The game today made me realise a few things. First of all is that we should fear nobody. Never was the chant "top of the league? You're having a laugh" more apt than today. Argyle were the better team no question, against a team that were 6 points clear at the top. Second, Argyle are capable of playing effective passing, attractive football. Style of play was my greatest gripe when we were in the Championship, this team are able to play better than Sturrocks last team could ever dream of. However, we have serious flaws in our game that allow repeated problems to keep costing us points. Poor defending at set pieces and a nerve shattering tendency to go to rat$41t whenever the end of a game is near or whenever we go ahead! I actually think we're close to cracking it now, just needs some fine tuning and specialist assistance. Brent, we need some coaches in that can finish off the job and tidy up the raw bits. Sincerely hope the team learn from today that they should fear no team at this level.
Thanks for your comments DEVONSURFER...i of course listened to the game and it sounded like a pretty good game.. no problems with the Ref. for a change. Same old problem at the back though.. nice to see the usual 6300 back..and by the sound of it they were entertained with some good football..
Today was one of the best games I've seen at home for a couple of seasons. At no stage in the match were we second best to a team that can also play football. Contrary to DS's observation I think you can see why Gillingham are doing so well. They were well organised and could play football. No panic, no punting the ball 50 yards and some decent players in their ranks. However, we were never outplayed at any stage and it is a mystery to me why we cannot repeat this sort of form in the next and subsequent matches. The game overall was never less than 50/50 at any stage. We played some decent stuff ourselves and when we took the lead it was because we were worth it. It seemed almost inevitable that we would then let one in and sure enough we couldn't defend a ball into the box. It is same old same old week in week out. Instead of caving in as we have done many times we came back in the second half and matched Gillingham all the way. It was still 50/50 until Argyle carved out a great goal. Good build up and great finish to a move that was worthy of a goal. Even then we never looked particularly nervous although warming up Blanchard on the touch line was not something I wanted to see. It smacked of "lets go defensive and hang on". Another cross into the box and yet another goal conceeded to make it 2 - 2. It's so frustrating being an Argyle fan. Today Gillingham probably had one of the hardest games they have played this season. Today Argyle performed. Half of that on Wednesday would have seen us with the spoils. Why oh why can't they do it consistently is what I ask. DS is right in that they don't look like they believe enough. You could see the tension towards the end and the goal conceeded was just what they seemed to be expecting. We need a leader who can tell them they should fear nobody and I just don't think Fletcher is it despite today.
Thanks guys for the match comments. I only live ten miles from Gillingham, and from what I can gather we played well and deserved the three points, so now I can go for a pint today and target a few Gills fans with a subtle chant or two, something along the lines of "top of the league - you're having a laugh". I honestly feared an embarrassing scoreline, so the relief is tangible. What a contrast though. First Burton then Gillingham - it sounds like we had two totally different teams playing those two games. 'Twas ever thus I suppose - some might even say "typical Argyle". It does seem that (and whisper this quietly) we just might have the makings of a side that can compete at the right end of this league. However, there does seem to be long-standing problems that Fletcher and his coaching staff don't seem to be addressing. High balls into the box is Argyle's achilles heel it seems (I've just seen Gillingham's second equaliser, and there's the case in point) and our own set pieces are woeful. They always say that to build a good side you have to start at the back. Well, from what I've seen of Cole and Gilmartin neither command their area and they can't inspire confidence in the four in front of them. So I would say that to begin with we need a decent goalkeeper. Luke McCormick anyone???
I was hoping that the tall Gilmartin could address the problem of high balls into the box....but reports seem to suggest the same reluctance as Cole at claiming these high balls. Surely Larrieu is not telling them how to deal or in this case not deal with high balls.......it cannot instill confidence in those defending in front of a goalkeeper glued to his line. Young apprentice Goalkeeper Walton seems to have promise, top clubs have been sniffing around him....Fulham where supposed to be putting in an offer for him but luckily we still have him. I think he is still only sixteen....but physically I believe he is already big and strong.
