Brief Synopsis!!! (Wimbledon)

[Forest of Dean Green]

I can’t remember an Argyle side like this. We are where we are because of a combination of extremes, rather than because we are bang average and grind out tedious wins. We are either fantastic moving the ball, stretching teams and creating space with good movement, or...... tentative, sloppy, slow in our play and frightened to take the game to a team. And we’ve frustratingly seen both sides in so many games we’ve played. It’s perplexing. We are a very, very odd team. This season has been a massive learning curve and I feel we will learn, and will improve next season

 

[Deleted member 9145]

Agreed that’s the way I see it, either lovely free flowing football or rabbits in the headlights. And usually in the same game. Aren’t we top of the league for first halves and next to bottom for second halves? Just weird.

Good news is it’s something that we should be able to fix. Bad news is we’ve played 38 games and not worked it out yet!

 

[mervyn]

It’s instructive that we all believe our team has unique failings. Over 38 years I’ve heard the ‘same old Argo’ complaint most seasons, either at HP or on here.

However, take a quick trawl through the league 1 fan sites where around half are full of complaints about their team’s inconsistency over two halves, most have complaints about individual players who don’t seem to be bothered, subs made too soon or too late and, regularly, how other teams have uniquely sussed out their own team’s tactics.

Plus ca change.......

 

[Lesley Somerville]

Nailed it

 

[saxman]

It’s instructive that we all believe our team has unique failings. Over 38 years I’ve heard the ‘same old Argo’ complaint most seasons, either at HP or on here.

However, take a quick trawl through the league 1 fan sites where around half are full of complaints about their team’s inconsistency over two halves, most have complaints about individual players who don’t seem to be bothered, subs made too soon or too late and, regularly, how other teams have uniquely sussed out their own team’s tactics.

Plus ca change.......

That may be true Mervyn but the stats about Argyle's first and second half differences are pretty astounding!

 

[StroudGreen]

Re. Jephcott, I just suspect he is absolutely knackered mentally as well as physically. He had a stellar 2020, coming from nowhere to being at one stage the league's top scorer. With that came media attention, scouts from big clubs, fantasy valuations from fans ranging from the silly to the bizarre, and talk of a full Welsh call up. He's played a lot of minutes and carried a lot of responsibility in his first year. I think he's just hit a wall. He's never been quick, but he looks like he's running in treacle and obviously devoid of confidence. I hope Lowe uses him lightly for the rest of the season, and gives Lolos an opportunity.

I hope that's all it is, and that after a summer's rest he will be refreshed and can start again with realistic expectations of him.

Absolutely spot on.

 

[memory man]

I agree with Xmastree regarding Jephcott in that he is probably knackered.

I get so annoyed at watching certain players like Ennis, Hardie, Camara and Edwards run around the pitch for 90 mins, even when they aren't playing well.

This is about football. Nothing else. So when your critical about a player you compare him to his team mates around him or players in his position. There is nothing wrong in questioning the attitude of that player if your seeing his team mates do more.

I am genuinely interested in what is annoying you about Ennis, Hardie, Camera and Edwards running around for 90 minutes, even if they are not playing well. I would have thought that would be a pleasing trait in any player.

 

[Tugboat]

Edwards needs to get into midfield with his energy and influence. He’s wasted at RB/RWB.

If we get a RB he can move onto the right side of midfield in a 3 or a 4.

 

[Balham Green]

Edwards needs to get into midfield with his energy and influence. He’s wasted at RB/RWB.

If we get a RB he can move onto the right side of midfield in a 3 or a 4.

RB is a crucial role the way we play and definitely requires a lot of energy. Keep him there

 

[mervyn]

It’s instructive that we all believe our team has unique failings. Over 38 years I’ve heard the ‘same old Argo’ complaint most seasons, either at HP or on here.

However, take a quick trawl through the league 1 fan sites where around half are full of complaints about their team’s inconsistency over two halves, most have complaints about individual players who don’t seem to be bothered, subs made too soon or too late and, regularly, how other teams have uniquely sussed out their own team’s tactics.

Plus ca change.......

That may be true Mervyn but the stats about Argyle's first and second half differences are pretty astounding!

Absolutely agree.

 

[phil thefluter24]

Agree with posts about our strange form over the two halves of matches& its not just a one off it happens match after match. As regards Jephcott s total lack of form at present dont get this rubbish excuse he is knackered really! where on earth did that come from :facepalm: He is a 21 year old supposedly fit athlete who hasnt played a full 90 mins for several matches now & yet when he came on yesterday he looked as though he had never played in the team in his life, as someone else said he looked like he was running through treacle. Praps there are other issues we know nothing about

 

[mutley marvel]

Just watched the extended highlights on ifollow & if the Wimbledon player had not missed the sitter in the first 5 minutes of the 2nd half we could be talking about a different game & result

We were just passengers for the entire 45 minutes- yes we defended & kept the backdoor shut but if Wimbledon had scored they would have had the momentum & who knows what the outcome would have been

I personally did not enjoy that 45 minutes- the players probably know they got away with one- i will not single anyone out but i would say the repeated collective failings of our 2nd half performances is the main frustration of many members of the green army

We move on to the next game in the hope that we can put the game to bed without having to go through the repeated 2nd half malaise :banghead:

 

[greenpilled]

The first half/second half contrast has particularly affected us in homes games (Portsmouth, Ipswich, Oxford, Gillingham, Crewe and Lincoln to name a few examples).

My take on this is that teams often set up quite cautiously when they're away from home, which enables us to play on the front foot initially.

When they come at us a bit more - either because they've settled into the game or because they're a goal down and need to chase it - they quickly realise that we're really extremely nervous and error prone at the back, a bit lightweight in midfield and if teams are brave enough to have a go at us, they can do very well.

Yesterday seemed a bit different in that we were just inexplicably bad in the second half, constantly giving the ball away needlessly.

Wimbledon probably were going for it a bit more, but it felt more like it was our basic errors were causing the pressure we were under, not the opposition playing us off the park.

 

[Metal Green Mickey]

I agree with Xmastree regarding Jephcott in that he is probably knackered.

I get so annoyed at watching certain players like Ennis, Hardie, Camara and Edwards run around the pitch for 90 mins, even when they aren't playing well.

This is about football. Nothing else. So when your critical about a player you compare him to his team mates around him or players in his position. There is nothing wrong in questioning the attitude of that player if your seeing his team mates do more.

I am genuinely interested in what is annoying you about Ennis, Hardie, Camera and Edwards running around for 90 minutes, even if they are not playing well. I would have thought that would be a pleasing trait in any player.

My wording. Sorry.

I get annoyed at watching those players doing this, which yes is a pleasing trait, only to see that others players can’t match it.

So to clarify, they don’t annoy me.

I see Jephcott come on for 30 mins and it’s like he knackered. Hardie and Ennis closes down the defenders. Jephcott can’t seem to get near them. If Jephcott doesn’t get decent service it’s like the game passes him by. For example yesterday Ennis. I wouldn’t say he got great service or even played well but he manages to get involved.

The one bit that really annoy be yesterday was in the final moments. He is running down the right hand touchline. Gets to the half way line and just plays an over hit pass to no one down the line and gives it straight back to them for their GK to pump into our box.

 

[davie nine]

I agree with what you are saying, Mickey. RL seems to believe that, because he expects his selected strikers to do a lot of chasing, they cannot last for 90 minutes.
As an example, I did not consider that Hardie had ‘run his race’ yesterday.
I do sympathise with Luke Jephcott because he really does seem to have lost his ‘mojo’. I am sure that he will come good again but I don’t see the point in bringing him on when the preferred striker is still performing.