Despite a positive day for Portsmouth after securing their Championship status with a win over Watford, Pompey defender Jordan Williams has been handed another injury blow.
Last season’s League One champions secured their survival through hitman Colby Bishop, with their 52 points now unassailable by three of the teams below them. Whilst the game was marked with jubilation alongside an injury return from Callum Lang, they faced a few concerns on the field.
Mousinho Provides Triple Update
Colby Bishop and Josh Murphy were both substituted in the second half of the game against The Hornets, sparking fears that Pompey may be without two of their standout performers this season in their final games against Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday. However, speaking to the Portsmouth News, John Mousinho revealed that they were not major concerns.
“We don’t want players to pick up injuries, but it’s a reflection of where we are as a group in terms of players putting their bodies on the line.
“Colby was absolutely dead on his feet, he picked up a bit of cramp in his calf, he has given absolutely everything for the football club.
‘Murph has just taken a whack when the ball has gone out for a corner, I think he’s fine. We don’t like bringing Murph off! I will check with him, but that’s not one I think we need to be concerned about.”
That concern comes in the form of Jordan Williams, who has aggravated a hamstring injury that has ruled him out three times previously this campaign, limiting him to 22 appearances. The Portsmouth boss added:
“Jordan has done his hamstring. I don’t think we will be seeing him for the rest of the season. I’m gutted for him. We got him back in for a couple of games, he played against Millwall and Coventry, and I thought he did really well in both of those games.
“He has got himself back into that rhythm, he’s got himself back into the playing side of it, we didn’t feel it was a risk for him against Watford because he’s had that bank of football previously. So we just have to try to get to the bottom of it”
Writer’s View
Jordan Williams has had a tough time since his arrival from Barnsley. A recurring hamstring issue has been the blight of his season and now it has ruled him out of the final two matches. Hopefully Pompey can find a more permanent solution to treating the issue and a summer break will hand him ample time to sort it out and go through rehabilitation ahead of next season. Portsmouth do have depth at right-back with Terry Devlin proving to be a more than capable option to play there.
