Portsmouth

Dan George & Andrew Moon
BBC Sport, South

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth are closing in on a deal for Sydney FC defender Hayden Matthews, reports BBC Radio Solent.

The 20-year-old 6ft 4in centre-back has made 18 appearances this campaign for Sydney who are fifth in the Australian A League.

BBC Radio Solent understands that Pompey are edging closer to a deal worth over £1m for the defender.

Matthews has been a long term target at Fratton Park with the Blues unable to secure a deal to sign him in the summer.

This window Portsmouth have already added both Isaac Hayden on loan from Newcastle and defender Rob Atkinson from Bristol City on a loan deal.

The Blues are currently third from bottom in the Championship table with 26 points, level with Hull City who occupy the space above them.

Matthews will look to compete for a starting spot with the current crop of central defenders at Fratton Park, one of those being Conor Shaughnessy who is not too far away from returning after injury according to boss John Mousinho.

The centre-back suffered a calf injury in November and Mousinho is hopeful that he will be involved when his side host Burnley on 1 February.

Tom Chappell
Fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

Image source, Rex Features

Saturday was probably Pompey's best win of the season so far.

We've had a 3-0, a 4-1, even a 4-0, but Saturday tops the bill.

And my reasoning being the calibre of Pompey's opposition on the day in Middlesbrough; the fashion of the win in terms of overturning a deficit; and the style in which 'Super' Matt Ritchie took his goals.

It almost felt like a demonstration to ourselves that we do have it in us to beat some of the best that this division has to offer.

Michael Carrick's Boro have been off the boil and there is a bit of a transfer window cloud looming over them, but they have an abundance of top-end Championship operators.

They also have one of the country's young stars in Ben Doak and a serial goalscorer in Emmanuel Latte Lath - who could be on the move in the January transfer window.

There were probably eyebrows raised all around the ground at the news of the inclusion of full-back Jordan Williams in head coach John Mousinho's starting line-up.

Fast forward to full-time and that looked like a shrewd and calculated call, Williams probably had his best game in a Pompey shirt to date.

The aforementioned Ritchie was the headline act for Pompey this weekend, but who I deemed to be the hero of the hour is the man who replaced Williams in the 81st minute.

Zak Swanson came on and inside 60 seconds crafted the goal that simply doesn't happen without him.

It's his exemplary tenacity to win the ball, play in Callum Lang, and allow Ritchie to do the rest which forges the winner. What a fantastic moment for him.

As I write, it is two years to the day since Pompey took a risk and hired the then Oxford United first-team coach to take over at the club.

That will be looked at as arguably one of the most impeccable judgement calls of Richard Hughes' career, but reflective upon the football club as a whole.

An immeasurably good decision, who needs Jose Mourinho!

And to the friends and family who so sadly lost a loved one at Fratton Park on Saturday, my thoughts are very much with them.

Portsmouth have agreed a deal worth about £1.27m for Sydney FC and Australia defender Hayden Matthews, 20. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip here.

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Somehow Portsmouth continued to defy the odds at Fratton Park on another memorable occasion, this time against Middlesbrough.

A Pompey squad put together at a fraction of the cost of the Boro squad went toe-to-toe with a promotion-chaser and came out on top.

It was a fascinating spectacle with Pompey's press always likely to force mistakes, and Boro cutting through Pompey with ease on the counter-attack.

Matt Ritchie has shown glimpses of his talents so far, and on Saturday he delivered two Premier League-worthy goals to seal the win.

Image source, Rex Features

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho hopes Matt Ritchie has "six or seven" more seasons in him after scoring his first goals at Fratton Park, 16 years after starting out with Portsmouth as a teenager.

Ritchie's double secured victory over Middlesbrough and left his manager hoping he prolongs his career now back at the club he signed for as a trainee back in 2008.

"I think a big part of Matt Ritchie coming back here was the fact he had the roots here as an academy player and there was always a tinge of regret he didn't have a long career at Portsmouth," said Mousinho.

"I'm sure he wouldn't swap his brilliant career for anything but there was one thing that was missing, and that was coming back for some unfinished business.

