Plymouth Argyle Vs Bradford City

[F!RTHY]

One of the leagues best form sides vs one of the poorest.

Things have changed a lot over the last 2 weeks. Although Simon Grayson was on the sidelines at Charlton, he didn’t pick the team. Nevertheless, it was a decent performance from the lads - second half in particular.

We didn’t play last weekend, so Grayson has had sufficient time to implement a few ideas, without making mass changes - the lads should be fresh, also.

GUTTED: Ryan McGowan is out injured. He underwent knee surgery midweek. Massive blow for us, as he’s been a rock since his arrival (think he’s won MOTM in every game he’s played so far).

Plymouth are in great form, and doesn’t my work colleague like to remind me. This is one game I simply do not want to lose.

I think we’ll go on the defensive, and try an nullify balls in to Ryan Taylor. In the absence of McGowan, I can see us starting in a 3-5-2 formation. We need to try and dictate the tempo in that midfield.

GK: Colin Doyle

CB: Matt Killgallon
CB: Nat Knight-Percival
CB: Stephen Warnock

LWB: Adam Chicksen/Tyrel Robinson
RWB: Tony McMahon

CM: Matty Lund/Callum Guy
DCM: Romain Vincelot
CM: Nicky Law

ST: Charlie Wyke
ST: Paul Taylor

I’m quietly confident that we’ll get something.

800 City in attendance.

 

[Gassy]

I think this is the first time all eyes will really be on Plymouth here, let's see if they can hold up.

In theory, they should win this pretty comfortably - but no team can stay on form forever....

 

[SoutheySWFC]

Can't see you taking 800 Firthy.

 

[finley]

McGowan injury is a massive blow just as he was looking good.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Really looking forward to this. We have some Bradford season ticket holder friends so this one has bragging rights attached.

I would have been more confident if you had not Grayson in, but our boys have been a way for a bit of sun so they might have worked on a few things. Last couple of games the defence has not been quite to the same level as earlier. I wonder if, with a smallish squad, some of the players were getting leggy. I suspect Oxford fans saw a bang average team face them, whereas Salop and Blackburn saw very different team quality wise.

We are generally better at countering, so it will be a bit of a challenge taking it to you. If our defence can tighten it up a bit then the key is can Taylor get the ball to Carey and Lamerias, and if you have wing backs how does our midfield cope?

Hopefully we'll approach 12,000 for the attendance.

 

[Lancs@(Bantam)]

Not as confident after hearing about McGowans injury.
Optimistic 1-1

 

[Cas]

3-1 Plymouth. We're wank.

 

[F!RTHY]

Can't see you taking 800 Firthy.

Maybe, maybe not.

 

[LS Bantam]

1-0 either way, expect Plymouth will be comfortable favourites.

 

[ProfessorGreen]

We’ve been brilliant at home recently, hope it continues. Enjoying the ride but if we’re going to be making a serious go at a playoff push we need to win these ‘6 pointers’.

1-0 Argyle and hopefully a Shrews win to go with it.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

1-1 reckon it will be a tight game, looking forward to it even though we've been garbage I've missed having something to moan about on a Saturday evening.

Reckon the away following will be more towards the 500 mark.

 

[Bobbin']

Draw is obviously preferable but if someone has to win I think I would prefer Bradford, just to try and halt this Plymouth charge up the table. Especially as they are likely to jump above us with a win.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Draw is obviously preferable but if someone has to win I think I would prefer Bradford, just to try and halt this Plymouth charge up the table. Especially as they are likely to jump above us with a win.

Ouch, that hurts

It is a cloudy, not too cold, day down here: ideal for footie.

 

[bantamigo]

We've got Pompey and Wigan in the next three games, I'd imagine if we lose today we won't get much out of those two games and our season will be effectively over.

Can't say I'm confident, there are goals in the team the problem is the defence looking shambolic and the midfield getting overrun, plus a general lack of enthusiasm, whether or not Grayson has had chance to turn things around in the last 10 days we'll have to see.

 

[bantamigo]

Although my mind harks back to earlier in the season when Plymouth really should have laid down and died at ours and they beat us so...

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Not the greatest of games, it was almost as if both sides cancelled each other out. Felt we shaded the first half, second was more even and Bradford should have equalised when the sub (Robinson?) had an open goal. A draw would have been reasonable, but happy we got all three.

Felt more than 11,500 in the crowd. Bradford fans were good, we missed not having our drum think it affected us a bit, we were rather quiet.

Had a chat with a nice Bradford family on the walk in, but don’t think they appreciated it when I suggested they dump their pies and have a pasty from the Ivor Dewdney van as we walked past. Hope they had a nice night last night as they were staying over.

We have nothing to lose, we have come so far, and only a few months ago we were pretty nailed on for the drop. I know quite a few people getting some pretty decent cash outs from their bookies having placed some speculative bets when we where in the range 250-500 to one.

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Not the greatest of games, it was almost as if both sides cancelled each other out. Felt we shaded the first half, second was more even and Bradford should have equalised when the sub (Robinson?) had an open goal. A draw would have been reasonable, but happy we got all three.

Felt more than 11,500 in the crowd. Bradford fans were good, we missed not having our drum think it affected us a bit, we were rather quiet.

Had a chat with a nice Bradford family on the walk in, but don’t think they appreciated it when I suggested they dump their pies and have a pasty from the Ivor Dewdney van as we walked past. Hope they had a nice night last night as they were staying over.

We have nothing to lose, we have come so far, and only a few months ago we were pretty nailed on for the drop. I know quite a few people getting some pretty decent cash outs from their bookies having placed some speculative bets when we where in the range 250-500 to one.

Agree with this, yes it was Robinson, not sure how he didn't score we've missed some sitters but that might take the biscuit, the goals he's scored so far have been crackers as well.

 

[LS Bantam]

Genuinely can’t remember when we last won.

 

[bantamigo]

Double whammy as we lost and Wyke is now suspended for 3 games. You feel that that’s our season over now, although we’ve got 3 home games on the bounce so if we win at least 2 I’ll probably be interested again.

I’ve not seen us play well many times this season, you could say we played alright a few times at home early on, after that I’m genuinely struggling to think of a decent performance, some good away wins but the one I saw at Portsmouth we got battered and popped up to score a set piece against the run of play, not exactly a stellar performance. So maybe we are where we are supposed to be but it’s still disappointing given where we were just at the start of Jan.