One Game at a Time: Difficult Second Season
Loo Town (A) February 19th
OK, that one’s on me.
We have all heard of the Immutable Law of the Ex. The inevitable moment when the player who left you returns and does that one unimaginable thing that he never managed to do in all the games he played for you.
So why poke the bear? Why go for the easy obvious cheap laugh in the match preview?
Blame it on the data.
When Adam Forshaw hooked the ball goalward shortly after half time the last thing any fan expected, be they Rovers or Argyle was for the ball to nestle sweetly in the top corner of the net, probably the one unsavable place he could have sent the ball given the reach of our keeper and the position he was in, with his back to goal.
Blackburn Rovers 1 Plymouth 0 Forshaw 55. Hello Sky? Is that your technical support desk. Yes, I think your vidiprinter is on the blink. It has started sending random impossible messages onto the screen on my TV. Really? You’re sure. You don’t want to turn it on and off again, just in case? Oh. Fair enough.
That’s how much of a surprise it was. This is a player who hadn’t found the net for over nine years. April 12th 2016, a shock ninety fourth minute winner against Reading. At that time Argyle were between a home defeat by Wimbledon and an away win at Portsmouth, en route to an Akinfenwa led debacle at Wembley. How long ago was it? Well, people were openly laughing at the prospect of Donald Trump winning the Presidency of the USA. Literally no-one in the known universe thought Liz Truss (apart from Liz Truss) looked Prime Ministerial (to be fair that hasn’t changed). The Brexit vote was still two months away. In the multi universe theory where every possible outcome is happening somewhere, any actuary looking at the odds on AF opening the scoring on Saturday would have said “stick him on at 500 to one, just for completeness”. As ex Argyle players likely to score against them, Alex Palmer would have had better odds when we played West Brom. Bronski Beat split for good in 2016. Just saying.
No-one is saying AF isn’t a good footballer. At the time of his previous goal, he helped Boro get into the Premier League, just as Morgan is, kind of, trying to do, albeit somewhat half-heartedly according to the Boro fans. The following season he was an outside tip for an England call up under sensible Gareth, having one of his “between World Cup” moments.
It is just that since that goal, in April 2016, nothing. Nada. Nil. He hasn’t looked like scoring. For anyone. Let’s face it in a lot of seasons he hasn’t looked like getting on the pitch. In 20/21 season he didn’t. It is called the Adam Forshaw Injury Treatment Suite at Elland Road for a reason.
So that wasn’t gloating when he ran to wave to his family after scoring. That was confusion. A complete “what happens next” moment.
As for the rest of the game, what looks like a back problem could cost us Hardie just as he hits one of his hot streaks, and certainly for the upcoming “six pointer” at old rivals Luton. Fingers crossed that Hotdog isn’t too badly hurt in what looked the most innocuous of injuries, to the extent that when he went down most people thought it was a tactical ploy to allow some sideline coaching.
The loss of Hardie leaves us with a somewhat painful choice…persist with Moose up front and bring in Obafemi or el Hajj or Baidoo to play as a ten, or use TJ in the striker role and hope that his foot stomping display for fifteen minutes against Liverpool and twenty or so against Blackburn will occupy the Luton centre halves sufficiently to allow the more mobile attackers we field to score the goals we will need to gain the points that would remarkably take us out of the relegation zone.
It seems like Obafemi as a number nine won’t really work, in the way using Gimli the Dwarf against the Orc war elephants in Lord of the Rings didn’t. Plus, we have the conundrum of Gyabi, whose appearance at the press conference seems to indicate we might have a Randell Houghton or a Randell Boateng combination this week. We haven’t had Houghton Boateng as a midfield pairing since those 2016 days (and that was the other Boateng) and as we haven’t had the time to work Malachai on the grass due to the current fixture pile up, it looks like tried and trusted will be the way forward for Wednesday.
