Plymouth Argyle v Cambridge - the build up +Q&A

Cambridge United
Official website
Fans forum
Twitter

The Countdown to Cambridge

Armed Services Day

Wednesday

Will Finnie is the man in the middle for the game, so far this season he has issued 94 yellow cards and two reds in 25 games. It will be his second visit to Home Park this season after officiating in the 2-2 draw against Oldham Athletic in September where he booked nine players, he was also the referee for the FA Cup game at Bristol Rovers in December.
He will be assisted on Saturday by Mark Derrien and Richard Morris while the fourth official is Scott Jackson.

Cambridge are on a run of four straight wins which followed a sequence of just one point from six games. The U's occupy 12th place in League Two and have an away record of won five games, drawn five and lost seven.

Argyle have played Cambridge 14 times at Home Park, winning seven games, drawing three and losing four.

Cambridge are joint-top of the current form table with 13 points from the last six games, level with Swindon Town and Port Vale. Argyle picked up 11 points in the same period.

Cambridge United fan Jason has kindly agreed to give Pasoti users an insight into his club with a Q & A...
Q: What are your thoughts on your season so far?
A: It’s been an down and up season, a poor run saw us flirt with relegation sprinkled with some good results including a 3-2 win at Crewe and a 4-0 win against Exeter at the Abbey. And now we are on course for the play-offs (hopefully) following a very good run in February.

Q: What are your views on interim manager Mark Bonner?
A: Colin Calderwood arrived in December last season and steered us to safety and we had high hopes for this season, however a bad run of 1 point from six games including two 4-0 home defeats against Stevenage and Salford saw Calderwood sacked with just two days left of the January transfer window. His assistant Mark Bonner was appointed as a stop-gap but the change in fortunes has been amazing, we’ve won four in a row with basically the same set of players although Bonner did sign two loans – Tranmere striker Paul Mullin and Lincoln defender Ben Coker.

Q: Given the recent financial problems and ownership issues of lower league clubs are Cambridge in a stable state at the moment?
A: We are supposedly financially ok with (we are told) a “competitive budget” but are always looking for investment. Fans of most football clubs never really know the financial state of their club so we remain cautious.

Q: What are your expectations and predicted finishing position in League Two for Cambridge this season?
A: After last season we hoped for a play-off place this term, however up until December a mid-table finish would seem the likely outcome until Calderwood was replaced, now we once again have hopes of a top 7 finish.

Q: Without giving too much away what style of football and formation are Cambridge likely to use against Argyle?
A: Bonner has instilled a never give up attitude amongst the players, as shown by some recent late goals, he hasn’t really ripped up Calderwood’s tactics but just given the players more belief. We have bite and skill in midfield and energy up front.

Q: Looking from afar what are your views on Plymouth Argyle?
A: Like Cambridge you are a regional football outpost so I really admire your travelling support, bigger clubs just don’t get or appreciate ‘the away day’ experience. The stadium and fans deserve a Championship club and you really shouldn’t be in League Two. You have a good manager in Ryan Lowe who has brought positivity to Plymouth, he’s media friendly and from I’ve read he has a good rapport with the fans, we did beat you at the Abbey where we exploited the areas and space behind your wing-backs so we expect Lowe to counter that for the game at Home Park.

Q: And finally do you have a prediction for the game?
A: We are a match for anyone at the moment, we are full of confidence and never give up, I predict a 2-2 draw or a possible late winner from us.
--------------------------------
Thursday

Cambridge midfielder Samir Carruthers is available for selection again after going through some off the field personal issues ... Cambridge club website

Interim manager Mark Bonner is refusing to look at the league table after Cambridge moved closer to the play-offs following four successive wins ...

“Everyone else can look, I’ll look at Saturday and prepare a team for Plymouth and create a team that can win and be competitive in that game.
“Where we end up, we end up. I like at the minute that we’re in a position where we are pushing teams and we’re trying to build a way of playing. I’ll continue doing that. We’ll look after that process first and then the outcome looks after itself.
“I genuinely haven’t looked over my shoulder once or looked up once, it’s just about trying to claw back as many points as possible.”

Click to expand...

According to Sky Bet Argyle are favourites to win the game at 4/5, a Cambridge win has odds of 16/5 and the draw is placed at 12/5.

Cambridge have won 22 points from losing positions this season (six wins and four draws), the second highest amount in League Two behind Crewe. Argyle have won nine points from a losing position - one win and six draws - the joint-second worst record.

Match Sponsors

Matchday Mascots

Inside Cambridge

From Ryan Lowe's pre-match press conference ...


The club are providing a special service for supporters coming to Home Park Stadium for Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two match against Cambridge United.
The club is assisting fans coming to the Theatre of Greens for the game by taking over the running of the Green Army Football Special buses, in association with travel partner Tally Ho! Coaches. ... club website

Former Cambridge manager and current first team coach John Taylor steps down from the first team setup.

Friday



Cambridge interim manager Mark Bonner looks ahead to the game .. .Cambridge Independent

“They are flying for form. I think they will have an eye on us, with the results we’ve had recently, but they are top of the form table; their home form is excellent.
“They’ve had a really busy couple of weeks, we’re the fifth game in two weeks for them.
“We’ve got to hope that there is an edge to them that maybe there is some tiredness, or maybe there is something there where they are doubting themselves over us.

“We will have to wait and see, but what we know about them is they’re a really strong side, we performed well against them at home earlier in the season and got an excellent result on a day when they would say they weren’t at their best.
“But we will have to be at our best to compete in the game and get something from it. I enjoyed watching them Tuesday but I’m well aware the game will be very different on their pitch as it was to on Macclesfield’s on Tuesday night.”
“We have to find a way of attacking Plymouth. We have to find a way of causing them problems and giving them solutions to find in their defensive play.
“We have to be really mindful that they are a high-scoring team and full of confidence with the results that they’ve been getting. We have to be at our defensive best to shut them out.”

Click to expand...

The Cambridge Season

All about Armed Services Day .... club website

Ryan Lowe's pre-match video press conference ... You Tube



Saturday



Ryan Lowe spoke about today's game .... club website

“It’s a big game for us and a game that we feel where we need to make sure we’re right on it because they’re no mugs – Cambridge have turned a corner recently. We’ve got to make sure we’re on it and I’m sure we will be.”

Click to expand...

With only 13 games left Ryan Lowe is looking no further than the Cambridge game ... club website

“We can’t look past Cambridge, we’ve got to make sure we show them the utmost respect and then we’re on the road again the following week to Bradford – so it’s going to be tough,”

Click to expand...

Previous games against Cambridge ... club website videos