Another strange home game kick off time. Oh for a Saturday 3pm........ We have an extra 4 metres of player in defence although not certain if they will be included or even can be for this one. Seems we have joined the rest of the league now in buying in by the yard. So much for "they can't be persuaded to sign" though. No idea anymore which team will turn up. Hopefully it will be the one that gives it 100%. COYG
You bleddy Colonials are always complaining. It's Argyle and of course it's worth it.................
Are our two new giant centre halves registered for todays match......and if they are will Miron Muslic start them or even have them on the bench......we'll soon know.
Hazard, Houghton, Pleguezuelo, Wright, Bundu, Puchacz, Randell, Katic, Sorinola, Baidoo, Talovierov. Subs Grimshaw, Mumba, Ogbeta, Hardie, Obafemi, Gyabi, Tijani, Al Hajj, Palsson. Both new boys starting.....strongest bench we've had for awhile. Hoping for some goals from Bundu, Wright & Baidoo. Mumba and Hardie on the bench.
2-1...F/T Hardie...77mins (pen)...88mins. Molumby...74mins. YES...YES...YES........at last a win.....we have a defence....and Hardie scores twice
Much better from Argyle. Given the centre-back positions depend in part on mutual understanding, chucking two lads in who only signed yesterday looked a risk. Actually, they played well, especially Talovierov, who’s not only a solid defender but likes a long pass. He was the sponsor’s MotM. Mine however would Matty Sorinola who buzzed about that right WB position with enormous energy and enthusiasm. The unaligned press are saying this was a poor match. I don’t agree with that. It’s true there were few real attempts on goal but it was two sides going flat out, both showing flashes of skill but with each attack smashing into two solid defences. Of course it had to go wrong and in the 74th minute, Argyle made a rare mistake giving the ball away and it looked like it had all been in vain. Not this time. We got a penalty for handball: I didn’t see it touch a hand but the body shape I did see had “Handball” written all over it. Would we suffer another heartbreak? The West Brom keeper did his best to unsettle Ryan Hardie to the extent that Hardie smacked it past him as if it was a post-training kick-about. Never irritate a dangerous beast. Right at the death, Hardie got a chance but it was blocked . Like the assassin he is, Hardie got to the rebound and send the Devonport End into melt down. We look like a team again. All is not lost.
The great escape has started .. i enjoyed todays performace and the physical look of the new guys, he clebrated tackles as he scored .. spelling worse as it must be the whisky.
Fist pumps after tackles!! Tremendous! Another free week for training and then a free hit of a game against Liverpool. I think we’ve got a real manager in Muslic.
Make no mistake this was a much needed and to be fair deserved 3 points. However, I would beg to differ a wee bit on the game description notdistant. It's all about opinions isn't it in the end. First half was a non event for Argyle and in the main for WBA as well. There was little to even talk about at half time but one thing that was evident was that the defence had tightened up considerably and the two newbies didn't look new at all. Argyle were comfortable without having created much themselves. The first shot that I could recall was somewhere around 36 minutes which was a wild hack by Albion over the bar. Second half was better but again Argyle did find it hard to keep the ball for any length of time. They were still looking very comfortable until one silly mistake. We got punished for it and I think the crowd thought oh dear here we go again and we would lose. Not to be. The Ref in the first half was not even noticable which should be a good thing. The Lyndie lino even got several calls for offside right. However as the second half wore on I couldn't help but think he had placed a bet at halftime and was hell bent on collecting his away win bet. His decisions started to annoy where he would give them something but not us. Nothing major just iritating. He was fussy about throw ins and kicks then allowed them to start an attack with a quick free kick at least 30 yards away from the foul. Then he gave us a penalty. Hardie blasted the ball at one of theirs and it did hit his hand. Not sure how he was supposed to get it out of the way but his arms were up and we all know that is meant to be a stonewaller. Their Keeper, Mr Palmer who was once a green himself, did everything he could to follow Hardie around the area whilst his team mates berated the Ref. He was clearly talking to Hardie. I almost couldn't watch as Hardie ran up for his effort. Not to worry as Palmer went one way and the ball went the other. I then did my customary early exit due to me being slow in speed and not wanting to hold up my compatriots. I got to the bottom of the steps outside the ground and about 10 yards down the lane when the ground erupted. I didn't need to be in there to know who had scored. It's almost a tradition now that I miss the last goal. If we get 3 points then I will keep it up. The newbies. Still not sure which one is which but they certainly can both play. One is a no nonsense player who gets rid of the ball with no fanfare. He was solid as you like. The other is another who doesn't fanny about but can clearly play a pass as notdistant said. A couple of really great long cross field passes straight to the player it was meant for. Several fist pumps having made a tackle. Clearly cares about his performance. I think they will do very well. Final point. When I left and as Argyle scored there were two WBA persons walking up the lane from the away end obviously having left early as well. I obviously did my own little fist pump and smile at the sound in the ground. I was greeted with "Who you fu**ing smiling at you c**t". Pleasant bunch in the midlands aren't they.
Watched the video....magnificent cross field pass from Puchacz for Hardie to run onto for the winning goal......also some good keeping at times when it looked as if WBA had to score. Can we find a midfielder and a striker before the window closes....need toughening up in mid-field and we need more scoring power up front.
Muslic on Hardie not being selected as a starter "He was pissed off. I like players who are pissed off when they don't play. Victor Palsson the same". Muslic on Bali Mumba "I like a right footer on the right and left on the left. We signed Puchacz to play as left CB or WB and Matty Sorinola played well against Sunderland". Will Mumba be leaving? "No, zero chance". Muslic on replacing Morgan Whittaker "We cannot replace him one-for-one and we have to share the responsibility around the team. We are still working on signings" Muslic on Liverpool "I have not given this any thought, we have a good week to prepare and the players and fans will be excited to be playing the best team in the world. I have to think about the game that comes after....." Hardie on the penalty "Well if he's not standing there, it's going in the top corner, so....." Hardie on West Brom trying to put him off before the penalty "Well I was more concerned about two team-mates who were trying to get the ball off me..."
