Well it was a treat to be back at HP.
We do look solid at the back. However, we have to be honest. After conceding 80 league goals we were always going to be more impressed.
We scored direct from a corner. That surely has to be a positive.
I do believe we can link the ball up better from defence to Houghton. And from here build a better foundation to start from. I also believe after watching Ennis tonight we have a brilliant, back to play, forward in Ennis. At times he is absolutely outstanding.
I couldn’t get a handle on what it is though we are missing, until tonight. In the final third we are ponderous and slow. Countless times in the first half Grant gets down the touchline into space. Stops. Goes backwards. You see a Middlesbrough wide player knock the ball forward and be direct. Why? Because they have pace to exploit the gaps. Their first goal is made by a player who uses his pace to get to the byline and crosses it back. The reason people love Mayor is that even though his end product is not good he can exploit the space out wide. Our wing backs simply aren’t quick enough to exploit the space on the wing. Countless times we get to a good position and waste it. So many times instead of trying to get to the byline it gets recycled across the pitch 25-30 yards out.
The other issue is composure. We get to the penalty box and we simply don’t have that player to make the right decision, at the right time on the edge of the area. It’s all nice and solid but when it gets to the business end there you watch the different Argyle players simply not sure what to do. By the time we make a decision the opposition are too well organised.
If people tell me it’s a PSF, then fine. Or that’s it a new team, then fine. However, it’s the same central midfield, the same forwards and the same wing backs as last season. If people want to tell me it’s championship opposition then that’s fine too. Maybe lm being way too harsh.
However, it’s the same issues in terms of attacking play as last season. For me we simply can‘t hurt teams enough from wide positions with this personnel, playing this system.
The other thing that was noticeable was the defence trying to play it into the midfield and Middlesbrough, creating their best chances time after time in that second half, picking off some really badly chosen passes. Where have we seen this before?
I just felt we are seeing a better organised defence playing pretty football but with a lack of penetration. I really can’t recall the Middlesbrough keeper doing anything but for our goal from the corner.
Just a little thing about the mask wearing. It’s seemed so few people wearing masks. Plymouth Covid-19 rate is rising. You can’t really complain if we have another lockdown come the autumn which I suspect we might. Yet people’s mindset seems to be its all behind us.
We do look solid at the back. However, we have to be honest. After conceding 80 league goals we were always going to be more impressed.
We scored direct from a corner. That surely has to be a positive.
I do believe we can link the ball up better from defence to Houghton. And from here build a better foundation to start from. I also believe after watching Ennis tonight we have a brilliant, back to play, forward in Ennis. At times he is absolutely outstanding.
I couldn’t get a handle on what it is though we are missing, until tonight. In the final third we are ponderous and slow. Countless times in the first half Grant gets down the touchline into space. Stops. Goes backwards. You see a Middlesbrough wide player knock the ball forward and be direct. Why? Because they have pace to exploit the gaps. Their first goal is made by a player who uses his pace to get to the byline and crosses it back. The reason people love Mayor is that even though his end product is not good he can exploit the space out wide. Our wing backs simply aren’t quick enough to exploit the space on the wing. Countless times we get to a good position and waste it. So many times instead of trying to get to the byline it gets recycled across the pitch 25-30 yards out.
The other issue is composure. We get to the penalty box and we simply don’t have that player to make the right decision, at the right time on the edge of the area. It’s all nice and solid but when it gets to the business end there you watch the different Argyle players simply not sure what to do. By the time we make a decision the opposition are too well organised.
If people tell me it’s a PSF, then fine. Or that’s it a new team, then fine. However, it’s the same central midfield, the same forwards and the same wing backs as last season. If people want to tell me it’s championship opposition then that’s fine too. Maybe lm being way too harsh.
However, it’s the same issues in terms of attacking play as last season. For me we simply can‘t hurt teams enough from wide positions with this personnel, playing this system.
The other thing that was noticeable was the defence trying to play it into the midfield and Middlesbrough, creating their best chances time after time in that second half, picking off some really badly chosen passes. Where have we seen this before?
I just felt we are seeing a better organised defence playing pretty football but with a lack of penetration. I really can’t recall the Middlesbrough keeper doing anything but for our goal from the corner.
Just a little thing about the mask wearing. It’s seemed so few people wearing masks. Plymouth Covid-19 rate is rising. You can’t really complain if we have another lockdown come the autumn which I suspect we might. Yet people’s mindset seems to be its all behind us.