Unlike Exeter, Argyle avoided a potential banana skin and 'won ugly' to book their place as the only representative from Devon in the 2nd round draw of the FA Cup. Not surprisingly the Manger kept the same defensive line up that has served the greens so well in recent weeks but made wholesale changes in the midfield including a rare start for Tyler Harvey and paired Morgan with Reid up front with Allessandra dropping to the bench. Following the immaculately observed Last post , minutes silence and Reveille, it was a predictable start at a fairly sparsely populated Home Park, with Argyle having most of the possession as they (unusually) attacked the Devonport end in the first half. For whatever reason both teams seemed to lack passion and the whole affair was far removed from a traditional 'blood and snotters' FA Cup encounter that we all remember from our youth.....That said, Argyle should have been 2-0 up within 30 mins with both Morgan and Reid missing what can only be described as sitters. Argyle eventually went went ahead with the rarest of goals from a corner, while Fylde's occasional effort was dealt with by the consistently effective Luke McCormick. Second half was much of the same. Morgan added the second- again from a corner but didn't really know much about it. Fylde made an effort to press but despite impressing in parts never really looked like causing an upset. Their number 11 was the best player on the park by some distance-some great long range passes and an obvious eye for a shot on goal. So a fairly lackluster display but a deserved result and most importantly in the draw for the next round and another clean sheet. No real superstars for Argyle, Kellet given the sponsors MOTM which was fine; although I think I might have given it to Luke McCormick just for doing his job well. Minor diversion midweek in the other cup, followed by the main event next week with the Armed services Day match v Portsmouth which guarantees to deliver more entertainment than today's tepid affair.
Thanks Lyndhurst the game sounded just like your report with Sparksy and Guy Brandson entertaining more than the football..
It was slightly turgid wasn't it lyndhurst. I have rarely seen Home Park so quiet with a total lack of atmosphere. I think the crowd caught the lack of passion from the players. The result in the end was about right although perhaps Fylde maybe deserved at least a goal out of it. I commented that the difference between the sides was that Argyle had maybe 9 out of 11 who looked like league footballers in comparison with them who maybe had only 3. I was impressed with their No. 9. 10 and 11 who perhaps might make a career in the lower leagues. Tyler Harvey was a waste of a shirt today. Chance to shine and he blew it without being terrible. I don't think either of our scorers knew much about their goals, both of which were well scrappy. Fylde came for a goaless draw and set their stall out from the start. Argyle did their usual huff and puff but slowly. Even when Argyle scored Fylde still stuck to their guns as if losing 1 - 0 was ok. Part of the second half they put in soke effort to change but after about 15 minutes it went back to normal. Not impressed with the game at all. Right result and onwards to the next round is all it is worth and a bit more cash. I thought the crowd today was quite good considering but I'll be half of them wished they had kept their money for a better game.
yes it was dull- just thought Fylde would have thrown the kitchen sink at it for the last 30, but it never really materialized into a contest.
According to the stats on the beeb site Argyle had 19 attempts on goal and Fylde had 18 with 8 on target. Which bleddy game was that bloke watching? The only thing I can think of is their keeper kicked the ball the length of the pitch numerous times and they all count as attempts as they were picked up by our keeper. 37 attempts on goal combined sounds quite exciting. It bloody wasn't anywhere near that, not even half of that, it was bloody boring.
I suspect that anyone that was there would have agreed that we deserved to win. Fylde probably had the better chances overall(apart from the sitters we missed)- but no where near the 18 reported-probably 6 decent efforts, of which luke had to save 4
I've never been a great Stat lover and this is the sort of reason why. They supposedly had 8 on target. I don't think they had more efforts altogether than that. We didn't have 19 efforts either from my memory.
