Mokoena injury update/Lawrence's arrival

As soon as Aaron Mokoena landed after an attempted challenge with an Ipswich player yesterday, which was almost directly in line with where I sat, you could see that there was something wrong...

When he got up and tried to carry on, despite holding his leg and being in obvious pain, this became clearer, but did this stop him from putting his boot in again to make another challenge?

No, not at all!

After this though he went down and was eventually stretchered off - when the ambulance pulled up outside Fratton and he was taken away in this the worse was feared...

Although it was confirmed by Steve Cotterill, on The Pompey Site, that scans revealed that there is no leg break, as first feared, and the injury is in fact not too serious although it is still almost certain that he will miss Palace on Tuesday night: 'it's a big relief that Aaron's okay. He had a scan and has taken a bad whack on it but there's no break.

'It's been hard enough to get the sort of squad we have together without losing anyone to serious injury.

'It looks doubtful that Aaron will be available for Tuesday night's game at Crystal Palace, but you never know.'

I like Moko, he wears his heart on his sleeve and never gives up the battle - as his initial continuation despite the injury just highlighted again - although I am still not convinced by him as a midfielder!

For me in the back four alongside Rocha John Rocha, in place of Ibrahima Sonko, would clearly benefit us, but hey ho that is Cotterill's call to make...

One thing I do know is Hayden Mullins had a decent game in midfield but we certainly had more threat about us from this area when Michael Brown came on for Moko, and Mikey would be in my side every week without a doubt!

This looked a decent central pairing, so I look forward to seeing it again on Tuesday, as I assume we will...

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As I suspect we all now know, unless you have been on another planet for the past 24-hours or so, Liam Lawrence is now officially a Pompey player - albeit on loan until the New Year when he will sign on properly.

This was confirmed before the game yesterday so he could make his debut - something, as he told The Pompey Site, he was 'delighted' to have seen happen: 'I'm delighted it's all done and now I just want to get out there and play for Portsmouth.

'Steve Cotterill has been a massive influence on me coming here. He was so positive about the club and about my move.

'I'm coming to a huge club and it's now up to us to turn things around. We're hoping it will be onwards and upwards for the season.'

The guy had a good debut, although I am not convinced that he was the man of the match, as given - but hey ho.

I have little doubt that he WILL be a very big, and important, player for us though and he will, as he himself admitted he would, just get better.

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