International break comes at a good time for Pompey

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Portsmouth defender Regan Poole at full-time against Preston [Rex Features]

Whenever you interview a player after a loss they always tell you they cannot wait to get back out there and put it right. If there is a game coming up three days later they view that as a positive.

However, a two-week break might be exactly what Portsmouth needed after the loss to Preston. Of course, there is frustration that the consecutive defeats in winnable games have seen their cushion over the relegation zone down to just four points. It is not a bad time to take stock though.

Back in November, Pompey would have given anything to be in this position. Even though Derby and Luton are making a recovery at the bottom, one point a game in the Blues final eight matches would almost certainly be enough to stay up.

Coventry away looks challenging but the rest are fairly kind with no matches remaining against sides in the top four.

Portsmouth are not playing badly. They lost to Plymouth because they struggled to break down a side who parked the bus and it is unlikely any other opponent will do that. They did not deserve to lose at Preston based on the balance of play.

Blackburn at home now feels like a huge match. Boss John Mousinho is right there is still plenty of work to do to secure survival but most of the bottom eight would gladly swap positions with Portsmouth right now

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