AHEAD of Saturday’s trip to Fratton Park, we caught up with Sam Cox from The Portsmouth News to get the lowdown on Danny Cowley’s men.

What have you made of Pompey’s start to the season?

It has been very much a mixed start. They started the season very strong defensively, recorded some great results and looked like a team that would be competitive in the division. But all of a sudden, their form fell off a cliff really.

Some of the performances have been great but they haven’t been able to get results. Against Plymouth and Charlton, they were brilliant in the first halves of both those games but individual errors let them down. The performance against Ipswich was the worst I have seen this season.

There’s no shame in losing to that Ipswich side if you look at their team on paper, but the way they capitulated in the second half was far from ideal.

Having narrowly missed out on the play-offs last season and with the size of the club, does that come with a level of expectation?

I don’t think expectations have been a problem this season to be honest. The fans appreciate it is a season of transition. Before a ball had been kicked, they knew Pompey wouldn’t finish in the top two and a top-six finish would be a fantastic achievement.

However, there was a feeling that they should still be competing toward the play-offs. There are so many big clubs in the league with lots of spending power and I think the fans appreciate that. The club has also spent elsewhere – they have bought the training ground and are also trying to improve the academy.

And how has Cowley been getting on in his first full season in charge?

When he first came in, it was a welcome appointment. Obviously, things had gone stale under Kenny Jackett and the results and performances weren’t good enough for Portsmouth. Cowley’s arrival was met with excitement because of his track record at Lincoln and Huddersfield.

However, this season, the jury is still out due to the results they have had. The Pompey get behind the team and the manager every week but questions are starting to be asked on the back of recent performances. Cowley has not yet cemented himself as the man to take the club forward.

In fairness, he oversaw lots of changes this summer with 14 new players coming in and some key players departing.

Which players do Wanderers need to be looking out for?

Marcus Harness is the first name that comes to mind. He is Pompey’s top-scorer with four goals in his last six games. Harness is the type of player who is really flourishing under Cowley. He has shown glimpses of quality in this division but has always been searching for that consistency.

Cowley has unearthed that side of him in recent weeks and he has really influenced games. And Ronan Curtis is always dangerous on his day - he’s energetic, always looks to drive at his man and has that pedigree of being a Republic of Ireland international.

In central midfield, Joe Morrell came in over the summer and is a Wales international. He likes to get on the ball and penetrate the lines with intricate passes. Since the last international break, Morrell has been one of Pompey’s best players.

And finally, what is your score prediction?

I know Bolton have done really well over the past year but their form is a bit indifferent. I’m going to sit on the fence and say 1-1 - both teams will definitely score.