One Game at a Time:
Graze Athletic (H) March 7th
If you could describe the sound at Home Park on forty-five minutes plus nine seconds, that sound would be relief. With some fans still on the concourse bemoaning the failure to put away a chance against a relatively passive Charlton, the ball was passed back from the halfway line towards Ness, who looked to launch the ball forward.
Ryan Hardie, as he always does, sought to close him down, evading the now traditional, and never penalised, blocking player on the halfway line and the ball cannoned off him and ballooned into the air.
As it dropped Hardie cushioned the ball and, unlike almost every other striker at this level, gently chipped over the advancing keeper to send Argyle fans into paroxysms of delight. And, after a few weeks of frustration you could feel belief and relief in equal measure flood the stadium.
Add on a typical Ennis calm penalty box strike, following an equally typical committed Joe 90 surge to the edge of the box, and a becoming typical calm set up from Callum Wright, and plucky little Argyle despatched another âgiant of footballâ ((c) Dean Holden post-match comments) and along with the Wendies, who ground out another one nil to also braeak the seventy point mark,over the previously rampant Posh (against us at least), who rather shot themselves in the foot by opening the scoring for WednesdayâŚ.their only shot on target in the game. Still, that was one more than Charlton managed. You can see why Oxford are interested in Holden as their next manager. He would slot right into their current form.
The net effect of Saturdays results was the top three stretching the mini breakaway, and the clubs who recently had seemed to be closing the gap all dropped points and failed to score (other than Whycome) who scraped a one one draw against the six toes in Matt Bloomfields first home match.
Which leads us to a week where Argyle have a chance to cement their position and severely dent the hopes of two of the chasing pack. After that the vast majority of fixtures, in contrast to the run-in that faced the team last season, sit in the lower reaches of the league, Shrewsbury and Exeter away being the main exceptions.
In contrast Ipswich and the Wendies have a run of fixtures against the teams around them or who have, like Portsmouth, changed their form in recent weeks. Ipswich, after a home game against Accrington which you would expect them to win comfortably, face Bolton, Shrewsbury, Barnsley, Derby and Why Come in their next five. Wednesday, who have this midweek to rest, then play at in-form Pompous, Bolton (home) and Barnsley (away) in successive games. After that they have a similar run in to us, with their last two fixtures against Shrewsbury and Derby, where much starts to depend on the state of the promotion/play off races to determine likely outcomes. Win our home games, whilst not easy, also not impossible and we are three points away from the ninety two points which ought to be enough for avoiding the play-offs.
Derby arrive for the Sky match on Tuesday evening after a mixed recent run, following a charge up the table under League One specialist promotion winner Paul Warne. Warne arrived from his seemingly untouchable position at Rotherham, perhaps suffering from motion sickness as he yo-yoâd his way to consecutive relegations followed by promotions, leaving his old side as the second-best side in Sheffield (and environs). Rosenior has now headed up country to Hull City, but the appointment by new owner David Clowes looked inevitable despite a last game win for Rosenior in the grudge match against disgruntled Why Come whose relegation the season before last merely delayed Derbys return to the third tier.
That they labour under strict restrictions regarding wages and signings, being unable to sign players who require fees and agents fees means their squad has been assembled from a mixture of youth and experienced free agents. They too have a fanbase determined to believe (in some but not all cases) that they are being unfairly targeted by the EFL for their rule breaches. Also, in one particularly amusing thread, that EFL referees are conspiring en masse to treat them unfairly on the pitch as well. Cue Charles Breakspear.
After this weekendâs loss of two points to a Shrewsbury equaliser after leading two nil at half time, optimism has faded from their fans as to the potential to catch and overhaul ourselves and Wednesday. Picking through the debris of the fans analysis, the main culprits were the biased referee, who missed two blatant penalties for County, the ageing and tiring overworked squad, and the inexperienced defenders who were bullied by Shrews more physical second half.
Sounds like we might be seeing Cosgrove then, especially after Cashin, their impressive overall young Irish defender is probably still feeling the pounding of size elevens behind him, as he lost the ball to seal the momentous three two away win for Argyle in September.
One piece of good news for the Rams, albeit in an existential way, is that the almost owner before David Clowes, Chris Kirchner, a man who has hovered around available Championship and League One clubs like a fly over a cow pat, has now been removed from the fit and proper person shortlist by the EFL after his arrest by the FBI. Charged with wire fraud for 67 million dollars, he could face twenty years in jail if convicted. He makes Robert Maxwell, a previous County owner seem positively genial.
One player almost sure to play a part for Derby is the resurgent ex Blade David McGoldrick, who after a career spanning some seventeen years, including Premier League and International honours, has scored three hattricks this season, his first ones ever in his best season for goals, earning him a nickname of âcheat codeâ.
