Pompey boss John Mousinho speaks to The News after 3-1 win over Stoke.
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00:00So, Jon, obviously the Threatened Fortress continues, another impressive win at home?
00:05Yes, I mean, really pleasing from that point of view.
00:07I know I spoke on Saturday about
00:10the fact that it would be nice to take this form away from home,
00:13but at the minute it didn't matter.
00:15We had the Wednesday game, today's game to focus on,
00:17and it's proved again that we've been very good.
00:20I think it's obviously executing the game plan and doing what we need to do here at home.
00:24So, yes, really, really pleased with the results and the performance today.
00:27How crucial was Conor Ogilvie's goal just four minutes into the second half?
00:30Yes, I spoke to the lads at half-time.
00:32We had a few bits that we needed to go over,
00:34but one of the things that was a bit of a cliché was that we just need energy.
00:38And I thought the side that came out with more energy was going to be the one that won the game.
00:42We came out with that energy.
00:43It was a very simple goal, but great from that respect,
00:46because I think we went longer from a goal kick or a free kick.
00:49We won the challenge, won the first challenge.
00:51Colby, I thought, was absolutely superb tonight.
00:53He gave the three games to the Stoke back four all sorts of issues.
00:57He won the first challenge, I think, but then we won a throw,
01:00forced him into a mistake to win the corner.
01:02And those are the little moments that make a huge difference in games, set pieces.
01:07We've seen it when the boots have been on the other foot.
01:09So, if you look at Derby, we can see the set piece to go two goals down.
01:13Bristol City, the same.
01:14We have to be the side that, first of all, defends a bit better and then puts the ball in the back of the net.
01:17And he just calmed everybody down.
01:19It allowed us to get on the front foot.
01:21We gave ourselves that cushion.
01:22And the most pleasing thing was that, having that cushion, we didn't take our foot off the gas.
01:26We were talking before about how that goal went in and suddenly it just seemed comfortable for Pompey for the rest of the half.
01:32That was the most pleasing thing for me, was how controlled and how, I think, clinical and ruthless are the words I use with the boys.
01:39It felt like that.
01:40It felt like we kept going on the press and we tweaked a couple of bits that really worked well in the second half.
01:45And, to be honest, when Stoke went more direct, you have to then come out with the second ball off the back of that.
01:53And I thought we did that really well.
01:54So, there were very few times in the second half where I thought we didn't compete.
01:57There were a couple of times in the first half where I thought we weren't good enough in those moments and we came out second best.
02:03But, by and large, in the second half, I thought it was really, really composed and clinical.
02:07Mark Robbins talks about Pompey winning by using the dark arts.
02:10We've not seen Pompey call that before.
02:14Were there dark arts there?
02:17It's a nice compliment, I think.
02:18I didn't particularly come off the game thinking it was all about the dark arts.
02:23I'll take that as a massive compliment and go, actually, sometimes at points this season, we've looked at the way that oppositions play against us and think we've been a bit naive.
02:34And the control games, the West Brom game here was one where I thought, well, that's just a well-organised...
02:41They're good footballers, right?
02:42Don't get me wrong, but really, really well-organised, clever at what they do, smart.
02:45And, yes, I looked at that with a bit of envy.
02:47So, it's nice that we've progressed where we've got opposition managers saying the same about us.
02:51We've got to keep going with that.
02:53Is it about being street smart, not dark arts, would you say?
02:56I think so, yes.
02:58It's whatever it is.
03:00You just have to be...
03:01Yes, it's just not being naive.
03:03It's being smart.
03:04It's controlling the game, controlling the tempo of the game when you need to.
03:07And, yes, I didn't look at it and think it was anything other than professional, to be honest.
03:11I thought we were really, really professional.
03:13That's probably the way I prefer to put it.
03:15So, that's all I can think of, really, at this time.
03:19You let your read for the late Alec Slum as well, by his seat before the game, a touching gesture?
03:23Yes, it was a really emotional day for everyone on Saturday,
03:27learning that Alec had passed after the game.
03:31I spoke to Andy Cullen, who'd been with his wife during the game, and it's just such a sad, sad moment.
03:38But also, I think there was a lot of comfort in the fact that Alec had passed away,
03:43doing what he loved at Framton Park.
03:45And, you know, that was great.
03:47It was brilliant to be able to do that with the emotion of the minutes of pause before the game and get right at Stoke after that.
03:53I think it was, yes, certainly a performance that Alec would have been proud of.
03:56And, yes, I think it's well worth dedicating it to him.
04:00And then there's crowdfunding going on to raise money for the family, and several Pompey players contributed as well,
04:04which just shows you about the Pompey family, really.
04:07Yes, and that's the way it feels, I think.
04:10I was looking through some of the tributes and that's what everyone says at the back end of it,
04:16that we're forever part of the Pompey family and that's the way it should be, and particularly with life on fans.
04:20Obviously, it's a bit cliché, but we all know that the fans are the lifeblood of the football club.
04:29And one of the things that I've always spoken about since I took the job is that they make this football club very, very special.
04:34So, yes, we're very, very lucky to have the support that we do.
04:36And, yes, supporters like Alec make that happen.