"He got the goal away at Swansea but it is difficult to come here. You saw what it meant to him, he is absolutely buzzing. Since he's come back into the side he's given us a huge amount of energy and quality on the ball in the final third.

"It was a brilliant run and finish for the first goal and then more energy for the second, maybe more energy than you would expect for someone at the back-end of his career – maybe he has six or seven years left in the tank!"

Tom Chappell
Fan writer from Fournilwrittenalloverit

Image source, Getty Images

Usually I have little trouble moving on from a defeat the morning after the night before - but, for one reason or another, I woke up after the Blackburn game as infuriated as I was at times during the match.

Perhaps it's the minimal sleep and long journey to Lancashire and back playing a part, but reading the referee's explanation of his decision making means I remain seething as I write.

We were perfectly placed to witness the blatant push on Bishop, as described by BBC commentator Andy Moon, and, equally, in full view of the clattering of Callum Lang from goalkeeper Aynsley Pears - which Farai Hallam recounted as a 'coming together' despite his own assistant formulating the opinion shared by all of us, that it was indeed a penalty.

I counter all of that by saying that we must first look at ourselves.

Away from home, we don't create enough, we don't defend well enough - and Pompey actually consistently end up writing their own script.

Decisions going against us are neither where Pompey's problems start or end but for a team battling at the bottom end, it certainly compounds the struggle.

To finish - a word on the window.

There's plenty of discourse regarding the strengthening of teams around us but, while the concern is palpable that Pompey will be left behind, not every deal works out exactly as planned.

We have lived and breathed that this season and last.

What is for sure - perhaps exasperatingly so - is I don't think it will take a lot for Pompey to steer clear of relegation worries in terms of incomings in these next two weeks.

No-one is asking for irrational spending, all that is expected is that the squad is bolstered to tackle 21 games head on - otherwise a euphoric second tier return after a 12-year absence could be over.

I think we'll probably know by the Burnley game - four of the next five games at Fratton Park now simply define Pompey's season.

Find out more from Tom and Fournilwrittenalloverit by clicking here, external

Portsmouth host sixth placed Middlesbrough on Saturday as the look to escape the relegation zone (15:00 GMT).

Pompey have lost their past two league games to put themselves just two points above basement dwellers Plymouth Argyle, however could lift themselves out of the bottom three with a home win.

On the other hand, Boro are on a six-match unbeaten streak in the league but did suffer an FA Cup third round loss to Blackburn Rovers last weekend.

• Portsmouth have won just one of their last ten league games against Middlesbrough (D6 L3), a 2-1 victory at Fratton Park in September 2008 in the Premier League.

• Five of the last six league games between Middlesbrough and Portsmouth have finished in draws, with Boro winning the other 3-1 in March 2012 courtesy of goals from Barry Robson, Matthew Bates and Marvin Emnes.

• Pompey are unbeaten in their last five home league games (W4 D1), scoring three or more goals in their four wins during that spell; they could score 4+ goals in three straight matches at Fratton Park for the first time since October 1979.

• Middlesbrough have drawn four of their last five league games (W1), as many stalemates as across their previous 24 Championship matches (W12 L8).

• No teenager has been directly involved in more Championship goals so far this season than Middlesbrough's Ben Doak (2 goals, 6 assists); in fact, the Liverpool loanee also has the most assists across that same cohort in England's top four tiers in 2024-25 (6).

Andrew Moon
BBC Radio Solent Portsmouth commentator

Image source, Rex Features

We have seen some desperate Pompey performances on the road this season but Wednesday night was not one of them.

Head coach John Mousinho felt his side had two blatant penalties turned down in the second half and even those of a Blackburn persuasion probably would not have argued had they been awarded.

Unfortunately, on the road, Pompey aren't good enough to overcome significant moments of officiating going against them.

Also, again, we saw a side with greater depth able to make changes that influenced the game. John Mousinho is short of Championship quality on the bench.

Four of the next five matches are at home which is a relief after six consecutive away defeats in all competitions.

