Portsmouth boss John Mousinho addresses ex-Carlisle man’s Owen Moxon’s surprise ongoing absence

John Mousinho accepts it’s a ‘real challenge’ for Owen Moxon to regain his place in Pompey’s squad.

But he is adamant the door isn’t closed on any of those frustrated at finding themselves on the fringes at present.

 

Moxon hasn’t featured since conceding a 90th-minute penalty against Middlesbrough in August, thereby gifting the hosts the chance to level and secure a late, late 2-2 draw.

Having appeared off the bench that afternoon at the Riverside stadium, the midfielder has subsequently failed to be included in the Blues’ 20-man squad over the last six matches.

Owen Moxon hasn't featured in a Pompey squad since conceding a penalty at Middlesbrough in August. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Owen Moxon hasn’t featured in a Pompey squad since conceding a penalty at Middlesbrough in August. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages | Jason
Yet with Marlon Pack, Freddie Potts, Abdoulaye Kamara and Andre Dozzell currently preferred ahead of him, Mousinho reasons the former Carlisle man is up against stiff competition.

The Blues head coach told The News: ‘Owen is not out of the squad just because of the penalty, there are a couple of things we wanted to work on with him.

‘The competition ahead of him is also really good, some of the central midfielders he has ahead of him is a real challenge.

‘But we have to make sure we give all our players every chance to work their way back into squads and work their way back into sides, whether that’s through training or any friendlies we put on, such as against Havant recently.

 

‘They have got to be at it and keep themselves motivated. We try to have a decent-enough environment here where players who aren’t in the side can day in, day out still enjoy training and still work hard and get on with it.

‘There’s the fitness side of it, there are plenty of opportunities for the lads to keep fit, although match fitness is another thing and that is something you can never replicate.

‘They are still very much part of it, which has been my message to the lads, you never know what’s going to happen.

 

‘You have to be on your toes because even last week, off the back of the Wednesday night game having lost 6-1 at Stoke, we needed to freshen things, creating opportunities for players to come in and do well against Oxford United.’

 

Moxon and fellow title-winner Terry Devlin have both failed to appear for Pompey since that Middlesbrough result.

Although they have been registered with the Football League as part of the Blues’ 25-man squad, unlike Tom Lowery and Ben Stevenson.

Along with Colby Bishop, out-of-favour pair Lowery and Stevenson now cannot feature for Mousinho’s men until January.

 

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