Portsmouth boss John Mousinho adamant centre-forwards can thrive in his playing system

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has defended his tactical system, insisting his lone strikers can flourish despite ongoing concerns regarding goal returns. Portsmouth's centre-forwards have scored five goals in all competitions this season, following a 2025-26 campaign where their strikers combined for just six goals. Mousinho argued that the system works when properly executed, pointing to past productive seasons under his tenure and similar setups elsewhere.

According to Mousinho, improving striker output depends on service quality, final-third decision-making, and full-backs delivering better crosses into the penalty area. Marko Milovanovic and Adrian Segecic currently lead the squad's scoring charts with three goals each. Mousinho expressed confidence that Portsmouth's front line will start producing consistently once overall team performance levels and individual confidence rise.