Re:OGAT:Difficult Second Season? Six and out? | PASOTI
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Re:OGAT:Difficult Second Season? Six and out?

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
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Westerham Kent
And so back with no requests whatsoever my personalised view of the upcoming game...

Stuck in Benahavis with no Sky and a skin redder than the upcoming oppositions shirts I like most Argyle fans ponder the imponderable...can anything match last season for drama, bathos (look it up Sam) triumph almost snatched from the jaws of disaster and in the end to quote the Iron Duke a damned close run thing but my money was always on Abba.

So what has changed......well Sonny took the Luton shilling, Oscar Foxtrotted Oscar to Belgium whilst Foxy simply trotted to Home Park...oh and Alex Battle tried to be a Trotter but ended up staying a Del Boy...for now

A host of new arrivals, including shopping in the other more Southerly Premier League which had considerable novelty value( two Arsenal players and only one from Manchester City) although compared to Peterborough Home Park appears an oasis of calm and sanity.

This years Premier League drop outs and Sky Sports favourites for over exposure are Sunderland and given all three relegated clubs escaped last season Barnsley and Burton should be up there although this season the financials mean it may be a lot more even. In the City Short Selling is a smart if risky way of making money...in Sunderland it was a sure fire way of losing it.

So What of Walsall....well if they were a 2018 World Cup team they would be Serbia, industrial, industrious, with more talented and financially capable neighbours...although the late flurry of transfer loan activity lends them an air of a combined testimonial Walsall/WBA XI albeit on Thursday you might have thought they were going to have to raid the under twelves for a centre half worthy of the name. They had a mixed preseason which included a win v Ajax and Cheltenham despite conceding two penalties and yet potentially a third of their opening day line ups could have signed in the last 24 hours. Up front the have Andy Cook ( ex Tranmere) supported by Zeli Ishmael ( ex Bury)

For Argyle well we know It will be 4-3-3 and if the portents are right eight of the starting XI will not be strangers to the fans and more importantly the team mates. The key questions for Argyle fans will be as follows

How many goalkeepers to stack the bench with...just in case?
How long will Ryan Taylors season start last this year...hopefully measured in games rather than minutes this season
Will Greg Wylde maintain his scoring streak in season openers and extend it to three?
What will happen when someone calls Granty's ball...a mass collision or up to three players leaving it.
Will the superstore get the new Wootton shirt spelling right?

After a pre season of spanking non leaguers and crashing and burning at Yeovil has Sam Jones got his hashtag ready, and as so many people seem to have blocked him will anyone notice if he does?

First game up, everything to play for....COYG
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
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Westerham Kent
Match 2 of the League 1 season and we finally get to see the Greens at home albeit in the Plymouth equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle with the new Grandstand development turning us into a three sided ground for the season.

Southend United provide the opposition and Chris Powell is said to be seeking revenge for last seasons Easter drubbing when Argyle had the biggest purple patch since the lilac away strip and tonked the Shrimps 4-0. Both teams stumbled on the opening day so in the feast and famine nature of the modern game it is either recovery or disaster for one of them in all probability.

Southend were quietly tipped to do well this season and had a decent end to the previous season once they got the crushing Home Park defeat out of their system so a 3-2 reverse at home to Donny Rovers was unexpected....and given they trailed 3-0 looked better than it could have, even though Powell reckons they played seventy minutes of really good stuff.

They haven't won at the Theatre of Greens this Century though and with the LC of TLC smarting from harsh criticism and Ruben still rubbing his neck from the severity of the half time hook a similar flying start to last seasons game would go down well for what should be a packed Home Park....although given the traditional laissez faire of season openers expect a good few thousand to be still wondering where half the car park has gone at five to three.

With a deadline day as exciting as Old Trafford, an unchanged team and a potential torrential day of rain it may not be a day for pretty patterns, and new boy Freddie will be hoping to get on and score against a team he managed a dozen appearances for.

The opening day left a slightly disappointed taste in the mouth given how strongly we led and finished and it will be good to get points on the board and stay on the tails of the early season bolters.

COYG!
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
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Westerham Kent
So with the seismic news that James Brent has handed over the reigns to fellow director Simon Hallett Argyle trundle up the road to seewhat can really happen when you become a rich mans plaything as the Caraboa Cup moves into view.

Argyle have something of a love hate relationship with the League Cup. Two semi final appearances compared to just the one in the FA Cup but a consistent recent failure to progress to the heady heights of the second round, so expectations are always set reasonably low when the draw for the first round comes out. Away to one of the Bristols is about as good as it gets in that it is a short trip (by Argyle standards…just 120 miles or so each way), and it doesn’t allow the upstarts from up the A38 to develop their fantasy that they are real rivals any further.

