Pressure makes Pompey dangerous foe, says Jake
BURTON Albion face a Portsmouth team under pressure today, after three League games without a win so far.
Draws against Rochdale and Shrewsbury Town and a home defeat to Wigan Athletic have got supporters grumbling and, for Pompey at least, it might be a good time not to have their fans in attendance.
Brewers boss Jake Buxton thinks the situation makes the visitors potentially dangerous opponents.
“We expect a reaction from Portsmouth because they’ve not had a great start,” he said.
“They’ve changed formation a couple of times in the last few games but (manager) Kenny Jackett’s sides are always difficult to beat.
“They have John Marquis, who is good at winning early balls into the box, Marcus Harness down the side, one-on-one and Michael Jacobs, a player I played with at both Derby and Wigan.
“They have quite a few threats – but they will be thinking the same about us.”
Apart from former Brewer Harness, who has made a good impression at Fratton Park, Pompey have another ex-brewer, Tom Naylor, at the heart of their midfield.
Naylor was at the centre of some controversy at the end of last season, when he was dropped from the team for their play-off semifinal against Oxford United, which they lost on penalties after drawing both legs 1-1.
But both Naylor and Jackett insisted there was no long-term problem and Naylor remains the team’s captain, having started all three of their League matches so far this season.
Naylor has now played in two successive failed play-off campaigns since joining Pompey from Burton and says that automatic promotion has to be the aim for the club this season.
“I think it is the same target as every year, we have always said that,” he told Hampshire Live.
“We have been in the play-offs in the last two years and not quite succeeded in achieving what we wanted. The boys want to get automatic promotion and it is never going to stop.
“This football club has the structure, the chairman, the backing of everything, the fans that should be in the Championship.
“We have had a few meetings over the last couple of weeks, everyone knows what we need to do to improve and try to get promoted
“That is everyone’s aim and we are all trying and doing everything it takes to do so.”