The rest of the injury list seems like it is unwinding so Szuchs, Joe 90 and Pleggy are starting to put themselves back in the frame but it is so Argyle that just as we start to close the back door with some decent defenders, our best chances for scoring start to limp off to A & E.
Past editions of OGAAT have examined the previous pseudo rivalry the clubs created during the Joe Kinnear/Sturrock Mk 1 days, complete with “we’ll never play you again” chants at Kenilworth Road, predictions of Kinnear’s imminent demise due to his heart condition, and then , over the last couple of seasons that slightly weird sensation, also felt for a time when Leicester were turning the Premier League formbook upside down, when Luton gatecrashed the Championship play-offs and then, for a season, made it look like they might hang around at the top level, all under the guidance of Rob Edwards, and being alright with that.
Edwards, once of Forest Green Rovers only started managing in the League in 2021, and, after a stellar season at FGR was seduced to the bear-pit of management that is Watford/Udinese reserves, replacing the slightly confused Roy Hodgson.
Arriving in May, in an almost perfect comedic reference point, he was dumped by the profligate management wasters the Pozzo’s in September of the same year.
He was, perhaps surprisingly given their rivalry, picked up by Luton Town, and, even more surprisingly, they ended the season clinching an unexpected promotion to join the big boys club by beating Coventry City on penalties at Wembley.
With their glossy brochure for Power Court, their new proposed Stadium complex, still the only sign that that they might one day belong at that level, Luton set about tarting up the “Dog Kennel“ so that sensitive flowers like Marcus Rashford and Kevin de Bruyne might not be too traumatised when the team bus dropped them off in someone’s terraced front garden and pointed them down a back alley with a hand painted “Away Teamz this way Innit” on the brick work. After fighting their way through the Reform UK recruiters and Tommy Robinson Fan club subscription takers you could then expect to have the away fans take their seats in a stand that still makes Ryan Air look like business class for leg room.
Edwards and his inexpensively assembled squad did that most worrying of things for the EPL hierarchy, and looked like they might hang around, but eventually gravity did its job and a four two defeat by Fulham sent Luton tumbling back from whence they came.
Unfortunately for Edwards, the tumble has continued and finally, after a defeat at QPR the board pulled the trigger with Edwards and his team in 20th having gone from Championship wannabee poster boys to “be careful what you wish for”. The slightly indecent haste with which they decapitated and installed the Wycombe Wanderers management team under Matt Bloomfield suggested this was not a knee jerk decision, and after a hectic transfer window in January, Bloomfield brought in seven new signings, although missed out of asset stripping his former club for their star striker, Kone.
It was a multi faith signing strategy, with Millenic Ali from Exeter, Norseman Theo Asgaard from Wigan and Christ (Makosso) all arriving. The net effect however has been minimal to date and the side are now below even Argyle. Maybe they got the wrong Christ, but expect him to be back around Easter.
Pressure therefore on both sides. With Swansea also decapitating their side with the firing of Luke Williams after a defeat to Stoke City (amongst many others) we are gathering up for the final sprint to the line and wondering which of the runners and riders will fall.
Luton v Argyle does however remind us of the fragility of this career path. In 2014 a young Alex Bray became a milestone in Argyle history when, as the thousandth ever player to make his debut for the club, coming on to replace Jason Banton in the second half, he managed, in twelve short minutes, to be booked for a foul, help set up Dom Blizzards winning goal and then be subbed off injured, never to play for Argyle again.
A loan to Rotherham and then a move to Forest Green preceded a descent to non-league and he is now settled at Chippenham Town, and yet people will still remember that twelve-minute cameo more favourably to that of poor old Adam F.
A win for Argyle would be a boon for their survival hopes and leave Luton ever closer to seeing their managers ex Club wave at them on the way down, which would have a certain poetic irony.
A sold out away end once again (applause), and, after a week where a training session drew a crowd that Exeter wouldn’t be ashamed of, we are still in with a good should have pulling ourselves out of the mire with Miron.
