Portsmouth make a ruthless but logical squad call
John Mousinho has confirmed Josh Knight will not play again this season after Portsmouth used the final space in their 25-man squad on winger Florian Bianchini instead.
Knight had recently returned to contention after four-and-a-half months out with a back stress fracture, but despite that progress he will not be involved in Pompey’s final four games. Instead, Mousinho has decided to hand the final squad place to Swansea City winger Bianchini.
It means the campaign is now over for the former Leicester City and Peterborough United defender, even after he had worked his way back into the frame. The decision appears to have been shaped by Portsmouth’s current defensive options, with Mousinho indicating the call was based on the centre-halves already fit and available to him.
For Portsmouth, it is a clear sign of where priorities lie heading into the closing weeks of the season. Rather than easing Knight back in after a long absence, they have opted for an alternative option elsewhere in the squad, a move which underlines how limited room for manoeuvre can be at this stage of the campaign.