Paul Cook is happy to tinker with his team - but not to make major changes - as he tries to work out his best line-up.

He has stuck largely to the same line-up so far but has tried two different strikers - Michael Smith and Curtis Main - as the Blues struggle for goals. And he has hinted Conor Chaplin and Noel Hunt could also get starting chances as he continues to try different players and ideas.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Exeter, where Pompey look to build on their 2-0 win over Colchester, Cook told the club website: 'We’d been to watch Colchester and analysed the way they play on the back of two good wins, but then they came here and basically got everyone behind the ball. But how other teams line up isn’t really my business and we can only work on how we play and how we can improve.

'There’s no magic formula and it takes a lot of hard work on the training ground, but it’s more about tinkering than making any drastic changes. Our main focus is on trying to win games and we’ll try different things in order to achieve that.

'Exeter are a good side who have always played the game in a certain manner and Paul Tisdale is highly regarded in football circles for the job he’s done there. They’ve got a great philosophy and are obviously a well-run club — it’s a difficult place for any side to go.'

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