Brief synopsis

[The Doctor]

That was a comfortable win from a rather lacklustre Argyle performance. Burton look like a team that will struggle this season. We played some nice football at times but also let the game pass us by rather in the second half. Reeves looks a good player and Fornah had a super game in the defensive midfield - he’s just a strong, calm presence there and looks a real asset to the side. I can see the midfield evolving to become Fornah, Mayor and Reeves with Grant and Camara playing supporting Roles from the bench. Moore was better than in previous games but still looks a bit out of things to me and Cooper just isn’t quite firing on the left yet although he’s getting involved a fair bit. At the back I felt that Aimson seemed the most wobbly today but perhaps that’s not surprising as he has not played that much. It’s slowly coming together.

 

[ealinggreen]

Some excellent performances today, particularly from the midfield trio. Fornah seemed to have an extra second on the ball than everyone else, very composed for a young player on his football league debut. I still find it frustrating that we lump it into the channel's so often, all of our best stuff came when we played through the thirds and got Mayor & Co. on the ball. Overall a good result, a shame it couldn't be slightly more emphatic.


On the other hand, I thought Burton were very poor and i'd be concerned if i was a Burton fan. They lacked any real quality going forward, lost the midfield battle comprehensively and defensively were shaky.

Ratings:

Cooper - 7 - Not really tested, but a clean sheet will help his confidence.
Moore - 7 - Probably his best performance so far this season, but needs to improve his delivery. Found a yellow shirt too often.
Aimson - 5 - He is poor at judging the flight of the ball. I am concerned by his performances thus far. Not the player I expected, or had hoped for.
Canavan - 7 - Know what you're getting with Canavan however. We are much better for his composed presence.
Watts - 7 - Probably his best performance as well. Looked a lot better and is clearly comfortable on the ball.
G. Cooper - 7 - Was involved in a lot of our nice interplay. Again, delivery is inconsistent.
Fornah - 9 - MOTM: As a football league debut, I don't think you can ask for any more.
Mayor - 8 - As others have debated, end product is sometimes lacking, but cannot be doubted he makes us a better team. Carries the ball quickly and effectively and is forming a really nice partnership with Conor Grant.
C. Grant - 7 - Faded a little in the second half, but was excellent again in the first. Really becoming much more involved in games.
Nouble - 6 - Works and battles hard, but i'm not convinced. Doesn't seem a natural centre forward and felt he was on a different wavelength to those around. I'd be very surprised if he got to 10 goals this season.
Jephcott - 7 - Goal was fortunate, but has a knack of finding space which is why he's often amongst the goals. Him and Nouble often covering similar areas in the box and this led to our crosses landing to nobody.

Reeves - 7 - Looks like he has real quality and its unlucky for him that our current midfield options are playing so well. Great for us though.
Edwards - 6 - Not really on long enough to make an impact.
Telford - 6 - Same as above.

Perfect report and you expressed my thoughts exactly.

 

[FourMarkGreen]

That's a pretty solid start to our first 5 league games of the season, having played both Blackpool and Hull.

I'm satisfied with 8 points from 5 games given that we've just been promoted.

 

[Dan Ellard]

That's a pretty solid start to our first 5 league games of the season, having played both Blackpool and Hull.

I'm satisfied with 8 points from 5 games given that we've just been promoted.

Agreed. Given the starts we've made in 17/18 and 18/19, to be on 8 points from 5 games is pleasing.

I'm not jumping for joy - Burton were awful. I'd be very worried if I were a fan of theirs. However, we did what we had to do without being spectacular.

Onwards.

 

[plymouthjoe]

Is it just me who thinks that none of our defenders can head a ball. They either head it vertical or straight to an opposition player. Nouble can run but he can't jump. Thought we were very slow in thought today and to many balls going backwards when there was space ahead. 3 points yes but far from convincing against a very average side.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

Match highlights ... Sky Sports

 

[Top6utd]

Firstly...

