Boss angry after cup exit
Paul Cook had spoken of his desire for an Emirates FA Cup run before their first round clash with Wycombe.
So he was naturally annoyed to see his team fall at the first hurdle with a 2-1 defeat at Fratton Park.
But it was the manner of the loss that Cook was most upset by, as the hosts failed to show the desire so evident at Cambridge the previous week.
Gareth Evans did cancel out Paris Cowan-Hall’s opener following an insipid first half, but a late Adebayo Akinfenwa header ensured it was the Chairboys who progressed.
And Cook knows a vast improvement is needed if Pompey are to achieve their league ambitions this season.
The Blues boss said: “First and foremost I have to say fair play to Wycombe because they thoroughly deserved the win.
“They were comfortably the better side, while we could only huff and puff – it was probably the most disappointing afternoon I’ve had at the club.
“It was a competition that we wanted to do well in, but the way we played would make you think we weren’t interested in the cup.
“We sit in a good position in the table and the league is our bread and butter, so we have to concentrate on that. But if we want to do well then we certainly have to do a lot better.
“It seems we have this ability to give sides goals when we’re not under pressure and I thought Wycombe were done with offering a threat to our goal.
“But unfortunately we find ourselves getting beaten again and it’s a similar pattern – my job is to sort that out.
“We didn’t earn the right to win the game and we got turned over by a team who wanted it more on the day.
“We’re out of the FA Cup, which is a special competition. There are no positives and all we can do is wish Wycombe well.”