Pompey picked up a win on Saturday at the Premier League side’s Cobham training ground, with some promising noises ahead of the south-coast derby.
The details have remained scarce.
A behind-closed-doors victory at Chelsea at their Cobham base, with a 2-0 scoreline in favour of John Mousinho’s side.
Pompey verdict on Chelsea win: ‘The boys were really impressive.’
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Pompey beat Chelsea at their Cobham on Saturday. Pic: Gettyplaceholder image
Pompey beat Chelsea at their Cobham on Saturday. Pic: Getty | AFP via Getty Images
The Premier League side may have been shorn of the likes of Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto & Co through injury and international duty.
It’s believed, however, Pompey faced opposition with a fair amount of Premier League experience, as they travelled up the A3 for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.
And with the likes Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck remaining with their club, it’s pretty clear what kind of talent from Xabi Alonso’s squad was likely involved.
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Pompey had senior players who needed minutes too, with the idea of the game to balance off replenishing energy levels with the need for match sharpness.
There has been plenty of positive noise about the level of performance produced by Mousinho’s men, too.
‘The boys were really impressive,’ was the verdict of one onlooker who took in the action at close quarters.
Crucially, though, that same observer noted it’s the confidence and momentum the group have taken from the display which is a benefit.
It means Mousinho stuck in the AirPods and tackled the Chichester Half Marathon yesterday in upbeat mood, one no doubt maintained by his top-50 finish in a nippy 1hr 40min 35sec.
More significantly, it also ensures Pompey’s training ground is a happy place today, with attentions firmly turning to their return to Championship action this Sunday.
Mousinho’s group are firmly aware it’s a lot more than three points at stake, as hostilities recommence in the south-coast derby with Southampton.
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The game being on Sunday means the week will have a slightly different structure, in terms of when a rest day, more intense sessions and tactical/shape work takes place.
Mousinho’s pre-match press briefing is expected to take place a day later than usual on Thursday, with the next updates in terms of fitness and availability due to arrive then.
Hopefully that extra 24 hours until the game will aid Marko Milovanović’s fitness race, with the big Serb rated as ‘touch and go’ for the game after a calf injury.
Likewise Conor Shaughnessy, whose groin injury picked up against Blackburn Rovers wasn’t as severe as feared - yet was expected to keep the key defender out of the St Mary’s showdown.
Meanwhile, Keshi Anderson has rejoined the group after his pre-season quad injury, with the winger looking for his first squad involvement of the season.
More information will arrive later in the week, but with details scant over Pompey’s weekend outing the tit-bits of intelligence to emerge should be digested positively by the Fratton Faithful today.