Pompey promotion fears

Jackett holds summit talks with players to save season Boss insists buck stops with him as problems mount Are contract issues having impact on players’ mindsets?

After the Northampton horrow show, Pompey's starting line-up for the visit of Sunderland requires another rip-up.

Certainly, the Blues boss is entitled to wield the axe following the worst opening 45 minutes in modern Fratton Park history.

To ship four first-half goals was abject and abysmal, especially considering the calibre of opposition that was the relegation-threatened Cobblers.

In fairness, there were few complaints about the team that was named at Sixfields after the insipid 2-1 loss to Doncaster four days prior.

John Marquis was back leading the line after his Keepmoat consolation and George Byers was handed just a second start since arriving on loan from Swansea in January.

Even before it emerged Haji Mnoga had suffered a groin injury, the call to play Jack Whatmough as a makeshift right-back appeared the correct one. But after the dire Northampton loss, Jackett’s now back to the drawing board.

It’s hard to disagree the strongest the Blues have been during Jackett's tenure was the first half of the 2018-19 season.

Everyone knew that, providing there were no injuries, it would be the same XI setting up in a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring the likes of Matt Clarke, Nathan Thompson, Jamal Lowe and Ben Thompson.

However, since the turn of the new year the Blues have gone from league leaders to teetering on the edge of the play-offs. Injuries have been a part of the problems, particularly to Callum Johnson and Michael Jacobs.

But key players' form has also jettisoned at the same time.

Marquis, Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness haven't been operating at the peak of their powers.

Meanwhile, the likes of Tom Naylor, Andy

Cannon and Sean Raggett's performance levels have also dropped.

For the crunch visit of Sunderland, the changes simply have to be rung again.

James Bolton will come back into the side for Rasmus Nicolaisen, and allow Whatmough to shuffle back into central defence.

Surely Ryan Williams will also be under consideration for a recall after being left on the bench against Northampton.

Maybe we'll even finally see Jordy Hiwula handed a maiden league start after successive lively cameos.

There might even be the temptation to throw Michael Jacobs straight into the deep end, although that's unlikely given he's returning from a hamstring injury.

One thing is certain – Jackett needs to quickly find the right team that'll spark Pompey's promotion bid back into life.