Portsmouth assistant manager John Metgod hopesthe UEFA Cup dead rubber against Heerenveen can help revive his club's Premier League campaign.Pompey face the Dutch side at Fratton Park on Wednesday with neither team able to progress into the knockout stages of after failing to win any of their previous three games.

Manager Tony Adams is expected to make wholesale changes - but after winning just two of their last nine league matches, Metgod believes the match could determine Portsmouth's form over the Christmas period.

Former Feyenoord coach Metgod said: "It is always nice to be in Europe, and there is always your own pride at stake as a club and as players.

"We want to be in the right frame of mind for Bolton (on Saturday) and set the game up with a good result. As a player you, want to play football and you are always looking to go and win the game."

The lack of pressure on tomorrow's match may be just the breathing space Pompey need.

"European football is always something a bit different for the club, the players, the supporters - and everyone has a good evening," Metgod added.

"Heerenveen got off to a bad start this season in the Dutch league but have come back into the frame and are where they should be in the league.

"They have always had a strong Scandinavian feeling in their squad and are a good team who like to play football."

Portsmouth have been shipping goals at an alarming rate - including a two-goal lead at home to AC Milan before conceding three in Wolfsburg a fortnight ago.

"It is not a good thing to always be conceding goals, and especially if they are sloppy ones," Metgod notes.

"Scoring should be down to the opponents.

"It is not fair to always blame the defence, because you should defend as a team as a whole - and maybe we have not been doing that recently.

"Against Wolfsburg we were not that bad and should have got a point as well as nicked it against AC Milan - and that would have made things different.

"But one thing I do know for sure is the people of Portsmouth will remember their time in Europe for generations to come."

Metgod is five weeks into working as Adams' number two and is relishing it.

Adams appointed the former Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder, after meeting him three years ago while touring Feyenoord's academy.

Metgod said: "It has been a tremendous experience from the first moment. It is a club where you feel at home very easily and it has been a privilege to work here.

"I had a good feeling when he [Adams] was in Holland. I expected him to have a typically British view of the game, especially because of the position he played as a centre-half.

"But he has a Dutch mentality, where it is all about keeping the ball and controlling the game when you are in possession. In that sense, it was a pleasant surprise. But it might have been my mistake to judge him.

"That does not mean we agree on everything, but it would be dull if you thought the same things."

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