Valerien Ismael insists any conversation about the play-offs is pointless until Blackburn Rovers string together better form.
It's four wins in 19 for Blackburn since a six-game winning which ended in December. The Frenchman has overseen one draw and four defeats since he took the reigns.
Any slim hope of a top-six finish was surely extinguished with defeat at Fratton Park. Though the gap remains at five points, there is little belief in the fan base that they will turn things around.
Ismael refused to be drawn on any play-off chat and is focused on addressing the current run of results. Without that, they stand no chance of eating up the deficit.
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"At the minute, I'm just thinking about the next game and you have to make sure you win games. It's a simple thing to do," he said when asked about the top-six.
"If you don't win games, you are not talking about the next step. If you win the next game and you get closer, then yes, you can. But at the minute, we are losing games. For sure, it's very tight, but you are losing games.
"We have to make sure that we come back on the winning streak first. The first thing we have to do is to win the game, as I say, step by step. As long as you're not winning the game, you can talk as long as you want. It's frustrating to not win the games.
"It's our job to keep the group not too disappointed. On Monday, we will try to get the heads up and focus on the next game, a home match."
Despite the return of Danny Batth, Rovers conceded another soft goal at Portsmouth. It was well-worked from an attacking standpoint but for Blackburn, it was too easy for Josh Murphy to get behind the defence.
The team have conceded 24 goals in this 19-game run but have only scored 17. That compared to 25 for and 17 against in the first 20 of the season.
Clean sheets have dried up. They recorded 10 in the first half of the campaign and only three since, the last of which was against Plymouth in mid-February.
"It is too easy, we have conceded a lot of soft or simple goals. Maybe it's a good thing because it's our fault but we have to make it more difficult for the opponent to score," Ismael continued on the defensive frailties.
"I think we went in with more belief and conviction and we have to learn to be more proactive. It takes time to change the mindset but you have to force your destiny and make the goalkeeper work.
"We know this group is able to win games. We are calm and focused for the next games. We're working on the last bit in the last third to make sure we force the defenders and goalkeeper to work more."
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