Well done Argyle.

We're in a good position. We've won more than we've lost. We're playing better than our opponents... often enough.

To balance that view... I maintain, Ryan lowe is unlikely to change his system. I've also said previously, it's good to be adaptable.

So...on that basis, in my view, Argyle mustn't give up hope. By that, I mean....things can change for the better, thankfully.

To further elaborate... if theirs a belief within the club that these players can challenge those at the top in this league (having been promoted from a lower one), then we should maximise that to our fullest.

So basically,...3-4-3, which is what I believe our system is mostly, is great defensively on the overall, and in the long term, for defensive performances.

However....as we can see, this system is mostly good against poorer teams like Burton.... with the level of players we have available to us....as opposed to against Hull city.

Despite this, we clearly showed we can perform and have the players to match both style of teams.. and level.

Therefore, the one thing missing is the system itself, only...in my humble opinion. But, it remains to be seen, whether this system will affect our overall form at this level.

A simple shift from 3-4-3 to 4-3-3 would obviously maximise out attack and our preference towards controlling the middle of the park while adjusting our defensive priorities.

I believe we have the players to suit this system, namely... Nouble, Moore and Mayor as wide forwards, for example, as well as plenty of solid midfield options

So, that's a long term issue, that I trust Ryan can easily resolve long term, if he wishes. Again, It's whether he is willing to risk his trusted system thus far, which remains to be seen, if unlikely.

But in the meanwhile, I enjoy the fact that we don't look like struggling with relegation or bottom half obscurity at the moment. This, at least in my view, seems to be mainly down to Ryan Lowe's top management.

We are performing well in general, and enough for this league.

So I personally hope we will be a little less defensive minded against the bigger sides, going forward, and that would be further exciting. I see lots of positives at the moment, still.

I believe we are good enough to challenge the club's the top of this league...come the end of the season.

So come on Argyle!!


All the best to the lads in the coming week.

 

[PL2 3DQ]

I'm sure we play 3-1-4-2. Definitely with 2 strikers and 3 centre-backs.

 

[Top6utd]

I'm sure we play 3-1-4-2. Definitely with 2 strikers and 3 centre-backs.

I hear you. At the same time....I'm personally not sure Mayor plays that deep... or central for that matter. But that's my own opinion.. I don't know.

But sure, on the overall...it does appear that way most of the time..to most of us I suppose (myself included)...at least in my view. So, I agree... to some extent.

Who knows...maybe even a lop sided 3-4-3/3-1-4-2. But again...I don't know.

It has also been noted by people.. other than myself, that Nouble has played slightly wide before so...

 

[Mark Pedlar]

Do we still think this 3–1-4-2 formation is our best?

I worry that we don’t open teams up enough or put enough chances away to warrant the pressure on out venerable back 3.

I like the principal but can’t quite get on board with it wholeheartedly.

It doesn't matter what we think. Lowe will continue to play 3-1-4-2 end of. And 2 promotions with 2 teams in 2 seasons answers the doubters.

 

[Shoenice]

Thought the back three looked better with Canavan in there as opposed to Wootton. Moore looked much better and sharper. I thought Fornah was terrific and looks more ready than Camara to slot in there as a fixed starter and I suspect that he will nail that position down. Conor Grant played reasonably well I thought and continue to impress despite previously finding him lacking. He's shown more appetite and seems to be pushing himself into battles more as well as always looking to take shots on. He's improved a lot.

Mayor was Mayor. If trophies were handed out for dazzling about the first 2/3rd's of the pitch, he would get the Ballon d'Or. When as per usual there is nothing in the final third, you realise why he has spent his whole career in League 2. He's fantastic with space when deep and in tight situations near the touchline, but when it comes to decision-making processes near the goal, it all falls apart for him. His street football style running is great, but it doesn't really affect the game. Frank Nouble said on one of his Youtube videos that Brendan Rodgers once told him to be a good player, rather than look like one. Mayor looks fantastic, but it's always the same story. We only got away with it today because Burton were terrible. We had so much play and interchange with Mayor and should have turned them over by 4 or 5 goals. But as usual, there's no conversion.

