QPR 1-2 Pompey: John Mousinho's post-match reaction

The News, Portsmouth

The Blues boss shares his verdict following Pompey's win in the capital.

Transcript

00:00How much did everyone need that?

00:02Yeah, I mean it was the most important thing. The win was the most important thing.

00:05We've really frustrated I think after the Oxford game where we thought we should have won the game

00:10and to have that break where you're mulling on the lack of a win.

00:15The pressure is obviously building so I think just to do that first of all with the league table the way it is

00:21and then the confidence that needs to be injected into the lads.

00:25We can come away to places like this with a performance that we put in among games.

00:31What were you thinking after 10 minutes though?

00:33I wasn't too worried because I thought we actually started the game really well.

00:37So we started the game much, much better than we had previously and there was a big focus for us this week

00:42and making sure that we didn't invite any pressure around.

00:44So if you look at the Stoke game we started horrendously and invited too much pressure,

00:47we went a goal down and we did the same after we got back to 1-1.

00:50Leeds was the same, we just couldn't get going in the Leeds game,

00:53we invited far too much pressure and so we were really focused on not doing that

00:56and we competed really well for the first 10 minutes.

00:58To be honest the goal was from a long ball that we just didn't deal with at the back,

01:01it wasn't because we were back to the wall and really struggling.

01:04So obviously I want it to be better in the moment, not conceding,

01:07but I wasn't too displeased with the way that we started.

01:11So calm, calm, frustrated but calm and I thought that's the way the players responded as well.

01:16I hope it's a tricky moment for Nico Schmidt.

01:18Yeah, I mean Nico I think came in at half-time and knows that he needs to do better

01:21but the most important thing for me was the fact that he didn't go under after that

01:26so he reacted really well.

01:27The big, big save he made at the back end of the first half where he was chased 2-1

01:31at every time in the world.

01:32Stands up, makes it difficult, makes him make a decision

01:34and then very, very calm and composed performance for the second half where

01:38even though he was relatively untroubled there were a couple of really good bits of shot stopping

01:43that yes you'd expect him to make but he did, he didn't spill it

01:46and came and claimed what he needed to claim and his kicking was excellent as well.

01:49How big was having Callum Lamb back?

01:51Yeah, I mean we've probably missed Callum over the past couple of weeks

01:55since the Burnley game and for a couple of reasons.

01:58His energy and his work rate, he's second to none to be honest

02:04and that showed in the first goal where he chased the ball down the channel

02:07and then showed his quality off the back of that

02:08and then that calmness and composure to put the ball in the back of the net under huge pressure.

02:12People talk about goal scoring records and penalties, penalties are really, really difficult

02:17especially under that pressure when we missed one last week.

02:19And look, when you've lost players to injury how important that someone can come back in the side

02:23and make a difference like that?

02:24Yeah, massive and we had a decent enough squad I think to choose from this week

02:27so I know we're still suffering from injuries but we had I think 22 pros to choose from this week

02:32and we had to leave a couple of out which was a really difficult decision but

02:35you know you can, hopefully the lads will cotton on to the fact that

02:39it's really important for lads that aren't in the XI, that aren't in the squad

02:43to make sure they're switched on and make sure they're ready to come and make a contribution.

02:46I can't remember the last time Terry was in a squad but we felt it was the right thing for him to do today

02:51and we brought him on and he made a difference or at least had an impact in seeing the game out.

02:56Norris and Thompson, was that selection rather than injury today?

02:59Yeah, so Zach is slightly struggling with his heel so we left it at home

03:06and Will, he's slightly tweaked his MCL.

03:12It was actually from something that he did in the Stoke game where he's gone down

03:17and he's slightly tweaked his left knee, nothing too major.

03:20So whilst we have the sort of players that we have to come into the squad

03:24I think it's a good decision to just let those ones get better.

03:27How much belief does a day like today give you?

03:30It should give us a huge amount of belief.

03:32I think one of the frustrating things through the season has been that

03:35we've come away from some of these games going, you know, we should have the belief off the back of

03:39nearly beating Burnley, nearly getting points at Burnley, nearly beating Liverpool, nearly beating Leeds

03:45and being very, very competitive in all of the home games.

03:48We've got to make sure that we recognise that Stoke happened

03:53but I think you can take that out of the first ten, that was the anomaly

03:56and obviously make sure that never happens again but the belief should have been building.

03:59It's very difficult to say that when you haven't won in nine but the belief should have been building anyway

04:03and hopefully that gives us a really good injection of confidence going into the next few.

04:06Lastly, how many bottles of water did you get through?

04:08I don't know, I think it might have been the record today, I got a bit of stick from the QPR fans behind me

04:11and I don't know, it's just one of those things where I'm incredibly nervous on the touchline

04:15and it just, I don't know, it somehow helps me get through it.

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