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Loo Town (A) February 19th
OK, that one’s on me.
We have all heard of the Immutable Law of the Ex. The inevitable moment when the player who left you returns and does that one unimaginable thing that he never managed to do in all the games he played for you.
So why poke the bear? Why go for the easy obvious cheap laugh in the match preview?
Blame it on the data.
When Adam Forshaw hooked the ball goalward shortly after half time the last thing any fan expected, be they Rovers or Argyle was for the ball to nestle sweetly in the top corner of the net, probably the one unsavable place he could have sent the ball given the reach of our keeper and the position he was in, with his back to goal.
Blackburn Rovers 1 Plymouth 0 Forshaw 55. Hello Sky? Is that your technical support desk. Yes, I think your vidiprinter is on the blink. It has started sending random impossible messages onto the screen on my TV. Really? You’re sure. You don’t want to turn it on and off again, just in case? Oh. Fair enough.
That’s how much of a surprise it was. This is a player who hadn’t found the net for over nine years. April 12th 2016, a shock ninety fourth minute winner against Reading. At that time Argyle were between a home defeat by Wimbledon and an away win at Portsmouth, en route to an Akinfenwa led debacle at Wembley. How long ago was it? Well, people were openly laughing at the prospect of Donald Trump winning the Presidency of the USA. Literally no-one in the known universe thought Liz Truss (apart from Liz Truss) looked Prime Ministerial (to be fair that hasn’t changed). The Brexit vote was still two months away. In the multi universe theory where every possible outcome is happening somewhere, any actuary looking at the odds on AF opening the scoring on Saturday would have said “stick him on at 500 to one, just for completeness”. As ex Argyle players likely to score against them, Alex Palmer would have had better odds when we played West Brom. Bronski Beat split for good in 2016. Just saying.
No-one is saying AF isn’t a good footballer. At the time of his previous goal, he helped Boro get into the Premier League, just as Morgan is, kind of, trying to do, albeit somewhat half-heartedly according to the Boro fans. The following season he was an outside tip for an England call up under sensible Gareth, having one of his “between World Cup” moments.
It is just that since that goal, in April 2016, nothing. Nada. Nil. He hasn’t looked like scoring. For anyone. Let’s face it in a lot of seasons he hasn’t looked like getting on the pitch. In 20/21 season he didn’t. It is called the Adam Forshaw Injury Treatment Suite at Elland Road for a reason.
So that wasn’t gloating when he ran to wave to his family after scoring. That was confusion. A complete “what happens next” moment.
As for the rest of the game, what looks like a back problem could cost us Hardie just as he hits one of his hot streaks, and certainly for the upcoming “six pointer” at old rivals Luton. Fingers crossed that Hotdog isn’t too badly hurt in what looked the most innocuous of injuries, to the extent that when he went down most people thought it was a tactical ploy to allow some sideline coaching.
The loss of Hardie leaves us with a somewhat painful choice…persist with Moose up front and bring in Obafemi or el Hajj or Baidoo to play as a ten, or use TJ in the striker role and hope that his foot stomping display for fifteen minutes against Liverpool and twenty or so against Blackburn will occupy the Luton centre halves sufficiently to allow the more mobile attackers we field to score the goals we will need to gain the points that would remarkably take us out of the relegation zone.
It seems like Obafemi as a number nine won’t really work, in the way using Gimli the Dwarf against the Orc war elephants in Lord of the Rings didn’t. Plus, we have the conundrum of Gyabi, whose appearance at the press conference seems to indicate we might have a Randell Houghton or a Randell Boateng combination this week. We haven’t had Houghton Boateng as a midfield pairing since those 2016 days (and that was the other Boateng) and as we haven’t had the time to work Malachai on the grass due to the current fixture pile up, it looks like tried and trusted will be the way forward for Wednesday.