This is all quite odd as last year, as during the latter part of the season, we were scuffing out clean sheets at will - the problem then was scoring goals. The centre backs & keeper were the same as the Cole, Purse, Blanchard combo which has played most games this season, although I'm less sure who the regular full backs were at the tail end of last year, there have been so many loan comings & goings. Fletcher was the manager then too.... So what's gone wrong at the defensive end of the pitch? There's a different midfield but you can hardly blame that for goals conceded from dead-ball headers....
I did not go to the game, so therefore cannot comment on it. Just wanted to say what an excellent and respectful post I thought this was. I have noticed a couple of threads on your board during the weekend that has brought constructive debate, something I personally like and I wished we could see more of it on the lower league boards. btw and just for the record I did predict a draw (see brb prediction league), simply never underestimate the opposition. Good luck for the rest of the season.
I just say it as I see it brb and like to think I'm fair and not too tinted. What gauls me hugely is that Argyle looked as good as your lot yesterday yet look at the difference in position in the league. We were better than Burton in the last one and lost........again. I honestly think we have a squad who should be much further up the league than we are. Not top or anything outrageous but not 19th. It is in the management for me. Fletcher is just not inspiring enough and the team have got used to throwing matches away. Get that monkey off their back, get a manager who can convince them they are winners are who knows. How a team can play so well one match and so poorly the next is just bonkers.
With Argyle having one sub still not played....could not Fletcher of stretch time out by wasting a little time bringing him on.....you never know it might of worked.......it's the sought of thing that gets up the oppositions nose......it's what would of happened to us.
Suppose he thought that will never happen again for a while but you let your guard down in the dying minutes especially when the opposition know we are vunerable then....hopefully now they have learned their lesson!
I'd like to think so hp but why don't I. Experience of watching them is why. It happens with these crosses so many times it's embarrassing. You have to wonder what they practice during the week.
I did notice that early in the Dorchester game, there was nobody on the back post at a corner - luckily the ball just went outside that post otherwise it would have been a 2-0 disaster not 1-0. It's those little things that can make a difference and are all down to getting the right routine and each player knowing what he's supposed to do.
And who should be instilling this little tip into the players notdistant? I may not be a footballing genius or haven't managed a football club but I've watched football to most standards for years. Some things are glaringly obvious even to the untrained eye. You've just had a go at pointing one out yourself and that is from one match. I have seen Argyle commit the same mistakes over and over again. They are blatantly obvious mistakes to anyone watching. Even a 10 year old can see it. What is Fletcher not seeing if everyone else is. This is the main complaint from people. We make errors and he does nothing seemingly to rectify them. Ergo we make them all over again in the next match whilst throwing away more points. I would love to be able to sit inside his head for a match to see what is going on in there because I can't see what his thinking is from actions on the pitch. In any business as you well know, if you make mistakes that cost you ensure you stop making them and repeating the problem. If you don't then you look for another job because eventually the one you have will disappear when the errors prove too expensive.
I absolutely agree Sensible, except for one thing: as I said elsewhere, in the second part of last season we achieved plenty of clean sheets with basically the same defensive unit we've had this year. Our problem then was scoring goals, which has improved a bit but we're back to conceding silly goals, cancelling out most of the benefit. Fletcher has talked about players "switching off", Purse seems to have been carrying an injury and Blanchard was effectively dropped on Saturday in favour of a 20 year old. Given that Fletcher was the manager when we were as tight as the duck's proverbial at the back, I think you have to look first at loss of form by the players first.
Blanchard wasn't dropped notdistant. He got absolutely clattered in the previous game and it looked like he might not see out that one. Carrying a bit of a knock is my guess and not to be risked against a high flying side like Gillingham. Our defending has become one of the mysteries of the Universe even discussed on planet Zog no doubt.
Fletcher said that he was changing things around and left Blanchard out.......but I had mentioned on another thread that he had been well clattered.......but he came on soon after going off.........he was on the bench I think in case Purse found it difficult to do 90 mins after his injection lay-off.
