'Solutions have to come from within for Portsmouth'

It was not supposed to be like this.

Portsmouth spent 12 years outside of the top two divisions and seven consecutive seasons in League One, hoping for a return to the Championship.

Most fans were realistic going into this campaign after finally securing promotion - staying up was the objective, anything more than that was a bonus.

The step up has simply been too big for Pompey in the first quarter of the season. Offer any supporter 21st place now come May and they would be likely to bite your hand off.

There are some mitigating factors. Pompey were handed arguably the most difficult set of fixtures possible at this level to start the season.

Injuries have hampered the side. Colby Bishop has been sorely missed up front and Conor Shaughnessy has not played since 17 August after only missing one league game last season.

New signing Ibane Bowat injured himself in training before making his debut and won’t be available until next season. Injuries are sadly part of life in football, though.

This season's statistics are damning. Just three goals in six matches at home (one of them an own goal). The 25 total goals conceded is three worse than any other side in the division.

Portsmouth have put in two dreadful performances away at Stoke and at Cardiff.

In the other 10 games you can find positives but they’ve managed only one victory and that was away to QPR, who are second from bottom - and that match could easily have gone either way.

'Worrying' Sheffield Wednesday defeat

Friday night’s loss to Sheffield Wednesday at Fratton Park was particularly dispiriting.

A lot went right for Portsmouth, they looked much more solid in the first half and led thanks to Connor Ogilvie’s goal from a set-piece.

Seemingly a great chance for a first home win, the second half was a different story. The visitors took control of the match and Pompey couldn’t wrestle it back.

What was particularly worrying was that this Wednesday team is likely to finish in mid-table.

Once the score went to 2-1, Pompey managed to create just one opportunity which Callum Lang headed over.

The lack of goals is the most concerning thing. Portsmouth are not missing lots of chances - they simply aren’t creating many.

There were 15 summer signings but their impacts have been limited - a few bright moments here and there from certain individuals but it’s hard to point to anyone who would break into a top-six Championship team.

That’s not to say some of the additions may prove useful in the future but Pompey need players to make a difference right now.

Alex Robertson’s performance for Cardiff in their 2-0 win over Pompey rubbed salt into the wound.

The Blues had an offer accepted by Manchester City for the midfielder in the summer but he chose to move to South Wales. How Pompey supporters would have loved to see him wearing a different shade of blue.

January transfer reinforcements?

We get a lot of questions for our weekly Portsmouth podcast “Who Needs Mourinho?” about what needs to be done in January.

Clearly squad improvements will be required. However, there are 13 matches before any new additions could play - the solutions will have to come from within for now.

The two other promoted sides from last season, Derby and Oxford, have both made solid starts to the season.

Both could get sucked into a relegation battle but, from the outside, appear to have adapted well to life in the Championship.

Portsmouth finished 20 points better off than Oxford last season and signed one of their best players in the summer. Pompey are now 10 places worse off in the table.

John Mousinho could not have had a much better first 18 months in management. He remains the bright, promising coach he was last season.

He’s smart enough to know there were always going to be tough times ahead. Keeping Pompey in the Championship from here would eclipse last season’s title-winning achievements.

The owners will certainly give him time. It would be crazy to sack him but that doesn’t mean he isn’t blameless for the current predicament.

Pompey fans will travel over 850 miles to attend both away games next week, at Hull and Plymouth. Many will do so more in hope than expectation.

Things can change very quickly in football - and Portsmouth need a change in fortunes pretty much immediately.