviously, that Marlon goes and either wins the ball or takes the man out.
02:47But I'd much rather we fail being aggressive than sitting off and letting them get at us and letting them run at us at will.
02:54So that's the thing.
02:55You have to give something back to the players when you're asking them for that level of aggression and positivity.
03:00So you're more accepting when you're trying to be proactive in those moments and do something positive?
03:04Yes, absolutely.
03:06That's the one when probably people that sit behind me in the south stand can see when the ball goes wide and we don't get any pressure on the ball.
03:13We allowed Middlesbrough a couple of times, I think, after we went to 2-1 to dictate play and we dropped off a bit deep.
03:19But that's not the way that we want to win games.
03:20We want to win games by being front footed and being aggressive.
03:22And particularly at home, that's been the formula for us winning games.
03:25And yes, you have to give something back to the players.
03:28If players make mistakes being aggressive, if they make mistakes being positive, then I've got no issue with it.
03:33It's trying to stick to that and making sure that we do that at the right times.
03:37And yes, I think we'll be fine.
03:38Two celebrations from Matt Ritchie.
03:40You probably summed it up quite nicely, didn't you, what that meant to him this afternoon?
03:43Yes, his first goal was at Fatton Park.
03:46There's that inevitability to be out at the celebrations because I think there's a couple of bits.
03:52Matt's been out the side for the past two weeks, been frustrated with that.
03:54And the fact that we spent such a long time waiting for that sort of special moment here,
04:00it's meant a huge amount to him to come back to the football club.
04:02And the phrase that he was using in the summer when we were talking about it was unfinished business.
04:06So, yes, plenty more to come from Matt and hopefully he keeps going and keeps going.
04:10Not just the goals today, but his performance.
04:12And what we've seen quite a lot from Matt, just that high energy and the way he maintains that intensity.
04:17Yes, we've had that from Matt throughout the season, particularly as he's come back and got himself into the side,
04:22I think, for the whole game.
04:23And since then, the run's been pretty good.
04:26We've picked up a lot of points.
04:28We're still in a position where we want to break away from that and definitely get out of it, obviously.
04:32But we've put ourselves in a better spot than we were for the first nine games of the season.
04:36So, Matt's come in, he's been a big part of that.
04:38And something we've been speaking about is having that energy and having the technicality to keep the ball
04:42and drop into areas where it provides that nice link.
04:45The next part of it has been about effectiveness in the final third.
04:49And we've spoken about that.
04:51I think Matt's made a conscious decision to make sure he tries to be maybe five yards higher
04:56because we know he's got the quality to do it.
04:57And it wasn't just the goals.
04:59It was the fact that it sounds a bit silly, but he ended up with four or five shots.
05:01They look much, much more dangerous, I think, in the final third than we've seen previously.
05:04Once he knits all of those bits together, then we obviously know everything about Matt Rich
05:09because he's done it for years and years and years.
05:10Paddy Lane doesn't sound like particularly good news.
05:13No, Pad's not great news.
05:14It's mixed, really, because I feared the worst when he came off the other night.
05:18I thought he might be ACL.
05:19It's not ACL.
05:20So, there's essentially a very, very similar injury to Joe Morrell at the back end of this time last year.
05:29Hopefully, it's going to be about four months.
05:30That's what we're looking at.
05:31So, one of those really unfortunate ones.
05:34There's no-one around him, nothing anywhere near him.
05:36It's always a red flag, isn't it?
05:37Yes, you fear the worst when that happens.
05:38So, he's going to require surgery and hopefully back fit for the start of pre-season.
05:42Yes. With that situation now, does that put added focus on those attacking resources?
05:48Yes, I think so.
05:50It's obviously one player down.
05:51I don't know if it's going to change what we do because we're looking at that area anyway.
05:57And yes, we'll still crack on and focus on that.
06:00It possibly opens up another squad space.
06:03So, we'll see how that one pans out.
06:05And yes, what we've got to do is just, again, make sure that we bring players in that we think are going to,
06:11if we do it in that position, if we think it's going to affect the starting XI and really push us on from the position we're in.
06:18Are you willing to be patient in that chase for those players, given there probably wasn't a lot going to wash with attacking options on the event today?
06:24Yes, it's positive that Harvey was back today.
06:27We're really happy with that.
06:28Harvey's trained really well this week and we want to keep pushing and pushing and pushing with Harv.
06:33It's one of those where it's almost like a first loan for him because he comes out of the Liverpool, the PL2 environment.
06:40And he's had his ups and downs so far, had the injury, come back.
06:43And I think he's looked a lot sharper and a lot fitter.
06:44So, we're going to push with Harv.
06:47We've obviously got other attacking options there with the likes of Christian Sadie, Marco Mane, Cassini-Yenge coming back.
06:54But yes, certainly, if you look at where we are as a squad,
06:59I still think it's an area of focus that we can definitely have and we can definitely look to build upon.
07:04So, particularly with losing Sammy as well, it's certainly going to be something we look at.
07:09Michael Arsene is here. Have you had a chance to catch up with Michael?
07:12I caught up with Michael before the game.
07:14So, he came down to the office prior to the game.
07:16I think I've just spoken to him there.
07:18We just spoke about the game and nothing else.
07:21And I think we're going to see them again on Tuesday and then going into the game on Wednesday.
07:26So, there'll be a load of time for us to catch up.
07:29Tuesday round to the game on Wednesday as well, it's watching that game.
07:32I think so, yeah. I think so.
07:33And I just said there, he popped in the office beforehand.
07:36He said the last time he did that, we won as well.
07:38So, he's going to come and do it on Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday again and just keep flying back over.
07:44Of course, with Michael Arsene here, everyone will equate that with the January window.
07:47He'll be on the to-do list there.
07:51Yeah, he will. We have that frequent contact anyway through the calls that we have.
07:56So, it will just be the same meeting, but in person.
07:59Really good to have the owners over as always.
08:02And yeah, I think, you know, a great time to catch up and refocus and look at where we are in January and see how we can build.
08:09Is there any way you can change the parameters in terms of January now with him over?
08:13Or is that just kind of the status quo will remain the same in terms of what's available for you in January to recruit?
08:21With Michael being over, I don't think it's going to particularly change anything.
08:25The funds are available.
08:27We've got to make sure we make the right choices.
08:30I know there is frustration in certain parts of the fan base, but what we want to do is bring in the right players.
08:35So, we said straight away, look, we've got two targets here that are available.
08:39Rovax is available.
08:41We're going to, without going into any details, we're going to pay a significant amount on the wages.
08:46We're going to do the same with Isaac Haven.
08:49These are players in. Click on the fingers.
08:51Yeah, no problem. Get it done.
08:53If there are any other players that we have targeted and we think are available to come in and do the job,
08:57whether it's a loan, whether it's a transfer fee, yeah, we've had that backing.
09:00We've always had that backing.
09:01So, yeah, I don't see anything changing.
09:04It's something that I'm very, very positive about internally,
09:07knowing that we're hopefully going to get the players in that we need in January's transfer window.
09:11You can see today, I think you can see the difference that some of those players have made.
09:16We've struggled with injuries all season at centre-half.
09:21I thought Isaac came in and did really well today as well.
09:23So, yeah, sort of gone off topic a bit there.
09:25But yeah, I've always felt that we've had the backing.
09:28But if you can get his pin numbered in so much, the better.
09:30Yes. Yeah. And I think I did.
09:31I got it in there, so that's absolutely fine.
09:33Cheers, Jon.