Derby are resolute, playing by and large a back four in a four two three one formation which plays to the strengths of their wide players. These include Tom Barkhuizen, a scorer against Argyle for Hereford home and away back in 2011/12 season and Nathaniel Mendez Laing, scorer against Argyle last season for the Wendies and this season for Derby. Barkhuisen was discarded by Preston before signing as a free agent in the summer, as Derby rebuilt their squad from a ramshackle five players which their administration had left them with. Prior to arriving at Derby Warne was very much a 3-5 -2 formation manager but recognised quickly that he didnât have the playing personnel, and so adapted.
Midfield lynchpin Max Bird is likely to still be out injured, as is former Argyle loanee James Chester. Manager Warne, who is taking a small break from his burgeoning bobble hat and podcast empire to be at the game, brings a side that has the least away wins of any side in League One promotion race. Listening to Warne, who went from Rotherhamâs fitness coach to manager, you get the impression of a manager who finds it hard to switch off from the responsibilities. He has already declared they need a win to maintain their outside chance of an automatic place. As a born and bred Norwich City fan you can only hope he will take consolation that should Argyle win it will at least be bad news for Ipswich!
Missing, in all probability, will be the latest additions to the Derby fan club, Fernando Battilon and his family, who adopted the club after playing them in Fifa 23 career mode because they liked the club badge. Mind you it is hardly surprising they went to see their adopted team play against Morecambe. The Spanish are not that keen on visiting Plymouth since around July 1588!
Argyle may have Dan Scarr edging back to fitness, although Galloway, who played for his pace against Rak Sakyi on Saturday may be an option for dealing with Derbyâs wide players in any event. As ever expect Schumacher to select a team designed to hurt Derby whose ageing squad may not be enjoying the last two weeks of Tuesday/Saturday games. With former Argyle skipper Conor Hourihane anchoring the midfield it wonât be a day for reckless free kicks to be given away. He may not have pace anymore, but he can quite literally call on Dobbin to do his running for him. The balance of the team with its reliance on youth team graduates alongside grizzled veterans means a few players are being played out of position, but as Derby legend Cloughie once said of one of his young sides âOur team is so young that away trips are like school outings. Our biggest problem isnât injuries â itâs acne.â
The next seven days, whilst not decisive could prove pivotal for the run in should Argyle gain substantial pointage. Donât expect the atmosphere to be any less tense than recent weeksâŚ.and let us hope for a start to the first half like Hardie started the second against Charlton.
The final push is on, and three points will be a massive step forward.
COYG!!!
Graze Athletic (H) March 7th
If you could describe the sound at Home Park on forty-five minutes plus nine seconds, that sound would be relief. With some fans still on the concourse bemoaning the failure to put away a chance against a relatively passive Charlton, the ball was passed back from the halfway line towards Ness, who looked to launch the ball forward.
Ryan Hardie, as he always does, sought to close him down, evading the now traditional, and never penalised, blocking player on the halfway line and the ball cannoned off him and ballooned into the air.
As it dropped Hardie cushioned the ball and, unlike almost every other striker at this level, gently chipped over the advancing keeper to send Argyle fans into paroxysms of delight. And, after a few weeks of frustration you could feel belief and relief in equal measure flood the stadium.
Add on a typical Ennis calm penalty box strike, following an equally typical committed Joe 90 surge to the edge of the box, and a becoming typical calm set up from Callum Wright, and plucky little Argyle despatched another âgiant of footballâ ((c) Dean Holden post-match comments) and along with the Wendies, who ground out another one nil to also braeak the seventy point mark,over the previously rampant Posh (against us at least), who rather shot themselves in the foot by opening the scoring for WednesdayâŚ.their only shot on target in the game. Still, that was one more than Charlton managed. You can see why Oxford are interested in Holden as their next manager. He would slot right into their current form.
The net effect of Saturdays results was the top three stretching the mini breakaway, and the clubs who recently had seemed to be closing the gap all dropped points and failed to score (other than Whycome) who scraped a one one draw against the six toes in Matt Bloomfields first home match.
Which leads us to a week where Argyle have a chance to cement their position and severely dent the hopes of two of the chasing pack. After that the vast majority of fixtures, in contrast to the run-in that faced the team last season, sit in the lower reaches of the league, Shrewsbury and Exeter away being the main exceptions.
In contrast Ipswich and the Wendies have a run of fixtures against the teams around them or who have, like Portsmouth, changed their form in recent weeks. Ipswich, after a home game against Accrington which you would expect them to win comfortably, face Bolton, Shrewsbury, Barnsley, Derby and Why Come in their next five. Wednesday, who have this midweek to rest, then play at in-form Pompous, Bolton (home) and Barnsley (away) in successive games. After that they have a similar run in to us, with their last two fixtures against Shrewsbury and Derby, where much starts to depend on the state of the promotion/play off races to determine likely outcomes. Win our home games, whilst not easy, also not impossible and we are three points away from the ninety two points which ought to be enough for avoiding the play-offs.