That it is the Red or City half of Bristol once again means we have the possibility of meeting a club from a higher division and test ourselves to see how we will do. Better than last season would be a start.

As supporters it is one of the few games that mean we won’t be subjected to the unoriginal “Oooh arrr” chants, or at least if we are they will sound quite hollow coming with an overriding west Country burr themselves. Fortunately the press haven’t yet tried to make this into a Cider Derby or some other constructed artifice that implies we spend any waking minutes obsessing about the results.

Fun fact. Name three clubs that feature zz in their names this season. Answer Brizzle Rovers Brizzle City and Wycombe Wanderers zz as they have still to score a goal.

Last season also meant we kept tabs on some of our recent loanees, who had sharpened their games keeping us in League Two (Joe Bryan) and then trying to get us out of it ( Bobby Reid and Paul Arnold Garita). All much improved for their spells at Home Park it seems but only Reid played and even then for only a half. They obviously did well given that Reid and Bryan departed Premier League wards for c 15 million. PAG not so much. Having made nine changes and dished out four debuts, Derek Adams watched as debut goalkeeper Robbert te Loeke fished the ball out of his net three times in the first twenty minutes and four times before half time, including the first ever goal under the Caraboa mantle.The subsequent bad back meant that this was pretty much his entire career for Argyle. Even the stiffening of the defence in the second half by sending on Oscar Threlkeld came back and bit us as he went off with a broken leg. A fifth goal marked a miserable ninth defeat in ten seasons at the first round stage and any pre season optimism was dwindling faster than the new competitions sponsors credibility when the live Twitter draw for the fifth round was abandoned and eventually posted on line late with no explanation as to why it had been delayed so badly.

If there was a positive from this result it wouldn’t come until almost five months later, when the young and scarcely troubled right back for City, Zack Vyner joined on loan, but at the time there was not much good news in the Argyle ranks. Only the fact we won’t have to try and remember who the sponsors of the competition are until now. Does anyone actually know what a Caraboa is? Actually I do, it is a Thai Water Buffalo as well as an energy drink created in that country. Thank you Google.

So for tonights trip Derek has promised minimal changes and given his unchanged team remark last week almost guaranteed a debut for someone, that could mean a completely new back five or simply a restoration of Riley and rare sighting of our own rampant charging Thai Water Buffalo Lionel Ainsworth.

Anyway, traditional early exit or beginning of a surging run to the semis....time will tell

COYG!
 
Apr 15, 2004
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East Devon
Are these match previews to be a regular feature progs? Hope so :thumbs: ........ in fact you can call this a "request" if you like
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
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Westerham Kent
Thanks for that, the intention is to do this for a full season....I started at the end of last year and enjoyed the writing of each entry....

My only issue at present is that as each entry goes on the tail do I need to split and create a new thread for each game .....as by the end of the season this will be a fair trek unless people start at the back....

As my only substantial respondent the choice is currently yours!
 

Lancastergreen

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New one each game, loving this already
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
1,130
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Westerham Kent
And so with euphoria rising after an almost literal once in a lifetime League Cup first round triumph and just as quickly being crushed by the despair of a Tuesday /Wednesday night hack to deepest East London and into Bushwacker territory and Millwall, back to league action as we head to the birthplace of Superluke and Coventry City.

Not one of our more successful grounds , although what success we have had there has been in the recent past rather than the dim distant one. Coventry are a club that once defied gravity by staying in the top division for many seasons, and fashion sense by adopting a brown away kit, but in recent years have come down to earth with a substantial bump. In light of recent changes in ownership it is also worth reminding ourselves what can happen when faceless financiers ( SISU and Ray Ranson) get hold of a club. CC have been beset by fan boycotts and protests and the club pushed to the financial brink, including a season where they were forced to ground share at Northampton, ( answering at least the question where do you send someone from Coventry when you can't send them to Coventry) but after last seasons enjoyable and who cares if they deserved it win over the six toes in the Play off final they have crawled back into semi respectability the season after us and after just one season in the mire of League 2, largely it must be said on the back of the now departed Mark McNulty's goals which will it seems be hard to replace.

Coventry have also been. source of some fine Argyle players including the peerless Ernie Machin, Colin Randell an early grooming of Billy Billy Billy Billy Rafferty and most recently Ruben Lameiras. To be fair in return we did send them Steve Morgan, so not too bad.... Another thing the clubs had in common was they have both been managed by Peter Reid.