Dan George & Andrew Moon
BBC Sport, South

Image source, Getty Images

Portsmouth have agreed a deal to sign Australia Under-23 striker Thomas Waddingham, BBC Radio Solent reports.

The 19-year-old has four goals in 11 appearances this season for the Brisbane Roar in the Australian A League.

As an under-21 player Waddingham will not count towards Portsmouth's 25 man squad limit.

The Blues have already signed defender Rob Atkinson and Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden on loan so far in the January transfer window.

Waddingham has been at the Roar through their academy sides and has made 34 appearances for them in the A League, scoring 11 goals.

He has also been capped and scored twice for Australia's U20's side.

'Waddingham a long-term prospect'

BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator Andrew Moon:

While most of Portsmouth's January business is focused on the short-term and staying in the Championship, Waddingham is a long-term prospect.

The club won't be loaning him out and he'll have the chance to impress in training and force his way into the side, although dislodging Colby Bishop given how he's playing is a huge challenge.

Pompey have landed a much coveted young player and even with Championship survival on the line aren't abandoning their strategy of trying to sign young players who they can develop and improve.

Image source, Rex Features

Portsmouth will recall the players they rested for their FA Cup defeat by Wycombe when they face Blackburn in the Championship, says boss John Mousinho.

Pompey made nine changes for the loss at Adams Park on Friday but one of them, goalkeeper Jordan Archer, won't be available because of a quad muscle injury.

The match at Blackburn on Wednesday is a rearranged meeting after the original game at Ewood Park in November was postponed because of Storm Bert.

"Thankfully we managed to rest some players on Friday who should be available to come back in on Wednesday and then it's a quick turn around for Saturday (against Middlesbrough)," Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent.

"We'd rather have not had a game this midweek - it's not ideal but we have to deal with it and get on with it."

Portsmouth have lost three of their past four games in the Championship and they visit a Blackburn side who are just one point outside the play-off places and won at Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Saturday.

"They've had a fantastic first half to the season. Of late their form hasn't been as good as it had been but they pose a real threat.

"I think John (Eustace) is a really good coach and they've got some excellent players there and a side with a bit of confidence after the weekend."

Image source, Rex Features

Anthony Scully has returned to Portsmouth after Colchester opted to end his loan spell.

The forward moved to the League Two side on deadline day in August to play under former Blues boss Danny Cowley.

He struck once in nine appearances before struggling with injury, returning to Portsmouth to have a plate removed from his ankle injury in November.

Scully is currently facing more time on the sidelines with a March return date circled for a possible return to full fitness.

Colchester boss Danny Cowley said, external that Scully could return for another spell at the Essex club before the end of the season.

Image source, Rex Features

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has been speaking to the press ahead of the trip to Blackburn on Wednesday night. Here's what he told BBC Radio Solent:

• Midfielder Isaac Hayden could make his debut after signing on loan from Newcastle. "It's really good to have him with us," said Mousinho. "We wanted to bring in somebody who could impact the starting XI and we think Isaac could do that."

• On signing more players in the January transfer window, Mousinho said: "Nothing this week, nothing is imminent before the game tomorrow. Plenty of irons in the fire but nothing that's ready to go."

• When asked if there could be any more incomings before the weekend, Mousinho said: "Perhaps."

• Mousinho said Blackburn have had a "fantastic" first half of the season. "I think they pose a real threat, they've got a really good system," he said. "I think John [Eustace] is a really good coach and it's going to be a really tough game."

• On the latest team news, Mousinho confirmed goalkeeper Jordan Archer is having a scan on a quad injury he picked up in the 2-0 defeat at Wycombe in the FA Cup on Friday night and his availability will depend on the outcome of those checks.

• Defender Conor Shaughnessy returned to training today for the first time since tearing his calf in November, but is still two to three weeks away from being available for selection.

• Centre-back Regan Poole is expected back in training next week following a hamstring issue which has kept him out since going off at half-time in the 0-0 draw with Norwich on 10 December.

• Meanwhile, left-back Jacob Farrell, who has only made one appearance since joining from Australian champions Central Coast Mariners in July, is set for knee surgery on Tuesday and will miss the rest of the season.