Derby arrive for the Sky match on Tuesday evening after a mixed recent run, following a charge up the table under League One specialist promotion winner Paul Warne. Warne arrived from his seemingly untouchable position at Rotherham, perhaps suffering from motion sickness as he yo-yoâd his way to consecutive relegations followed by promotions, leaving his old side as the second-best side in Sheffield (and environs). Rosenior has now headed up country to Hull City, but the appointment by new owner David Clowes looked inevitable despite a last game win for Rosenior in the grudge match against disgruntled Why Come whose relegation the season before last merely delayed Derbys return to the third tier.
That they labour under strict restrictions regarding wages and signings, being unable to sign players who require fees and agents fees means their squad has been assembled from a mixture of youth and experienced free agents. They too have a fanbase determined to believe (in some but not all cases) that they are being unfairly targeted by the EFL for their rule breaches. Also, in one particularly amusing thread, that EFL referees are conspiring en masse to treat them unfairly on the pitch as well. Cue Charles Breakspear.
After this weekendâs loss of two points to a Shrewsbury equaliser after leading two nil at half time, optimism has faded from their fans as to the potential to catch and overhaul ourselves and Wednesday. Picking through the debris of the fans analysis, the main culprits were the biased referee, who missed two blatant penalties for County, the ageing and tiring overworked squad, and the inexperienced defenders who were bullied by Shrews more physical second half.
Sounds like we might be seeing Cosgrove then, especially after Cashin, their impressive overall young Irish defender is probably still feeling the pounding of size elevens behind him, as he lost the ball to seal the momentous three two away win for Argyle in September.
One piece of good news for the Rams, albeit in an existential way, is that the almost owner before David Clowes, Chris Kirchner, a man who has hovered around available Championship and League One clubs like a fly over a cow pat, has now been removed from the fit and proper person shortlist by the EFL after his arrest by the FBI. Charged with wire fraud for 67 million dollars, he could face twenty years in jail if convicted. He makes Robert Maxwell, a previous County owner seem positively genial.
One player almost sure to play a part for Derby is the resurgent ex Blade David McGoldrick, who after a career spanning some seventeen years, including Premier League and International honours, has scored three hattricks this season, his first ones ever in his best season for goals, earning him a nickname of âcheat codeâ.
Derby are resolute, playing by and large a back four in a four two three one formation which plays to the strengths of their wide players. These include Tom Barkhuizen, a scorer against Argyle for Hereford home and away back in 2011/12 season and Nathaniel Mendez Laing, scorer against Argyle last season for the Wendies and this season for Derby. Barkhuisen was discarded by Preston before signing as a free agent in the summer, as Derby rebuilt their squad from a ramshackle five players which their administration had left them with. Prior to arriving at Derby Warne was very much a 3-5 -2 formation manager but recognised quickly that he didnât have the playing personnel, and so adapted.
Midfield lynchpin Max Bird is likely to still be out injured, as is former Argyle loanee James Chester. Manager Warne, who is taking a small break from his burgeoning bobble hat and podcast empire to be at the game, brings a side that has the least away wins of any side in League One promotion race. Listening to Warne, who went from Rotherhamâs fitness coach to manager, you get the impression of a manager who finds it hard to switch off from the responsibilities. He has already declared they need a win to maintain their outside chance of an automatic place. As a born and bred Norwich City fan you can only hope he will take consolation that should Argyle win it will at least be bad news for Ipswich!
Missing, in all probability, will be the latest additions to the Derby fan club, Fernando Battilon and his family, who adopted the club after playing them in Fifa 23 career mode because they liked the club badge. Mind you it is hardly surprising they went to see their adopted team play against Morecambe. The Spanish are not that keen on visiting Plymouth since around July 1588!
Argyle may have Dan Scarr edging back to fitness, although Galloway, who played for his pace against Rak Sakyi on Saturday may be an option for dealing with Derbyâs wide players in any event. As ever expect Schumacher to select a team designed to hurt Derby whose ageing squad may not be enjoying the last two weeks of Tuesday/Saturday games. With former Argyle skipper Conor Hourihane anchoring the midfield it wonât be a day for reckless free kicks to be given away. He may not have pace anymore, but he can quite literally call on Dobbin to do his running for him. The balance of the team with its reliance on youth team graduates alongside grizzled veterans means a few players are being played out of position, but as Derby legend Cloughie once said of one of his young sides âOur team is so young that away trips are like school outings. Our biggest problem isnât injuries â itâs acne.â
The next seven days, whilst not decisive could prove pivotal for the run in should Argyle gain substantial pointage. Donât expect the atmosphere to be any less tense than recent weeksâŚ.and let us hope for a start to the first half like Hardie started the second against Charlton.
The final push is on, and three points will be a massive step forward.
COYG!!!
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