Looking through the fixtures for this weekend there are a whole load of matches where the teams are very close together points wise in the table. Then you look at the points column and see that a couple of wins or loses could make a shed load of difference position wise. It is all very tight. Bit like this game. I know all the pundits will be expecting us to sink on Saturday but I remain optimistic and think we can win this even if it will be hard. Every game is hard anyway no matter who we play. You can do it lads............ COYG
Michael Cooper and Lewis Gibson are apparently available for selection. Conor Hazard has done a solid job on what you might call the conventional goalkeeping tasks: shot stopping and catching crosses. He doesn't look so confident with the ball at his feet though and that nervousness spreads to the outfield players. I think because of that, we've started clearing the ball long more frequently: that's reduced possession and control of the game. As soon as Cooper is truly ready he should be in as far as I'm concerned, much as Hazard doesn't really deserve it. Similarly, Lewis Gibson was doing really well before his injury. Now I'm not quite sure who uses which foot naturally but if it's a three, and I think it should be a three, then it's Pleggy, Scarr and Gibson for me.
Cooper starts....not sure about this.....I think it could be too early.....what does this say to Hazard and Burton.....one an international the other helped us win the title last season.
It says there is going to be a lot of competition between the posts and the Manager is managing. Cooper is our No.1 and if not injured would have been between the sticks all of last season and the start of this. You know that, I know that and everyone else knows that. The only question is match sharpness not fitness. We shall see.
I think if they're honest and have seen Cooper play, they'll realise he's hard to displace. It's not so much the pure goal keeping but Cooper's distribution. Not only can he use his feet but he can throw the ball to feet on the half-way line.
The BBC had us down as 4:4:2 to start with and have now amended it to 4:5:1. I wonder what it actually is? Good half from Argyle but we need to take our chances.
It's 10 outfield players on a green surface........I never get all this 442,451,334,910 crap. As long as they know what they're doing then that's all that counts. 0 - 0 HT. Doesn't look that inspiring on the stats front.
I'm listening to the BBC commentary. We were excellent in the first half and have been holding our own in the second. And formations matter. Last season we had Azaz and Whittaker close together as the "2" in a 3:4:2:1. That worked well. That begs the question as to whether we should play to suit our strengths or do something different to stop the other lot.
Well a hard won away point. It needs to be built on on Wednesday: we're down to 21st as Stoke, Huddersfield, Blackburn and Watford all won.
I would like to see the reckless tackles that got us that many yellows. Cooper would be for time wasting so what were the other 6 for. According to the stats WBA only committed 4 fouls all game????? Hmmm!. Think a point is creditable and there we have a Cooper clean sheet in game one for him. Sort of justifies the selection in itself doesn't it. We can't do anything about other results so we have to concentrate on our own. Happy enough with this one.
An away point is never to be sniffed at....but we played them at a good time seeing that they had injuries up front.....a shame we couldn't make one of those first half chances stick.
Nice to see you being so positive as per usual. Why was it a good time to be playing them as opposed to us just simply playing well but unable to tuck away a winner?
Nothing to do about being positive or not....just a fact in our favour that WBA where lacking some key players....as per usual you respond with your green tints on .....tucking away a winner is becoming a problem in recent matches.....just be thankful that they couldn't either.
They couldn't because of the keeper selection which was proved right. It's not being green tinted it's just not looking for something to knock Argyle with. We have injuries as do all clubs and I do not hold with the theory that a club doesn't have this or that because it does. It may not always be first choice but they are players for a position nonetheless. I would have to ask if a club has a problem playing without player A or B or both then what is the recruitment team doing being employed by that club or indeed even being paid.
Our biggest problem is not the opposition but getting the results our ability deserves. One of the issues it’s true is maintaining good form for 90 minutes not just 45 or 60 minutes. We aren’t going to beat everybody in this league but on the basis of what I’ve seen, I genuinely believe we have good enough players to win more than we lose. If that’s Green Tinted, well yes I’m guilty as charged and always have been. But in my long years following Argyle I’ve seen enough players who were never good enough and indeed some whole teams that weren’t. This is not that team and not those players. It’s understandable that our form has been patchy: it is a big step up from League 1 and it will take time to settle down. Having been to all the home games and watched at least one of the away games, I think we’ve got the quality to survive. We just need to find the magic formula, believe in it and stick to it.
Yes the players have the ability to stay in this league....but that ability must show from the kick-off whistle to the final whistle... lapses' have undone us and had us chasing games far to early in the match. Steven Schumacher has the ability to be a successful manager at this level....but we must remember he is still learning his trade.....and success is easy to replicate when your winning. He now has to knuckle down when things go wrong and work out how to correct it.....with so many bottom teams winning last Saturday and Argyle sitting just above the relegation line the realization is that we need to start getting things right is very evident. Sheffield W at home this week is ideal....we want to make sure that we're not their first win this season.....anything but a victory will be worrying.