Ruben will be having a late fitness test on his neck to see if he will be fit to be hooked three games in a row, and there must be some interesting questions for Derek Adams after strong first performances of the season for Niall Canavan and Yann Songo'o. Freddie Ladapo also performed well in midweek but you would expect the ginger ninja to return up front, with the final choice being Grant or Ruben.

Off the field the main issue will be Lady Godiva vs Tom Pearce's Grey Mare in the 2.30 Josh Widdicombe Fair Stakes at Haydock to settle choice of ends rather than the usual toss of the coin. Runner up gets some over priced chocolates and what's left of a Cathedral.

Of course Derek Adams is now not just a manager but Head of football, a role effectively pioneered by Jimmy Hill at Coventry in the sixties, including the adoption of the Eton Boating Song for the City fans to sing a version. Lets see what our Derek can come up with for the Argyle song book although "I would drive ten thousand miles.And I would drive ten thousand more" seems like a decent Scottish based starting point. City also claim to be the originators of Twist and Shout as a football chant....trendy they are not (brown kit...remember....)

The fixture, whilst infrequent after the sixties, holds some fame as it featured the league debut and scoring one at that of Football( in those days Championship) Manager wunderkind Cherno Samba. Samba, whilst feted as a youth whilst at Millwall became well known for the fact that he was a player that was cheap to acquire but who would reward the fantasy manager later win his career. indeed the player once managed to get a faster turn around on a mobile phone delivery when the assistant serving him discovered his identity. Sadly art did not imitate life and in 2015 after a nomadic career around Europe and non league Samba retired , the goal v Coventry his only league strike.

With both clubs having a halting start to the season the game promises to a be a close squeak...ironically the nickname of Mark Robins, the city manager.....well courtesy of our old friend Steve Evans who accused "little squeaky" Robins of thinking he should manage England....sound like a familiar routine?

I wonder when he's due back for a visit?
 
Oct 20, 2015
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I am loving these, keep 'em coming. You should be paid to write professionally! And I say that as someone who is.

Looking forward to Cov tomorrow, it is my old stomping ground (well, Coventry inside the ring road was) and my manager at work is a CCFC fan. So Monday's team meeting will be interesting whatever the result.
 
Apr 15, 2004
3,788
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East Devon
Cheers progs - enjoying these previews ...... I'd completely forgotten about Samba ...... but to be a totally anal pedant you have one too many (or one too few) Billys - "Oh Billy Billy ....Billy Billy Billy Billy Rafferty" ;)
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
1,130
2,595
Westerham Kent
The Rafferty reference duly amended...plus another couple of typos...thanks for the feedback...I enjoy writing them, they don't take long...and I am looking forward to the next one immensely...

Steve Evans is a perfect subject for something like this
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
1,130
2,595
Westerham Kent
So should auld acquaintance be forgot etc etc

In the case of Wycombe renewing a recent rivalry is bitter sweet. Last season saw the ultimate lesser of two evils choice as Why Come ( based on their meagre attendances at home and double digit away travel) and the six toes battled it out for the final foothold in the long and painful ascent of Mount League Two. That the Chairboys managed to hold on was probably the least worst outcome and therefore the best we could hope for.

As a fan owned club run on limited resources Why Come have so far lived up to the predictions of most pundits with a meagre one point from nine, and a scrappy progress into the second round of the Water Buffalo Cup. So far so Argyle, as we have now become a fan owned club ( albeit just one fan and his wife) and matched the point age of tonights opponents. that said we have at least managed more goals and conceded less so tower above them on goal difference.

Why Come will travel with confidence as we appear to be their rabbit at Home Park. The last six visits have brought them five wins and a draw, the draw coming from three one down! And whilst we are not conceding goals from open play a quick review of recent concessions to Wanderers shows that they won't mind as they tend to score their goals from set plays more often than not.

The also bring with them the talismanic Akinfenwa, who also has a decent record of scoring against us. Like Argyle the major criticism, perhaps not surprisingly given their reliance on the aforementioned Akinfenwa, is a lack of pace. Whilst the self proclaimed beast can bench press a full MacDonalds branch ( before consuming its contents) the only way to inject pace into his game would be to build a pitch on the side of a small mountain and sub him when you play uphill.

With the delivery of dead ball specialist Joe Jacobsen expect the usual ten pin bowling shenanigans in the Argyle penalty area. The one saving grace is Macey does seem to command his area although check out the Betfred odds on him surviving the encounter intact for an interesting bet.

Having not played them for a little while we may get some insight into their playing style from our own ex Why Come loanee Tafari Moore whose mini Mr (Marcus) Bean hairstyle will probably be used by at least one Why Come player to stop him breaking forward with their usual high regard for the purity of the game.

