Millwall game an 'opportunity missed'

Millwall brought Portsmouth's seven game unbeaten home run to an end on Tuesday

Last night against Millwall was one of those tight games in the Championship where scoring first pretty much wins you the game, and that's exactly what we saw.

Millwall were fashionably well prepared for their night in Fratton, and actually provided Pompey with a bit of a blueprint in terms of conduct away from home.

Take your chance, sit in and be solid, defend your box well and by and large you'll come away with the plus three.

Our profit recently has come from our aggressive work without the ball - yet Millwall set up in such a way that there was simply no Pompey press, because there was nothing for us to press!

The Lions roared back to London with a win which they fully deserved.

The outcome was perhaps more troubling considering this was Pompey's salient game in hand on those around us - and feels like an opportunity passed up.

Last night could have put some daylight between us and others, instead we remain in a rather dubious league spot with a handful of undeniably tricky Championship assignments ahead of us. Yet, I still find myself citing numerous positives.

Pompey now have plenty of recognisable options at centre-back.

The biggest home crowd cheer of the night was Conor Shaughnessy's return to competitive action, and an eye-catching debut from new boy Hayden Matthews.

He showed impressive pace, demonstrated his height being an attribute of his but not wholly dependent on it, and sprayed a number of picture perfect passes too.

There were also plenty of chances in the game for us too - the execution of those of course was nowhere near where it needed to be, but it's not as if Pompey created nothing meaningful all evening.

Yes it's a blow considering where an alternative outcome from last night could have put us - but I certainly wouldn't be pushing any panic buttons.

It's a critical week in which offensive incomings must be prioritised, particularly to provide Pompey with some more options out wide - and I'd argue another left-back is necessary.

Connor Ogilvie went through the wars and found himself on the deck a few times last night - if, heaven forbid, anything were to happen to him, Callum Lang, or Josh Murphy for that matter then that would leave Pompey incredibly exposed.

Fingers crossed we get ahead of the game and negate that concern altogether.