The dust has just settled on the 2-2 draw at Lincoln and the next game is coming round quick and fast. Our next away day is a long midweek trip to Championship side Plymouth.
It is hard to judge how each team will approach this game. On the surface anyside that Plymouth put out should have enough to beat a league two side. Also new manager Ian Holloway has the character and desire to want to win every game. Following on from there good start a defeat on saturday at home to Sheffield Wednesday was a blow, and Ian Holloway will be looking for a positive reaction from the boys in greeen.
Whilst I can’t see Plymouth having a Merson like approach to the game I do expect changes, but be under no doubt that it will be a team picked to beat us and beat us well. Richard Money’s approach I would expect to be equally determined, I would expect a well prepared team and an organised team. However following saturdays first half no show I could put a case forward for some of the subs staking a claim.
Plymouths last game
Plymouth lost at home to Sheffield Wednesday by two goals to one. Manager Ian Holloway wasn’t too pleased.
Plymouth manager Ian Holloway was understandably downbeat and was also annoyed with the Plymouth public for not turning up to back their team: ‘It feels like I’ve been mugged. I can’t beleive it, How they can go up the motorway with three points I’ll never know.
‘The fans who sat at home today will think ‘they lost today, why should I bother?’
‘I am asking them to get their backsides on the seats, there were far too many empty spaces today, I can’t believe it.’
Team for the match was
Plymouth: McCormick, Connolly, Doumbe, Aljofree, Hodges, Norris, Wotton, Summerfield (Djordjic 60), Capaldi (Buzsaky 58), Hayles, Chadwick (Ebanks-Blake 71).
Subs Not Used: Sawyer, Reid.
The game could quite easily ended all square but for some good goalkeeping by the Sheff Wed keeper. But in the end the injury hit Sheff Wed side went home with the points despite falling behind to a 43 minute Paul Wooton penalty.
Plymouth A Team News:
Nothing has come to light reference injuries but due to the nature of the game changes could well be made as Plymouth look to progress at our expense
Player to watch: David Norris
Whilst strikers Chadwick and the evergreen Barry Hayles have been getting the headlines, Midfield player David Norris has been pulling the strings.
In fact Plymouth Argyle’s David Norris and Barry Hayles have been rated as two of the top four players in the Champions hip.
Actim Stats announced their ratings for the top 100 players after 3 games in the new Championship season.
Norris is rated the second best player overall and takes the honour as the best midfielder with a rating of 74 points after the games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Colchester United and Sunderland, in which he scored the first goal in a 3-2 win.
Meanwhile Hayles is rated the fourth best player overall with 69 points and the best striker in the Championship. Hayles has hit the target twice in the games against Wolves and Sunderland.
David Norris is a short player (height 5.07) a bit in the David Preece mould.(Weight 11.06).He was born on 22-02-1981 in Peterborough.He started his career at Boston before moving to Bolton for 50k, he struggled to make any real impression and move on loan back to Boston, Hull City and Plymouth who paid 25k to make the move permanent. He has since gone on to make 145 league starts scoring 16 goals.
Position Midfielder
Walsall Team News:
Alex Nicholls and Darren Wrack are of course out until some time next month. Whilst Alan Picken, Tony Bedeau and Skipper Micheal Dobson are approaching fitness this game may have come too soon. Although if fit all three could make a strong claim for a starting place following saturdays performance.
Dickie Dosh has some choices to make, Right side Westwood and Wright didn’t work on saturday so Craig Pead and Carlos Fanguerio could start. On the left Ishmel (ASBO) Demontagnac could provide the pace to upset the Home Park defence. This could see Mark Kinsella drop out replaced by either Craig Pead or Kris Taylor (with Fox at Full back). Up front there are fewer options due to James Constables injury.
But who knows Richard might just start with the same eleven and ask for a response.
Player to watch: Hector Sam
Must almost be at full fitness, his movement and link up play has been good. Had a relatively poor game saturday, but with out service any forward would struggle. He is desperate for his first goal in saddlers colours. Tuesday would be a good time.
Match Facts & Stats
Form (most recent on right)
PLYMOUTH WALSALL
form LWDWWL form WLWWWD
home form LWLWDL away form WLLWWD
games since win 1 games since win 1
games since loss 0 games since loss 4
games since draw 3 games since draw 0
home games since win 2 away games since win 1
home games since loss 0 away games since loss 3
home games since draw 1 away games since draw 0
last 6 results of this fixture
English League Cup Plymouth Argyle 1-4 Walsall 24-08-1999
Football League One Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Walsall 27-09-1997
Football League One Plymouth Argyle 2-0 Walsall 19-04-1997
English League Cup Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Walsall 23-08-1994
English Division 2 (old) Plymouth Argyle 2-0 Walsall 21-01-1989
English Division 3 (old) Plymouth Argyle 2-0 Walsall 15-03-1986
Match Prediction:
I can see nothing other than a home win, even with the most bias view Plymouth will be too strong for us.
Next Fixtures:
Sat 26th August Darlinton visit Bescot 3pm ko
