news-engine

← portsmouth

The big Rocco Shein Championship statement ahead of QPR league opener

· Jordan Cross · 2026-08-10 · nguồn gốc

The big Rocco Shein Portsmouth Championship statement ahead of QPR league opener It was a debut which spoke of the Fredrikstad FK signing’s potential, as John Mousinho addresses the potential of the Estonia international. Rocco Shein is ready to take the Championship by storm. John Mousinho is convinced his new multi-million pound signing can have a huge impact in the second tier this term, after his standout Pompey debut at West Ham. The Blues boss believes Shein ‘controlled the game’ against the relegated Premier League side in the first half, as he produced an eye-catching bow for his new employers after arriving from Fredrikstad FK. And the good news is Mousinho sees vast areas for growth in the 23-year-old’s game, as he adjusts to the demands of English football. Mousinho said: ‘Rocco showed some very good glimpses and I think he controlled the game in the first half. ‘There’s plenty to like about Rocco’s performance. That said, I think there’s plenty to improve upon, I think there’s a few things he needs to iron out - particularly on the defensive side. ‘He’s more than willing to acknowledge that, but if we can get him through the next couple of weeks I think he can make some massive improvements. ‘Rocco’s the opposite to some of the younger players, in terms of where he’s at in his Portsmouth career. ‘He’s working to be a front-liner now. It’s still quite early in that adjustment period ‘He’s playing in a different league. I know that game was the Carabao Cup, but he’s playing against Championship/Premier League opposition. I think that he’s going to do well.’ Pompey’s season opener offered cause for optimism, as Mousinho’s outfit bested the home side for the vast majority of the first half and took the lead through Adrian Segečić. A mad seven minutes either side of half-time saw the costly three goals the side conceded, which allowed the Hammers to progress. Given the clear gaps in Pompey’s squad it was a performance Mousinho was satisfied with, as 18-year-old Luke Brooke-Smith started on the left wing and out-of-favour Luke Le Roux in the middle of midfield. The lack of squad depth was evident, however, with the likes of Odin Bailey deployed at left-back and striker Thomas Waddingham on the right flank before injury struck. Mousinho said: ‘There’s frustration at the way the game played out, after the first 40 minutes. ‘The anger I had at half-time wasn’t because we were losing, I can handle losing the game, it was because we played so well and shot ourselves in the foot. ‘It was five minutes of madness. If you give a side like West Ham that slight opening, they are going to take it. ‘It was really frustrating, because we were more than good enough to compete. ‘There’s definitely improvement to come in a couple of areas, but overall there’s a lot of positives and plenty to improve upon. ‘We were a little makeshift in a couple of areas, but it’s a good indicator of where we are - and also a good indicator of where we can get to.’