Pompey make their first ever trip to Morecambe tomorrow, still looking for their first win of the year.
Team News
Simon Ferry is doubtful after limping off during the 1-1 draw with Mansfield whilst Ricky Holmes is likely to miss out as he still recovers from his head injury sustained at Southend on New Year's Day. New signing Ben Chorley cannot make his debut yet as he serves the last of his three match suspension.
On-loan Chesterfield midfielder Jamie Devitt could make his debut for Morecambe whilst captain Mark Hughes and Andy Wright, sent off in this season's reverse fixture, are also fit again.
The Match
When Pompey demolished Morecambe back in August few could have predicted that the return fixture would be one that Pompey would need to win to be sure of avoiding falling into the bottom two of League Two.
However, Portsmouth's first visit to the Globe Arena tomorrow is now a fairly daunting prospect with the Shrimps chasing promotion and Richie Barker's men winless since Boxing Day.
Perhaps it is time that one or two players were dropped from the side after Saturday's match. Patrick Agyemang looks a shadow of his former self and should be replaced by David Connolly, who completely turned last weekend's game in Pompey's favour when he came on.
Jed Wallace is another who probably needs some time out as he hasn't looked like the player we know he can be and some fans have been getting on his back because they expect too much of the 19-year-old.
Andy Barcham would be his natural replacement and he needs some game time having just recovered from an injury himself so now would be a good time for the winger to be introduced.
As for the opposition, it would be fair to say that we didn't see the best of them at Fratton Park last year and that would partly because of the absence of Kevin Ellison. At 34, he can still influence football matches and will be one to watch.
The travelling fans can take hope in the fact that although Pompey haven't won since Boxing Day, neither have Morecambe and their recent form is even worse than ours and they're also struggling to score goals.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Barker set his stall out and try and contain the home side in similar fashion to the Oxford match a fortnight ago. It wouldn't be pretty to watch but Pompey are in need of results and defeat could be disastrous if results go against them tomorrow.
Let's just hope the trip up to a dull and dreary Lancashire coast isn't a wasted journey.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Morecambe
GK: Barry ROCHE
RB: Andy PARRISH
CB: Robbie THRELFALL
CB: Alex KENYON
LB: Chris McCREADY
RM: Andrew FLEMING
CM: Mark HUGHES
CM: Jamie DEVITT
LM: Jack SAMPSON
CF: Jack REDSHAW
CF: Kevin ELLISON
Pompey
GK: Trevor CARSON
RB: Daniel ALFEI
CB: Sonny BRADLEY
CB: Joe DEVERA
LB: Marcos PAINTER
RM: Jed WALLACE
CM: Nicky SHOREY
CM: Thery RACON
LM: Wes FOGDEN
CF: David CONNOLLY
CF: Ryan TAYLOR
My Prediction
Whilst the hardy souls who make the trip up north tomorrow would love to be waving their "friendship scarves" in victory at the Globe Arena, both teams are struggling for form and goals so this could be another bore draw.
Morecambe 0 Portsmouth 0