Johnson: We have the ability but we need to turn it around quickly
New full-back stresses importance of results for maintaining confidence after winless start to league season continues. JORDAN CROSS reports...
CALLUM Johnson is adamant there’s the quality in the Pompey dressing room to turn around their wretched start to the season.
But the Blues’ new boy war ned his side they have to quickly address their winless opening to the campaign, to stop their confidence completely evaporating.
The pressure is being ramped up on manager Kenny Jackett after the desperate 2-1 loss to Wigan Athletic on Saturday, which put paid to his side’s 17-month unbeaten home league record.
Only Ellis Harrison’s 89th-minute consolation stopped Pompey being the sole outfit in the division to score a goal this season.
It leaves them fourthbottom of the for mative League One table with the opening to the campaign the complete opposite of what was demanded, after a slow start last season was pinpointed as the key to failing to gain automatic promotion.
Johnson gave an honest appraisal of the situation his team face after his summer arrival from Accrington Stanley.
The 23-year-old knows things need to be quickly addressed, but, after assessing his new teammates, is in absolutely no doubt the ability is there to put things right.
He said: ‘I do see enough quality, enough character and enough experience in that dressing room.
‘But we have to tur n it around quickly and put things right.
‘I’ve seen the quality in training and I’ve seen the quality during games for
periods.
‘There’s [enough] ability in this team to be at the top of the table.
‘We can definitely tur n it around, but when you win you’re confident and when you lose you’re not.
‘We have to keep our confidence at some sort of level to go into the next game believing you’re going to win – and I think we can
do that.’
After a fast start, Pompey’s afternoon went downhill with goals either side of half time doing the damage for John Sheridan’s side.
It was the reverse of what happened in the goalless draw at Rochdale last weekend, as Jackett’s men came on strong after a lacklustre opening.
Johnson feels Pompey need to find a way to get the first win on the board and that will allow belief and momentum to grow.
He said: ‘The aim was to start well because we didn’t last week.
‘We did that, but we didn’t continue it through.
‘We started fast but fell off and then when the goal went in it took us a while to get going again. By then it’s too late.
‘But there’s a good balance here, it just needs that little click which will tur n things around.
‘It clicks and then you just start winning. We had it at Accrington.
‘Once you start winning it just rolls and rolls and rolls and you get that momentum.
‘Hopefully the same thing will happen here.
‘There’s an opportunity coming up to go to Burton (Pompey are away to Burton Albion in their next fixture this coming Saturday) and get a result to give us the momentum we need.’
Johnson has played the full 90 minutes in all three of Pompey’s league games so far this ter m.
‘There’s the ability in this team to be at the top of the table’
Callum Johnson