Pompey take on Wycombe Wanderers at Fratton Park tomorrow looking for a fourth successive league win for the first time since Andy Awford took over as the first-team manager.
Team News
Drew Talbot faces six to eight weeks out with a hamstring injury so Gareth Evans will continue to deputise at right back. Paul Cook is expected to name an unchanged side following last weekend's win over Crawley.
Ex-Pompey striker Paris Cowan-Hall and ex-Pompey midfielder Marcus Bean will miss tomorrow's match through injury whilst Joe Jacobson, Myles Weston and Luke O'Nien are also sidelined for the Chairboys.
The Match
On paper, this is a match Pompey should be winning given that their opposition have only won three games in 2016, have injuries to key attacking players and haven't started this season well.
However, we all know how Paul Cook's team can struggle against teams that park the bus and know every irritating trick in the book to slow the game down and waste time. Gareth Ainsworth's men certainly won't be as naive as Crawley and will make things difficult.
It's a good thing that last weekend's performance was convincing enough to inspire some confidence from the fans as they'll be more patient in waiting for the first goal to come. If it did arrive early, though, then we'd hopefully see a performance and result to replicate last weekend's.
There should be enough quality all around the pitch to see off Wycombe as this current Portsmouth squad gel together and string together a run of results. Another win and a clean sheet would see Pompey go on their best run since early 2011.
The three points as the season really gets going would come in handy, too.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Pompey
GK: David FORDE
RB: Gareth EVANS
CB: Christian BURGESS
CB: Tom DAVIES
LB: Enda STEVENS
DM: Michael DOYLE
DM: Danny ROSE
RM: Gary ROBERTS
AM: Carl BAKER
LM: Milan LALKOVIC
CF: Curtis MAIN
Wycombe
GK: Jamal BLACKMAN
RB: Michael HARRIMAN
CB: Aaron PIERRE
CB: Anthony STEWART
LB: Sido JOMBATI
RM: Nick FREEMAN
CM: Dominic GAPE
CM: Danny ROWE
LM: Sam WOOD
CF: Paul HAYES
CF: Dayle SOUTHWELL
Last Time: Portsmouth 2 Wycombe Wanderers 1 (League Two - 23/04/2016)
Goals from Gary Roberts and Conor Chaplin in each half looked to have settled a comfortable victory for Pompey but Sido Jombati's free kick made fans nervous as Paul Cook's men hung on for a win that virtually guaranteed them a place in the play-offs.
My Prediction
Wycombe play ugly football and will look to defend from the start so an early goal is key. Bag that, and this should be another win for the Blues.
Portsmouth 2 Wycombe Wanderers 0