Given their ability to introduce the Dying Swan, the Sniper Victim and the Leaping Salmon as soon as they take the lead expect an additional bill from iFollow if you are using the subscription service, for the extra time added, assuming we have a strong enough referee. Also check the Betfred odds of 100-1 against the match finishing first tonight if WhyCome are ahead.

The game also starts a special week of friendly reunions for Derek Adams with ageing rock star Gareth Ainsworth preceding aged Mock Star Steve Evans at the weekend. You will also get long odds on the red card not making an appearance before Sunday at Home Park. As both Ainsworth and Adams have both recently signed five year contracts it may be time to bury the hatchet in case we have a few of these games ahead.

So can Argyle manage to make it four league penalty concessions in a row ( and would that be a record....?) Will the Three Little Birds make an unsettlingly early return to Home Park? A red card on average every other game ( assuming you count Dereks v Southend) means we are on track for 23/24 this season depending on cup runs. At least the missing Ness means we will be spared the Eliott Ness "gag" Jeff Stelling has settled on for Jamie.

It is early enough in the season that a win tonight means mid table mediocrity but in a game of two teams seemingly lacking in pace an end to end encounter seems unlikely.

COYG
 

pafcprogs

🌟 Pasoti Laureate 🌟
Apr 3, 2008
1,130
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Westerham Kent
And so after one managerial reunion party pooped in the last few minutes what could be better than to roll out the red carpet ( borrowed from Exeters trophy Cupboard so completely pristine in every respect) for Derek Adams bessie mate ( off the pitch at least ) Steve "the Red Adair of promotion" Evans ( c S Evans).

Yes it is the arrival of the Pish, as no club run by Barry Fry and the aforementioned Evans could ever be accused of being Posh, returning to the scene of their multiple crimes of last season where a last minute Carey penalty won Argyle the points and according to the very quotable Evans Carey the plaudits including best supporting actor in an assault scene.

Being a new season and with Evans and Fry at the helm it is no surprise that few if any of the Pish players will be recognisable to the Argyle crowd ( or indeed to some of the Pish fans) as some eighteen new arrivals have put a lie to the fact that it takes time to get a new team to gel. Four wins from four including a late controversial penalty at Charlton in midweek leaves Pish chasing a club record five in a row from the start of the season. Let our joy be unconfined at such a prospect.

Adams at least has a full squad to choose from , potentially including loan signing Stuart O' Keefe from Cardiff, potentially if he plays lining up against here's what you could have had Mark O "Mara, who chose Piah over Argyle and has three goals in four. having cashed in on Jack Marriott there are a wealth of attacking options including Matt Godden, Jason "Cumdog" Cummins ( and the nickname is his own choice...I kid you not) backed up by old friend and loan regular until Pish splashed the cash, Ivan Toney.

Evans who trails Adams by a yellow to Dereks red so far this season has already fallen out with Lee Bowyer over his touchline antics and after realising they had appointed last seasons "Buckler" (c Steve Evans) Craig Hicks to referee the repeat fixture, the FA have themselves buckled and imposed strict disciplinarian and all around 20/20 visionary Chris "ballboy what ballboy" Sarginson to keep order. Oh well.

Indeed until the FA introduce Hannibal Lector style face masks for persistently offensive managers I doubt too many of the Argyle ball boys will be rushing to fetch the balls on the Grandstand side for fear of being covered in spittle like a tourist asking for directions in Wales.

The Pish bench will also probably contain the charmingly robust and physical Marcus Maddison whose impending move Championshipwards appears to be on hold whilst he waits for a club whose primary need is for a central drama queen. Presumably he will turn up after last seasons no show, now he knows Sonny has moved on. Lets hope the bench is smooth enough that he doesn't get splinters when asked to warm up.

Argyle may be welcoming a new loanee in Stuart O'Keefe, from the ever helpful Neil Warnock, and lets hope he fares better in green than his seventies namesake Eamonn, discarded by Tony Waiters without playing for the first team before rocking up at Everton amongst others. Whether this will be the midfield solution we have been chasing, of a fill in we will probably never know, but given Antoni must be likely to run out of puff before the 90 as he has just returned the extra personnel option is to be welcomed.

So with groundsman fretting on the soaking the touchline by the Pish dugout will get, the cleaners bagging overtime for clearing up the desolation of the away dressing room after the pre match and post match rants, stand by for a a roller coaster ride.

Last seasons first win came at home against a promotion favourite so COYG and lets have some repeated history.

Same old Argyle, taking the Pish!