Thanks lyndhurst and sensible, sounds like a case of job done in an unspectacular fashion and into the draw for the next round, that's good enough for me although i didn't spend my hard earned watching it so i can't grumble. Slightly disappointed to hear about Tyler's poor display but hope he's given more chances to prove himself worthy, let's not forget he's still very young and doesn't seem to have had a decent run in the first team. Next saturday should be a cracker and I'll be tuned in and singing for the boys in green.
Should be awesome, just hope it's a bumper gate but will be a great atmosphere anyway. Just read on a Pompey website that they consider us a big club and have ambition about the new stand also reckoning we'll make the Championship before them. Little do they know about the stand capers but let's prove them right about getting to the Championship! COYG.
To be honest Essex I am slightly surprised that Young was allowed to go and Tyler Harvey was kept. Out of the two I'd have to say Young did a lot more for the team. Harvey just hasn't come on and he is no way a midfield player. Perhaps that's the problem of him being played out of position. I did think originally that he had a good future but am not so sure now. Pompey were given a bit of a fright today in the cup. Scraped a draw by the looks of it. We are as good a side generally in the league as any of the others so we should definately not be fearful of any of them. No doubt we will lose at home at some point but currently our home form is second to none. A bit like it used to be. Lets hope the day isn't another disappointment because other than the result, which is of course the most important bit, yesterday was. Not all to do with Argyle, Fylde had a part to play in the spectacle as well.
Young shipped out, Richards loaned out, Purrington forgotten, Harvey bit part player and Allen wasting away in the shadows. Not really a club for progressing as a young player these days. Youngy seems to be doing well at Torquay from what I have heard, still think the lad can make it in league football. Harvey is still only 19 and never had a decent run in the team too soon to right him off just yet. Seem to remember a certain ex-captain of ours, now doing well in the Championship, who was widely berated when he first joined us, he did OK in the end. My mate actually went to this one, first of the season, sent me a text after the match ' Groundhog day...when will I ever learn!!!' This guy has been going to HP for over 30 years and we went 4 seasons without hardly missing a match home and away, in our late teens/twenties. Towards the end of last season he just gave up going said he had had enough.....
Bleddy fair weather supporters.......... I see Young had another decent game tonight and apparently had a hand in all 3 of Torquay's goals. I think Argyle played a number of these young players out of necessity rather than desire Mexijan. At one point it was only the youth team left or almost. I don't think you get promotion with a team full of youth. Play them from time to time but not every week unless of course they are a bit special. I have to say I don't rate Harvey at the moment and he doesn't deserve a chance. I acknowledge that he is not a central midfield player by nature but he was absent for most of the match against opposition several leagues below Argyle. He was given a chance to shine and went out with a glimmer only. He almost looked as if he wasn't interested and certainly didn't put himself about at all.
Nor seen enough of Harvey to comment but do not get this changing him to a central midfielder at all, especially not in this league were strength often outways talent. Think Young was let go too early and in both Purrington and Richards I felt we had better left backs than what Sheridan brought in as cover or played people out of position there. Agree if you are lookign for promotion you cannot play a team of kids but we should have at least a couple developing with regular games.
Only commenting on this one match for Harvey where he just didn't impress. As for the backs/playing out of position I think Sheridan does have a tendency to play people where they don't always fit. It is better now than it was. He doesn't really play with fullbacks as such now and it is a back 3. Others are more overlapping wing backs than defenders although they are of course expected to track back as well. The ones in situ at present have improved a lot mexijan and it shows with the clean sheets. It's hard to change that when it is being so successful and put youth in it's place. Bobby Reid in midfield isn't going to get left out anytime soon that's for sure and Blizzard has blossomed a bit as well. He just isn't going to change the formula unless results start going the wrong way. Who can blame him.
Yeah agree with that now Sensible was referring to end of last season start of this season more. Still feel Sheridan seems to get loads of players and then tries to find a system to fit them, jam more like, into rather than buying with a plan in mind. Still we are winning at the moment so won't moan too much still not convinced yet. Seems we are getting the habit of winning/drawing without playing well which is always good. Better to win badly than lose well.
