Portsmouth Manager John Mousinho Calls for Mental Shift Ahead of Plymouth Match

John Mousinho, the manager of Portsmouth, has stated that his team must “change their mindset and mentality” for their upcoming match against fellow struggling club Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday night. Portsmouth, currently at the bottom of the Championship standings, could surpass Plymouth with a victory, but they have faced difficulties in their two prior midweek away fixtures, suffering a 6-1 defeat to Stoke and a 2-0 loss against Cardiff. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Mousinho remarked, “There are plenty of things we can do and plenty of things we can talk about.” He emphasized that “Ultimately it’s down to the players to go and change that. We obviously didn’t deliberately approach those two games as we played them but we do have to do something different.” He further noted Plymouth’s quality, stating, “They [Plymouth] are a side that have been very good when they’re on it, so we have to make sure that we try to find something different, particularly with a midweek away game.” Mousinho concluded, “I think that’s going to be the big message – that we need to change our mentality and mindset going into this one because Plymouth are a good side.” Mousinho conveyed that he feels “really confident” despite acknowledging Argyle’s formidable home record. He elaborated, “I’ve got a different feeling about the side at the moment, particularly the way we played in the second half [in the 1-1 draw at Hull] and it’s just about carrying that momentum into the game.” The Portsmouth manager also commended the “amazing” supporters who are preparing for another extensive journey to attend their team’s match. He concluded, “Ultimately we need to try to get results,” adding, “But the only thing the fans care about, I think, is making sure they see a team that reflects themselves and reflects the city.”