So we have brought some new players in to relieve the pressure on our overstretched youngsters.......to allow them to be out of the firing line now and again,and not to over play them any longer,week after week. Older more battle hardened and experienced players. A great opportunity for Darren Purse to show us that he is the hardman and the organizer that our defence as been crying out for all season. With new players up front with more experience to help solve the lack of goals. Is this the make or break period of our season..........the old saying that if your bottom at Christmas you'll be bottom at the seasons end. So in the next few games can we make sure that we our not in that position on January the 1st. What do you all think ? Will we for a start end a match with eleven players on the pitch,and keep the booking count down so we don't lose players for reaching five bookings. Can we do that ?
Was going to say be nice to win 4-0...but half time! This game was a must win and was going to say again the new players need a few games to settle in...boy was I wrong! Not going to end up 4-5 is it! .
The best thing about the win today was that all the new signings performed really well.Purse was outstanding and chadwick really up for it scoring with a great header.The worst thing about today-letting a goal in at the last moment.Great we got an emphatic win in a must win game-but just putting it slightly in context-The Cobblers were very poor,yes we could have scored more if it was'nt for Walker their keeper making at least 3 blinding saves,but on at least a couple of occcasions a better team would have scored.Encouraging!
Encouraging start for new players that have not played together before. The question is.........how good were we......and how bad were they.............a few more games might answer that question.
I hope you can pull out of this, I should be coming down to Plymouth in march for the Gillingham game.
It's a confidence game now isn't it? We've brought in 4 new players - with a bit more experience - and got a thumping win. Let's hope Chadwick is fit for next Saturday and we can go with an unchanged side and keep the ball rolling with another result.
Northampton reminded me of Argyle a few weeks back. Seemed to lack belief and spirit. But, make no mistake this was a polished performance by Argyle and the result was well and truely merited. As said all the newbies played well and all of them brought something different to the mix. All looked confident on the ball and all put a shift in with an obvious desire. The simplest thing in the world now is to just maintain that level of committment and effort and they will win many more games. The next couple will see whether it was a first day flash in the pan or not but they did do well.
Out of administration, pay-packets on the doormat, the extra experience we've been pleading for at the back, Sutherland, Feeney, Chadwick & Lecointe providing some variety up front and a good result in the bag, the tools seem to be there now. Without being naive, if the players & fans believe it's not a flash in the pan [and the fact it's occurred with the new signings on-board tends to suggest it isn't], then it won't be a flash in the pan. I'm sure Purse with his great experience and Chadwick who saw better times at Home Park will help I wouldn't say it's the simplest thing in the world exactly but if we can only get a result at Bradford then Christmas shopping or not, the mood should be right for Hereford at home.
It is hard to get away from the question that..........are Northampton at this present time the worst team in the Division..........they obviously played better in the second half.............or did we play not so good in the second half.......they scored we didn't...........with a fortnight before our next game will we go off the boil..........the questions are endless.
I think it is simple and I don't mean that it is all suddenly rosy in the garden but refer to the standard and committment. Previously you could see them visibly wilt but having put the ball where it should be,in the net, they actually seemed to grow yesterday. All they have to do to win many more matches is simply maintain that. They will lose games but once confidence is restored where they don't think they will before the kick off then there is no reason for the season as a whole to peter out tamely. Compared to before the whole side looked immense yesterday both new and old as a unit. One or two ok performances in the squad but generallly nobody was poor. I was impressed with Purse who talked constantly and guided the backs. Sutherland and Hemming were quite classy and took on players rather than just pass it. This brought out better performances from the midfield. It was just an all round good show spoiled only slightly by conceeding at the death but being 4 goals up at the time it just didn't matter. They deserved a clean sheet on top however and that would have just been the icing. I have to say there was stunned disbelief when we went one up then two up then three up so quickly. Even at halftime I heard some saying surely they can't cock this one up now but people believing it was possible given the collapse in past games. Now I think the crowd will believe more and more importantly so will the players. Not the new boys as they probably believed anyway but the beaten players we once had. The icing for me yesterday was that not one of the goals was a fluke or scrambled. They were all well worked and well taken and there could have been more on a perfect day. People might say this was only Northampton who are a bit in turmoil themselves right now but that only deflects the good game we had and should not take anything away from Plymouth.
The key to our survival, I think, may prove to be Darren Purse. Yesterday there was some real leadership at the back and they were much cooler - less headless chickens on display. Hemming has pace to burn and Chadwick's return could also prove to be a very good move with a bit more strength and experienced up front. Time will tell but I am starting to believe we can pull away from trouble.
Rave notices for Darren Purse on pasoti for his game yesterday,dominant,organizing and authoritive,just what we have been missing. Ridsdale knew his abilities from when they overlapped at Cardiff...........and continued talking to Millwall after the FL scotched our earlier move for him. Imagine if we had got him a month ago and he had not gone to Yeovil............we could already be climbing the league and still earning money in the FA cup. Ridsdale must make sure we keep him in the January window,he seems to want to stay so there must be a good chance. If he does become permanent then he must be made captain straight away. One poster on pasoti yesterday said that when the second goal went in he didn't go mobbing the scorer.............he went back to Cole and told him to keep vigilant and concentrate. Certainly not Walton's style...........and still complaints from fans about Waltons weight.............does he look overweight ?
All 5 newbies were good and it improved the ones we have always had no end. Purse was probably man of the match although a lot would vote for Chadwick being the returning hero with a goal and assist. The difference yesterday was startling having watched them on Tuesday and before. Despite not adding to the scoreline the second half was not a collapse as before and that goes down to Purse doing exactly what he has been credited with. I have not seen Captancy like that for a very long time even though he didn't wear the armband. My only note of caution though is that this is not seen as the corner turned just yet and we get carried away prematurely. They need to do this again and again and show it wasn't a one off. I do however get the feeling that they will win a lot more now than they are used to and hopefully it will be enough. They at least stand a chance of that which previously they did not.
