Portsmouth boss details first-team plans for Tom Lowery as midfielder closes in on long-awaited comeback

Pompey’s head coach is convinced the midfielder can ramp up his team’s creativity when he finally makes his long-awaited return.

Lowery is presently taking part in modified training, with the Blues looking to welcome him into full training at the start of next week.

It is then expected to be a further fortnight before the former Crewe man is considered available for first-team selection.

Nonetheless, progress continues to be heartening after previous comebacks were halted by aggravating his problematic injury – and Mousinho can’t wait to utilise his talents.

He told The News: ‘It’s like a new signing coming in at the back end of February that you couldn’t, for whatever reason, get through in January.

‘Tom would fit really well into the system we are operating at the moment as one of the advanced eights.

‘That link between whoever holds - Marlon Pack at the moment – and the front three would be something I see Tom really excelling at. Creatively, he can really open up sides with his ability.

‘I’ve not seen a huge amount of him at Pompey, but I know Tom pretty well from his time at Crewe when he and Owen (Dale) were doing brilliantly well and hot prospects.

‘Players like Tom are technically excellent and can control games. He can receive the ball in tight areas under pressure and that’s a really valuable asset to have here.

‘Even when he’s been out in training, we’ve put him in some very tight areas and he is very comfortable receiving it, turning out the other way and finding space.

‘In that advanced midfield role, hopefully he can be that pilot who can make things happen, pop up between lines and can create a bit more.

‘Maybe one thing we are slightly lacking at the moment is a bit of creativity going forward, we need to score more goals – and Tom can definitely provide us with that.’

Lowery hasn’t featured in the league since mid-September, when he collected an injury against Plymouth.

There was a brief comeback in November, with a 29-minute cameo off the bench in the 3-1 FA Cup win at Hereford.

The wait has been a frustrating one, yet Mousinho has stressed the importance of allowing Lowery time and patience to regain his first-team form.

He added: ‘We have got to temper expectations for Tom, we can’t expect him to come in and produce miracles.

‘But he will come in and be a really good player, that's what we know he is. At the start of the season when Pompey’s form was great, part of that would have been down to Tom’s performances.

‘Everybody can be excited about the prospect of him returning to play, we just have to make sure we keep a lid on expectations because the most important thing is physically he is right to do it.’