Pilgrims’ stuttering progress

Tuesday, 19/10/2010

by Liam McGrath, Shoot's Plymouth blogger Liam McGrath

Plymouth Argyle’s hopes of progression from the bottom end of League One took a down turn with the defeat to Notts County. But it wasn’t just the result it was the performance.

Injury to Reda Johnson had forced Peter Reid to shake the team up. Kari Arnason who had been brilliant with Carl Fletcher in the centre of midfield was moved to defence. Chris Clark moved into midfield whilst Reid opted for just for one striker up front.

Bradley Wright-Phillips did have support, but in Dean Parrett. The pressure to put on the young loan from Tottenham’s shoulders to be the creative centre was always going to be too much.

The amount of chances created was minimal. The best being from good play between Parrett and Noone sent the winger down the left side. But his low drive across the face of goal was just too agonizingly too far of Wright-Phillips.
 
The shake up to the team and the defence obviously affected them and the loss was inevitable. Plymouth’s frailty from set pieces was on show again as the Magpies took full advantage for the first goal. In the second-half, the defence just could not contain the pace of Craig Westcarr who fed in John Spicer for the second.

The defeat was a shame too as Plymouth’s excellent away record of the season was the one shining light of the campaign. But all is not lost for the Pilgrims and the Green Army.

It is still early days in League One. The difference between the relegation places and the play offs is six points. It’s that close. So if Plymouth wins the next two games and everyone else slips, they are right back in the running. Come January with half the fixtures gone, who know knows? We may even be first!

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