Nouble needs to improve but he also needs more of the ball to feet. We keep pumping balls into the channel for our forwards to chase, via Aimson and Watts. Jephcott looked useful and it's great he's back.

 

[Tugboat]

Do we still think this 3–1-4-2 formation is our best?

I worry that we don’t open teams up enough or put enough chances away to warrant the pressure on out venerable back 3.

I like the principal but can’t quite get on board with it wholeheartedly.

It doesn't matter what we think. Lowe will continue to play 3-1-4-2 end of. And 2 promotions with 2 teams in 2 seasons answers the doubters.

I get that but I’m trying to work out if this is it or if we will adapt to it better as we go on.

I think we still look a little disjointed at times and better opposition will put those chances away

 

[Top6utd]

Do we still think this 3–1-4-2 formation is our best?

I worry that we don’t open teams up enough or put enough chances away to warrant the pressure on out venerable back 3.

I like the principal but can’t quite get on board with it wholeheartedly.

It doesn't matter what we think. Lowe will continue to play 3-1-4-2 end of. And 2 promotions with 2 teams in 2 seasons answers the doubters.

There could be an argument that if...hypothetically, should a situation arise, where a club is mid table, or slightly below come mid season, that a young talented and aspiring manager with a good squad, might adapt and change to improve if necessary.

But it is of course only hypothetical as of yet, so I don't know...well see.

 

[Larry David]

Some excellent performances today, particularly from the midfield trio. Fornah seemed to have an extra second on the ball than everyone else, very composed for a young player on his football league debut. I still find it frustrating that we lump it into the channel's so often, all of our best stuff came when we played through the thirds and got Mayor & Co. on the ball. Overall a good result, a shame it couldn't be slightly more emphatic.

On the other hand, I thought Burton were very poor and i'd be concerned if i was a Burton fan. They lacked any real quality going forward, lost the midfield battle comprehensively and defensively were shaky.

Ratings:

Cooper - 7 - Not really tested, but a clean sheet will help his confidence.
Moore - 7 - Probably his best performance so far this season, but needs to improve his delivery. Found a yellow shirt too often.
Aimson - 5 - He is poor at judging the flight of the ball. I am concerned by his performances thus far. Not the player I expected, or had hoped for.
Canavan - 7 - Know what you're getting with Canavan however. We are much better for his composed presence.
Watts - 7 - Probably his best performance as well. Looked a lot better and is clearly comfortable on the ball.
G. Cooper - 7 - Was involved in a lot of our nice interplay. Again, delivery is inconsistent.
Fornah - 9 - MOTM: As a football league debut, I don't think you can ask for any more.
Mayor - 8 - As others have debated, end product is sometimes lacking, but cannot be doubted he makes us a better team. Carries the ball quickly and effectively and is forming a really nice partnership with Conor Grant.
C. Grant - 7 - Faded a little in the second half, but was excellent again in the first. Really becoming much more involved in games.
Nouble - 6 - Works and battles hard, but i'm not convinced. Doesn't seem a natural centre forward and felt he was on a different wavelength to those around. I'd be very surprised if he got to 10 goals this season.
Jephcott - 7 - Goal was fortunate, but has a knack of finding space which is why he's often amongst the goals. Him and Nouble often covering similar areas in the box and this led to our crosses landing to nobody.

Reeves - 7 - Looks like he has real quality and its unlucky for him that our current midfield options are playing so well. Great for us though.
Edwards - 6 - Not really on long enough to make an impact.
Telford - 6 - Same as above.

About right for me. Somebody commented earlier that Fornah was a cut above Camara. Absolute rubbish. Both are quality. Reeves is very good by the way.

 

[IJN]

Agree totally I’d like to see Camara and Fornah every week.