Well, a much needed and very welcome 3 points against a pretty poor team at a cold but sunny Home Park. No huge surprises in the line up with the back three of Nelson, Hartley and Mchugh together again at last and more or less they did well. The first half started pretty well with Argyle trying to play at a much higher tempo than of late. Accrington didn't produce much and it became a bit of a scrappy affair with several 'nearly' moments for us. Lewis Allessandra popped up with a goal from pretty much no where- I will have to see the replay but I suspect that dodgy defending contributed as much as L A's good finish. A bit worried at half time , would it be a JS 'we just need to hold on to the lead ' team talk? but in all honesty we could have had a hat full in the second 45. A combination of solid defending, good goalkeeping and less than accurate shooting kept it at 1-0; there was plenty of nervous moments towards the end, thou Luke never really had a save to make. LA was my MOTM but the new boy Talbot was very impressive-albeit being very right footed and playing on the left. All being well Tarieq H-D will fill that position next time out allowing Talbot to move to the right and the obviously out of form form mellor to have a rest on the bench. 3 points the most important thing and hopefully a bit of confidence returns, Only just over 6000 there, I counted 37 away fans but the OS suggests 50odd. A point against Wycombe on Tuesday and hopefully a few more might turn up for what should be another chance of 3 points at home for next week.
Pretty much spot on there lyndhurst. The other notable in the line up today being O'Connor who did most things quietly and efficiently. It all helps when it comes to clean sheets. I thought today looked like a 0 - 0 for a lot of the time. I certainly agree with the Alessandra assessment his goal came from nothing and nowhere. There were so many clear cut chances in the second half especially that this game should have been one of the highest scoring matches ever. How Argyle only managed to get one is beyond me. If they had scuffed a few then I'm sure they would have gone in. R Reid should have had a minimum of two hattricks, Hartley should have had may a couple and there were others who could have put one in along the way. Me and my bunch were just waiting for Accrington to stick one in and spoil the party which has been a norm of late. Fortunately they didn't. They were not very good were they. All I can say is we needed desperately to get a result and a result we got. That is more important than the scoreline this week and on another week had things been going better I would have been massively disappointed. There were some decent performances in the side today and it does augur well for the future matches. If this kick starts a run of good results then it will be forgotten as a performance soon enough. Wycombe away next which is a bit of a tough test. They have wobbled recently but got a result today. I think it will be hard to get into the automatic positions now but the play offs are not beyond Argyle by any means.
I agree sens, apparently their manager wasn't happy with our goal, there was a foul? but you are correct we could have quite easily have had a dozen. Onward and upwards!!
Amazing how opinions can differ isn't it? I tthought that if ever there was a disappointing win, this was it. With all but Kellett available from the team that did so well before Christmas, this was nothing like the same level of performance and not promotion form. Accrington were after all one of the worst sides I've seen at Home Park. Usually there are 1 or 2 in the opposition who give cause for concern. I wouldn't remember any of this lot if they came to deliver pizza and that may be a career they are better suited to. Argyle started poorly and the first 5 to 10 mins were painful. They did get going a bit after that but it was scrappy stuff. Talbot looked shaky and I would have given him a 5 on his first half showing although I'll admit he was a 7 or 8 in the second half. Reid B seemed to have reacted badly to his break away from us and gave the ball away a few times with failed Hollywood 40 yard passes. Mellor looked like Bambi on the ball: I can only assume he'd come straight from the leading roll as Othello at the Theatre Royal given his present facial hair arrangements. Alessandra's excellent run and finish produced a "jeez we've scored" reaction rather than a feeling it was something expected or deserved although Reid R could have had another immediately afterwards when Alessandra's low cross sped across the face of goal. The second half was better but the finishing was awful. Two shots on target (including the goal) from 21 efforts is a fair reflection. Even then Argyle did their damnedest to throw it away in the last 10 by completely failing to hold onto the ball. Accrington seemed to have a plan to take advantage of our tactics of falling back & defending deep. Goal kicks were taken very short to the edge of the box which gave them a clear 40 yards to prepare the attack before meeting any opposition. Late on, the crowd were baying fior Argyle to push up from a defensive line on the 18 yard box but this was hard as we had little or no pressure on the ball in midfield. Alessandra and Reid B have to be set to the task of harrying the oppposition rearguard more intensively I think; I can't see Reid R doing it. My MoM was Alessandra, like Lyndhurst, if I was him I'd be thoroughly teed off at not getting it when clearly head & shoulders above anyone else on either side. I always say that though. If Talbot can produce his 2nd half form regularly he'll be OK but he wasn't MoM overall. That's the story in a nutshell really. We know this side can doo much, much better because we've seen it. Maybe a win will restore confidence and with the squad now settled until the end of the season, Sheridan can extract consistently better results again. Based on performances like Portsmouth & Dagenham & Redbridge, that will take us up. This wouldn't, better teams would have beaten us..