The rest of the injury list seems like it is unwinding so Szuchs, Joe 90 and Pleggy are starting to put themselves back in the frame but it is so Argyle that just as we start to close the back door with some decent defenders, our best chances for scoring start to limp off to A & E.
Past editions of OGAAT have examined the previous pseudo rivalry the clubs created during the Joe Kinnear/Sturrock Mk 1 days, complete with “we’ll never play you again” chants at Kenilworth Road, predictions of Kinnear’s imminent demise due to his heart condition, and then , over the last couple of seasons that slightly weird sensation, also felt for a time when Leicester were turning the Premier League formbook upside down, when Luton gatecrashed the Championship play-offs and then, for a season, made it look like they might hang around at the top level, all under the guidance of Rob Edwards, and being alright with that.
Edwards, once of Forest Green Rovers only started managing in the League in 2021, and, after a stellar season at FGR was seduced to the bear-pit of management that is Watford/Udinese reserves, replacing the slightly confused Roy Hodgson.
Arriving in May, in an almost perfect comedic reference point, he was dumped by the profligate management wasters the Pozzo’s in September of the same year.
He was, perhaps surprisingly given their rivalry, picked up by Luton Town, and, even more surprisingly, they ended the season clinching an unexpected promotion to join the big boys club by beating Coventry City on penalties at Wembley.
With their glossy brochure for Power Court, their new proposed Stadium complex, still the only sign that that they might one day belong at that level, Luton set about tarting up the “Dog Kennel“ so that sensitive flowers like Marcus Rashford and Kevin de Bruyne might not be too traumatised when the team bus dropped them off in someone’s terraced front garden and pointed them down a back alley with a hand painted “Away Teamz this way Innit” on the brick work. After fighting their way through the Reform UK recruiters and Tommy Robinson Fan club subscription takers you could then expect to have the away fans take their seats in a stand that still makes Ryan Air look like business class for leg room.
Edwards and his inexpensively assembled squad did that most worrying of things for the EPL hierarchy, and looked like they might hang around, but eventually gravity did its job and a four two defeat by Fulham sent Luton tumbling back from whence they came.
Unfortunately for Edwards, the tumble has continued and finally, after a defeat at QPR the board pulled the trigger with Edwards and his team in 20th having gone from Championship wannabee poster boys to “be careful what you wish for”. The slightly indecent haste with which they decapitated and installed the Wycombe Wanderers management team under Matt Bloomfield suggested this was not a knee jerk decision, and after a hectic transfer window in January, Bloomfield brought in seven new signings, although missed out of asset stripping his former club for their star striker, Kone.
It was a multi faith signing strategy, with Millenic Ali from Exeter, Norseman Theo Asgaard from Wigan and Christ (Makosso) all arriving. The net effect however has been minimal to date and the side are now below even Argyle. Maybe they got the wrong Christ, but expect him to be back around Easter.
Pressure therefore on both sides. With Swansea also decapitating their side with the firing of Luke Williams after a defeat to Stoke City (amongst many others) we are gathering up for the final sprint to the line and wondering which of the runners and riders will fall.
Luton v Argyle does however remind us of the fragility of this career path. In 2014 a young Alex Bray became a milestone in Argyle history when, as the thousandth ever player to make his debut for the club, coming on to replace Jason Banton in the second half, he managed, in twelve short minutes, to be booked for a foul, help set up Dom Blizzards winning goal and then be subbed off injured, never to play for Argyle again.
A loan to Rotherham and then a move to Forest Green preceded a descent to non-league and he is now settled at Chippenham Town, and yet people will still remember that twelve-minute cameo more favourably to that of poor old Adam F.
A win for Argyle would be a boon for their survival hopes and leave Luton ever closer to seeing their managers ex Club wave at them on the way down, which would have a certain poetic irony.
A sold out away end once again (applause), and, after a week where a training session drew a crowd that Exeter wouldn’t be ashamed of, we are still in with a good should have pulling ourselves out of the mire with Miron.
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
