John Mousinho believes the Championship will be a tight and competitive race this season. The Portsmouth head coach made his assessment with his team sitting 18th in the table on seven points after six games.
"It's already shown to be a tough and really competitive league," Mousinho said. He added that he does not foresee a clear breakaway group at the top or a team becoming isolated at the bottom. "I don't think there's going to be a pack that run away with it at the top and I don't think there'll be anyone cut off at the bottom."
Portsmouth's form has been mixed, with two wins, one draw, and three losses from their opening fixtures. Their most recent outing was a goalless draw away at Charlton Athletic on 12 September. That result left them in the lower half of the standings, a position they will be eager to improve upon.
The Blues' next opportunity comes at home against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, 19 September. Mousinho will be without several players for that match, with Connor Ogilvie, Franco Umeh, Josh Murphy, Keshi Anderson, Luke Brooke-Smith, and Márk Kosznovszky all currently sidelined. The latest squad availability is always listed on our injuries page.
Portsmouth have scored seven goals and conceded eight so far this term. Their last victory was a 2-0 home win over Cardiff City earlier this month, with goals from C. Shaughnessy and Marezi. The team's recent form reads two wins, one draw, and two defeats from their last five outings. For a detailed look at the league table, visit our standings section.
Mousinho's comments highlight the unpredictable nature of the division, which this season includes recently relegated Premier League sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Portsmouth's focus now turns to securing three points against Blackburn at Fratton Park this weekend.
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