This football club really knows how to build you up for a fall. Good games, a great win last week, and against a team who lost their manager the night before, and sit fairly low down in the table. It wasn't good. The last 20 minutes was the only positive sign, and only few players can really come out of that with any credit. This will probably be my last away game for a while, we're just a different side away from home and it's really not one I want to watch. Anyway, onto player ratings..
McCormick - 5 - At fault for their goal in part. Looked edgy. Cobi I apologise but he didn't deal well with Mansfield at all - in fact he totally lost it with their number 25. Obviously not his fault, but he wasn't at his best today.
Nelson - 7 - Our second best defender. Alright really, looked assured and dealt quite effectively with a lot that came his way. Really good defender.
McHugh - 6 - Bit dodgy, should have done better with the goal. However I did think he was his usual, fearless self and was exposed a lot by the very poor midfield.
Hartley - 8 - Excellent. If we hadn't lost he might have even got a 9. So woefully exposed by the inept at defending Kellett, it was a tough game for him. A very calm, assured player. A classy CB for this level.
Mellor - 5 - Not his usual self. Decent defensively but struggled against a tidy and composed Mansfield left hand side. A lack of support for him made it tricky, but his usual bursts into the box just didn't happen.
Kellett - 3 - Must say it seems generous. Did squat going forward, bar the odd good pass, and left Hartley so exposed it was embarrassing. Had we had a Blanchard there behind Kellett or someone like that, we would have been torn a new one. A good side would have totally utilised it. Kellett was useless today.
O'Connor - 5 - Not too good, panicked a bit and looked quite nervous, not his usual self but still offers something when not playing role. Seemed to have a lack of movement.
Cox - 5 - Same as the above, not as good as usual though he was arguably a high 5 and O'Connor a lower 5. Not his usual self, but he's still too good to drop IMO. The deeper midfield two just didn't work.
Blizzard - 6 - Thought he was best of the 3 centrally. Linked up play well, showed for the ball and brought people into play. His lack of mobility is a problem and he can't really win the ball or defend well, but he still offers something to the team - he's rated highly by players and is, to be honest, showing signs of that at the moment.
Reid - 5 - 'Even the best players have bad days'. Fits well. Tried hard but got virtually nowhere. Actually complained a bit too much but what is infuriating is to see him pushed and pulled around, only for him to use his base strength back and get penalised. The ref was unfair to him today.
Alessandra - 6 - When we changed formation he ended up covering for Kellett a lot. Thought his running was endless and he wasn't too bad. Not a lot came off but he was certainly better than others today.
Subs:
Norburn - 6.5 - Did well. Not sure why he didn't take corners when on, but his passing is good and he looked lively, we did look better with him on.
Banton - 8 - Giving him an 8 because when he came on, we suddenly looked like we might score. He got on the ball, he got stuck in, he even won it in the air a few times. His best role is CENTRALLY so we need to play him there. If he'd had the confidence (we know he has the ability) to try and take people on, who knows. Impressed me today, really looked up for it when he came on.
Smalley - 1 - I'm sorry. No. This was the single, worst appearance of an Argyle player I've seen in recent memory. I don't care what people say, he was diabolical. He was on the pitch for the period in which we dominated, and he was properly, properly abysmal. I don't like to pick on players and NEVER give the, ratings so low, but he just did nothing. He couldn't challenge for the ball, couldn't dribble, couldn't pass and I'm left wondering what he did offer. I can't see why he's being used when every sub on that bench (including Bittner) would have had a better impact on the game. Write him off - he's clearly not good enough for a team of our capabilities, and he's definitely nothing on any of the players in the starting line-up, and barely anything on most of the subs.
Overall we were just quite lacklustre for most of the game. A change in formation and two thirds of the personnel had a positive impact on the game, but there was a lot we need to work on. Not mobile enough and we didn't look up for it. Our away record is exactly that of Shrewsbury's, and they're 3 points ahead of us. Promotion with poor away form is possible, but realistically we need to sort it out or otherwise we're just going to have to win every single home game - and we know that just doesn't happen.
Not happy about today. Not at all - but ah, onto York I suppose..
P.S. TCE you're an absolute embarrassment. I don't know exactly what kicked it all of but I'd love for you to stop and to quit shaming the club. It's a shambles. At least that's their annual away game out the way tough - right?
