Often when you haven't seen a decent performance at home you get asked what do you expect. Then the usual, do you expect them to play like Barcelona?
Quite simply, no. I quite like direct football. Not hoof ball, but quick wide players who run at people down the flanks. Lots of crossing into the box.
So when you watch Argyle currently they do play with width. The Centre backs spread themselves apart and pass to each other and often then give the ball to the full back. He then looks for the wide player. The problem is this is where it often breaks down as he passes back to the full back, who then pass to the centre back and off it goes back across the other side. Occasionally, Fox will get on the ball and hit a diagonal across the pitch to the wide midfield/winger.
It seems Argyle style of play puts a lot of emphasis on whoever is the left/right midfielder/winger as play often seems to be directed to this area. Yet this is often where it breaks down. Argyle become too slow as the players in this position don't really seem to know what to do with the ball. Adams seems to have an obsession playing forwards/strikers who are quick and strong and whilst may not make good target men, would be a great 2nd striker playing off the shoulder of defender. Except Adams seems to want to convert them to a wide midfielder/winger. Jervis and Slew are two players that spring to mind. Both get in decent positions but the cross is often poor. Carey and Tanner have had spells on each wing. Carey has had some wonderful dribbling moments but in the main the final ball by these two have been lacking. Sometimes the full backs can share this responsibility. Purrington hasn't done too bad but Miller is pretty ordinary going forward. The same can be applied to Sawyer when he plays.
So with Argyle looking to attack down the flanks it seems strange we haven't brought in wide midfielders/wingers who can take on their man and cross a ball. Maybe its a dyeing art and there simply isn't the personnel of that type available within the current transfer market, of which Argyle can afford.
If that was true though why then make the style your team plays have an such an importance on the people in wide areas? As it continually breaks down because simply Argyle's crossing is shambolic. You only have to look at the past 3 home games. Crosses that were over hit or couldn't beat the first man. Corners and free kicks that were of the same ilk. It didn't matter if it was Fox, Carey or Smith. Carey is a very good player. One of the things though that does seem to let him down is his lack of consistency in the crossing department. One game he is decent. The next two games its now where near the same level.
League two has such an emphasis on set pieces. Yet the number we waste is worrying. Yet this hasn't happened over night. Under Sheridan it was the same. You look at the opposition teams and I cant say I've been impressed either with theirs. So why the neglect? You put in a corner with whip and pace into the penalty area and you will cause problems. Its the easiest way to score a goal as Sturrocks league two champions found out and did it to perfection.
When you look back the last number of years Argyle have been a much better counter attacking side under Sheridan and Adams than a decent home side. You look through the sides both managers had and see a lack of really good wide midfielders or wingers. For example Adams had Wylde, but if your honest although he was quick his crossing was very poor. You could argue Mellor as a full back was decent under Sheridan going forward. Yet you cant have that much of a liability in defense.
I think that says it all. You often often find comments last season, including myself, about Mellor being decent going forward. In hindsight thought he was OK but when you remember attacking full backs we had like Mark Patterson or Gary Poole he (Mellor) wouldn't be anywhere of that standard.
Argyle have had poor full backs and wide men for the last number of seasons. The neglect by Sheridan, and now Adams, has caused us huge problems at home because we don't have the width, but more importantly, the quality in our crossing to break teams down when we keep spreading the ball wide. Away from home you don't need to do this as much because you have the more space to exploit.
I cant remember the last time since the days of Puncheon and Bolassie, the latter being very raw and inconsistent, since we had good wide players in the team who could get you up and off your seat.
The January window cant come soon enough. However Sheridan, and now Adams, were/are trying to play a brand of football without the personnel at the football club to achieve it.
Quite simply, no. I quite like direct football. Not hoof ball, but quick wide players who run at people down the flanks. Lots of crossing into the box.
So when you watch Argyle currently they do play with width. The Centre backs spread themselves apart and pass to each other and often then give the ball to the full back. He then looks for the wide player. The problem is this is where it often breaks down as he passes back to the full back, who then pass to the centre back and off it goes back across the other side. Occasionally, Fox will get on the ball and hit a diagonal across the pitch to the wide midfield/winger.
It seems Argyle style of play puts a lot of emphasis on whoever is the left/right midfielder/winger as play often seems to be directed to this area. Yet this is often where it breaks down. Argyle become too slow as the players in this position don't really seem to know what to do with the ball. Adams seems to have an obsession playing forwards/strikers who are quick and strong and whilst may not make good target men, would be a great 2nd striker playing off the shoulder of defender. Except Adams seems to want to convert them to a wide midfielder/winger. Jervis and Slew are two players that spring to mind. Both get in decent positions but the cross is often poor. Carey and Tanner have had spells on each wing. Carey has had some wonderful dribbling moments but in the main the final ball by these two have been lacking. Sometimes the full backs can share this responsibility. Purrington hasn't done too bad but Miller is pretty ordinary going forward. The same can be applied to Sawyer when he plays.
So with Argyle looking to attack down the flanks it seems strange we haven't brought in wide midfielders/wingers who can take on their man and cross a ball. Maybe its a dyeing art and there simply isn't the personnel of that type available within the current transfer market, of which Argyle can afford.
If that was true though why then make the style your team plays have an such an importance on the people in wide areas? As it continually breaks down because simply Argyle's crossing is shambolic. You only have to look at the past 3 home games. Crosses that were over hit or couldn't beat the first man. Corners and free kicks that were of the same ilk. It didn't matter if it was Fox, Carey or Smith. Carey is a very good player. One of the things though that does seem to let him down is his lack of consistency in the crossing department. One game he is decent. The next two games its now where near the same level.
League two has such an emphasis on set pieces. Yet the number we waste is worrying. Yet this hasn't happened over night. Under Sheridan it was the same. You look at the opposition teams and I cant say I've been impressed either with theirs. So why the neglect? You put in a corner with whip and pace into the penalty area and you will cause problems. Its the easiest way to score a goal as Sturrocks league two champions found out and did it to perfection.
When you look back the last number of years Argyle have been a much better counter attacking side under Sheridan and Adams than a decent home side. You look through the sides both managers had and see a lack of really good wide midfielders or wingers. For example Adams had Wylde, but if your honest although he was quick his crossing was very poor. You could argue Mellor as a full back was decent under Sheridan going forward. Yet you cant have that much of a liability in defense.
I think that says it all. You often often find comments last season, including myself, about Mellor being decent going forward. In hindsight thought he was OK but when you remember attacking full backs we had like Mark Patterson or Gary Poole he (Mellor) wouldn't be anywhere of that standard.
Argyle have had poor full backs and wide men for the last number of seasons. The neglect by Sheridan, and now Adams, has caused us huge problems at home because we don't have the width, but more importantly, the quality in our crossing to break teams down when we keep spreading the ball wide. Away from home you don't need to do this as much because you have the more space to exploit.
I cant remember the last time since the days of Puncheon and Bolassie, the latter being very raw and inconsistent, since we had good wide players in the team who could get you up and off your seat.
The January window cant come soon enough. However Sheridan, and now Adams, were/are trying to play a brand of football without the personnel at the football club to achieve it.
