Why Pring played in midfield

Kenny Jackett hasn’t ruled out utilising Cam Pring in midfield role again in the future.

The on-loan Bristol City man came off the bench in Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at Blackpool.

Despite arriving as a left-sided defender, Pring replaced Ronan Curtis and took up a position in midfield.

That was received with some disagreement from sections of fans, who’d rather have seen Jordy Hiwula come on instead.

With John Marquis and Ellis Harrison also on the pitch, Jackett admitted he felt another frontman would have ‘stifled’ Pompey’s build-up play.

The boss felt Pring’s natural left-foot could improve his side’s crossing to yield an equaliser – although it proved in vain.

Jackett said: ‘I tried to stiffen our midfield up slighty. There can't always be more forwards on the pitch, sometimes if you have too many forwards on the pitch then the process can be stifled.

‘I did feel that a natural left-footer could help out balls into the box. It didn't particularly work that way, both were intercepted from the left-hand side.

‘But I felt we needed a natural left-footer. He attacks very well from left-back and is mainly a full-back.

‘But sometimes I do feel that in our set-up we can lack a natural left-footer there.

‘Cam does attack well from left-back. In the main that's the position we brought him in to play.

‘We’ll see (if he plays there again). If we do feel we need a left-footer out there then he can change the angles of the balls that are coming into the box.’