Football League World
·19 November 2024
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·19 November 2024
Our FLW fan pundit has urged Portsmouth to add a sprinkling of star quality in January
This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...
The January transfer window could potentially be season-defining for Portsmouth, who find themselves embroiled in a battle to preserve their Championship status.
Despite winning League One last season, their first season back in the second tier since 2011/12 hasn't exactly gone to plan, with Pompey sitting 23rd in the league, with only QPR keeping them off the bottom.
It's not all doom and gloom for the south coast club, as with only 15 games of the season played, they have plenty of time to turn things around, and the January transfer window will give them a chance to boost their squad.
It seems like adding some star quality is Pompey's best chance of beating the drop, but with their perilous position certainly not attractive to any potential recruits, there's plenty of work to be done before January to make the picture look a little brighter.
The return of their top scorer across the last two seasons, Colby Bishop, before the international break should help to ease some of the goalscoring burden, but even still, Pompey look a little light in attacking areas.
We asked our FLW Portsmouth fan pundit Miltos Ioannidis where he feels his side need to improve in January and if he could pick out a player who he believes could help his side beat the drop.
He said: "At present, the biggest concern within the team stems from the attacking department and from the fact, although we are playing well in games and we are competing, we aren't necessarily as efficient as we should be.
"In critical moments where we need that sort of player to step up with an extra bit of quality and get us over the line, we don't really have that player.
"I would like to see us go after a winger in January, the sort of pacey, more direct winger that can preferably play on both sides or even inside as an attacking midfielder.
"Generally, an attacking player with that flair and a spark about him that can create things out of nowhere.
"One player that's obviously taken League One by storm is Kwame Poku.
"He's a player who seems really good, but Peterborough have a history of selling their assets for expensive prices, and we don't want to fall into the trap of overpaying for a player where there might be better options elsewhere for less money.
"He's certainly an option, not the only one, but it's certainly a position that needs addressing."
Unfortunately for Portsmouth, Poku is one of the hottest properties in the EFL, and with the race for his signature likely to be an intense one, Pompey's league position certainly won't help them if they hold an interest in the Peterborough star.
Southampton, Ipswich, Burnley, Blackburn and Rangers have all been credited with an interest in Poku, so the chances of signing him would appear slim for the struggling side.
But as our fan pundit suggests, if it's not him, then it has to be someone of a similar ilk, as Pompey are really struggling in the final third this season.
When you consider those stats, it's little surprise that Pompey find themselves in the thick of the relegation battle, but if they can stay in touch with the sides above them going into January, then John Mousinho will have chance to add to his ranks.
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