Derby loss was 'bitterly disappointing'

John Mousinho's Portsmouth lost 4-0 to Derby County on Friday

Take nothing away from the professionalism of Paul Warne's Derby County side but it didn't feel like they had to move out of second or third gear for Pompey to be well beaten on Friday night.

It was bitterly disappointing considering the marginal league standings differential between the teams before a ball was kicked.

I can't remember watching us play any 'football' for the entirety of the evening.

Unfortunately, that was the third away-from-home evening game this season where this has been the case.

Bizarrely and perhaps frustratingly, I don't feel Pompey have a lack of ability.

It's a talented group and albeit light in depth - both in terms of 'flair' players and quality - it's a group that has proven it is capable of winning games with interest against established sides at this level.

But if we don't turn up, it is an absolutely woeful watch.

If Pompey plan to stay in the Championship, we have already seen far too many evenings putting immense pressure on us to achieve survival.

Hot-and-cold Portsmouth will not achieve status in this division next season, nor will playing out of our skins every match to try to stand a chance.

The Pompey eco-system has been dominated in large part this season by a nervousness, a fragility and a naivety.

These were characteristics I felt we'd lifted ourselves out of somewhat in the last week or so.

But we were reminded rather emphatically on Friday night that evidently we haven't.

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