Joe Morrell has been impressed by the improvement made to Pompey’s squad this season.
A boost in quality was clear for all to witness with a start that saw an unbeaten League One run only ended last weekend.
But it is not just their talents with the ball that Morrell believes has seen a marked upturn since the summer.
The Wales international midfielder has also highlighted several qualities that often receive less fanfare.
He said: “The squad here is strong – not just in terms of quality, but also personality and experience. It’s fantastic to be a part of that.
“We’ve got all the ingredients needed for a really good team and we’ve got them in abundance this season.
“There are a few injuries at the moment, but to have them and still be as strong as we are is a great thing for us.
"The squad here is strong – not just in terms of quality, but also personality and experience. It’s fantastic to be a part of that."
“We have a group of senior players who have competed at a higher level and the professionalism, mentality and intensity they bring has taken us to a new level.
“Speak to anyone who’s got promoted – which is the intention here – and they’ll tell you personality is a massive thing, which people on the outside perhaps don’t see.
“It’s something that I feel was a bit lacking when I first came here, but we’ve turned a corner in that sense.
“You walk out the tunnel before the game and look who’s in front and behind you – you’re definitely happier this season, despite us having some fantastic players before.
“We know that if times get tough then the boys have got your back and you will have their back, which is a massive thing in sport.”
Pompey will look to maintain their impressive home form on Saturday against a Fleetwood side that they just about managed to draw with eight months ago.
Morrell said: “It’s a tough test and we saw that last season when we were 3-0 down in the first half, so you can’t underestimate anyone.
“I think we’re now in a better place to handle situations like these and coming off a setback last week, hopefully that can make us even more dangerous.”