Again Lyndhurst, Argyle will probably go and beat Wycombe and beat all the odds as Hartlepool did. Would have bet a lot of cash on that one but don't bet on Argyle losing. Tuesdays game is worth a bet I would say and predict 3-1 to the Greens. Playoffs certainly hopeful but automatic promotion is paramount still. Would we rise to the occasion in the final?
First and foremost notdistant for me was the result. The fact we got 3 points was essential. I won't argue with the rest of your assessment as there is nothing much there to argue with. I was disappointed in the scoreline which I really thought would be greater. I told my mates it could and maybe would be 5 - 0 before kick off. As it was it actually should have been at least that if not more. Accrington were not a test they were poor indeed. I do think this side will do much better now the monkey is off their back. They needed a result however it was gained as much as we all did and with that perhaps will come confidence. For once they came out and looked better in half 2 as usually they play reasonably and then fold. The last 10/15 minutes the exception. I think automatic promotion might be a wish too far HP. If we did manage promotion then for me it would have to be via the play offs or nothing.
Even after the 7 game poor run we are still in amongst them, the autos are not out of reach if we go on a similar run prior the bad one.. We can and should do it somehow, at the expense of the Scum hopefully...
I know it's all still mathmatically possible Joe but watching the games doesn't give you that much confidence they can haul the top 3 in from what is a long way back currently. I would love to be proved wrong of course.
The top sides have been relatively free at present.....of a bad run of results.......maybe there turn is about to come......all can change before Easter.
Not quite true plym. Wycombe have wobbled without actually losing. Not a lot of points of late but did manage 3 this Saturday. I have been watching their results for a bit given they would have been a lot of people's choice as relegation fodder this term given last season. Even their own supporters have expressed great surprise and have expected the bubble to pop. I think Wycombe were one of the better sides I've seen and there is no reason why they can't go on and complete the job this season. Not on Tuesday of course.... I can't see Burton losing it now and they are a decent side. Shrewsbury haven't exactly wobbled but have had a few mixed results also. Can't see them losing out either. Hence after the above my assessment that Argyle will only make the playoffs at best. Mind you I'd love an away day to Wembley this year.
If only Argyle could put the ball in the net they would be a pretty good team..as some of you saw on Sat. vs Accrington..I think they are due for a good run..at least that's the way i see it..
Still don't agree sensible......I expect the question is ....."what is a bad run"..........maybe averaging a point a match brings you into the relegation area ? is that a bad run.....I would think so. So lets look at the last ten games.....present league position layout. Burton A.....W6.....D4.....L0.....22pts.....promotion form.....in fact they have been on the verge of promotion for the last three years. Wycombe W.....W4.....D6.....L0.....18pts.....promotion form. Shrewsbury.....W5....D4.....L1.....19pts.....promotion form. Luton.....W4.....D5.....L1.....17pts.....play-off form. Southend.....W4.....D5.....L1.....17pts.....play-off form. Newport.....W5.....D0.....L5.....15pts.....starting to struggle........owner cutting back on spending. Bury.....W4.....D3.....L3.....15pts.....starting to struggle ? Plymouth A.....W3.....D3.....L4.....12pts.....poor run of form.....but now back to nearly full strength...(minus Kellett).....so could now push on again. So sensible where is the run of bad form for.....Burton A.....Wycombe W.....Shrewsbury.....Luton.....Southend.....all better than 17pts plus. We need to target Newport and Bury.......we still have to play Bury & Newport at home, we must beat them both. Problem games....Wycombe W.....away......Burton at home.....and last game of the season Shrewsbury away......hope it doesn't depend on that one.
My point was that they drew a number on the trot rather than winning them plym which for them is a wobble given how their season had gone up till then. I wasn't referring to the last 10. I agree I would have rather had their "wobble" than ours. Their supporters who post on not606 seem worried it will all go tits up but I think that is to be expected given the last couple of seasons and them just not believing their team is a decent outfit this time.
