Was an amazing Posh transformation helped by inactivity? McCann's impressive legacy, Pompey's useful excuse and transfer deadline day requirements

After all Peterborough United have played three teams with recently installed bosses since Boxing Day and picked up seven points from them.

It may actually be a blessing that Posh have played just twice in 24 days since Darren Ferguson was installed. The time on the training ground can’t have done any harm for the purpose of learning a new manager’s ideas.

And boy how impressively have essentially the same group of players adapted to Fergie’s fourth coming. It’s early days of course, but a steady and comfortable opening 2-0 win at Port Vale was followed by a 2-1 home success over in-form – since new manager John Mousinho arrived at least – Portsmouth side on Saturday, a scoreline that was remarkably close given the difference in quality between the teams for 70 minutes.

The last 20 minutes shouldn’t be, and won’t be, ignored, but Posh played some scintillating attacking football in spells. They were worthy of a big win, one which would arrived, but for some wasteful finishing and last-ditch defending.

But Ferguson has Posh passing with a purpose now. The ball does still travel between the centre-backs a lot, but it’s quicker and, yesterday, it usually ended with incisive balls forward through the thirds with shots and crosses then readily available.

Given the opposition it was arguably the best attacking display of the season.

OTHER TALKING POINTS FROM POMPEY WIN…

1) Previous manager Grant McCann left a decent legacy. He didn’t sign Kwame Poku, but he certainly helped improve him leaving Ferguson to develop an exciting attacking player further. Ephron Mason-Clark was McCann’s man and what a stellar non-league signing he is looking. He was unplayable in spells yesterday, tormenting right-back Zak Swanson, the man-of-the-match in Pompey’s recent narrow FA Cup defeat at Spurs. Mason-Clark appears to have everything a successful Football League professional requires. He’s quick, strong, well-balanced, pretty much two-footed, crosses well, scores and creates. It’s no exaggeration to say he could have had a hat-trick of assists in a five-minute spell early in the second-half. He did win the penalty which Jonson Clarke-Harris converted after proving too speedy for Swanson in the first-half. Mason-Clark is apparently pretty bright as well. McCann deserves great credit for forcing through the deal that brought him to London Road.

2) At half-time yesterday the PT was asked by a fan to find out why Jeando Fuchs was not in the matchday squad. If left us wondering whether or not the social media user had paid attention in the first-half. Posh were 2-0 up at the time and dominating the game, not least because of the control exterted by the quality midfield partnership of Hector Kyprianou and Jack Taylor. Fuchs has enjoyed some fine games for Posh, but he would not prosper in the quick-passing game Ferguson has introduced since his return. Josh Knight’s athleticism and ball carrying skills might get him a game in midfield ahead of the Cameroon international.

3) Posh have now won 9 of 13 home League One matches this season, a decent return. But they’ve only beaten 10-man Sheffield Wednesday of the current top 10 at London Road. Four of the top six have yet to visit Posh, starting with Bolton Wanderers on February 11. A repeat of the first 70 minutes of this game though and Posh will have a puncher’s chance against anyone.

4) It wasn’t all great yesterday, but when Posh form nosedived in the final quarter they at least stayed resilient to grind out the win. Ferguson’s first substitution of Harrison Burrows for Poku 20 minutes from time didn’t help and Posh need to keep the ball because they remain vulnerable to an aerial onslaught. Goalkeeper Will Norris appears unflappable though which is a big bonus.

5) That weird disallowed Pompey goal moment came in handy for the visitors who could bang on about that – and some of them certainly did in the immediate aftermath – rather than the fact their team had been outclassed for most of the game. On this evidence, and barring some transfer deadline day magic, Pompey are unlikely to be play-off contenders.

6) There were some conflicting messages re Jack Marriott’s immediate future last week, but his absence from the squad seems to confirm he is indeed on his way. If he wants to go then let him as long as a fair price is involved and a replacement is on the way. The position is a tough sell though as Clarke-Harris is reveliing with pace all around him in Joe Ward, Poku and Mason-Clark. It’s a back-up signing at best, but Posh must have a replacement ready should something happen to a skipper who is back on top of the League One scoring charts again. A dominant centre-back would also come in handy so hopefully Newcastle United will free up, for what is small change to them, cash in the Posh budget by writing off Kell Watts’ loan.