Plymouth Argyle will try to become the first team since October to beat Luton Town in League One when the table-toppers visit Home Park on Saturday.
Luton, with former Argyle centre-back Sonny Bradley assuming the captaincy role over recent times, have gone 22 games unbeaten.
The Hatters have won seven of their last eight fixtures and are five points clear of second-placed Barnsley.
Here is what Argyle manager Derek Adams had to say to Plymouth Live football editor Chris Errington in his pre-match interview.
CE: Congratulations on your manager-of-the month nomination. That’s two months in a row. How satisfying is that, and how do you feel the team are set for the final two months of the season?
DA: We have put ourselves in a much better position over the last couple of months with a lot of good victories, home and away.
It has allowed us to catch a number of teams above us, and it has put us in a position where it becomes very tight in the middle of the table all the way down to 24.
CE:
Conor Grant was injured in the Central League game against MK Dons on Tuesday. Can you tell me anything about that?
DA: He’s going for a scan on Saturday. He has hurt his left thigh muscle and they are going to find out the full extent of that.CE: It looked like he did it when he put in a cross.
DA: Yes, he went to put a cross in and he felt something pull.
CE: He has just come back from injury so, clearly, that’s very disappointing isn’t it?
DA: It is, yes. He has had a troublesome season through injury. He got into the side and played the majority of the games at the start of the season. Then, unfortunately for us and him, he has picked up a number of injuries.
CE: If it’s anything serious he’s probably going to miss the rest of the season.
DA: We will wait and see what the scan shows first and take it from there.CE: Kyle Letheren was injured against Sunderland. What can you tell me about him?
DA: I think that Kyle will be okay for Saturday. He’s progressing well and hopefully that will be fine.
CE: Has he had any scans?
DA: Yes, he has had an ultra sound scan and the damage is not too serious, which is beneficial to all of us.
CE: Kyle has done really well for you the last couple of months hasn’t he?
DA: Yes, he has. He has put in some good performances, like the whole team have, and it has allowed us to move up the league.
CE: Did you feel after last Saturday there was a chance that Kyle might be out for a while?
DA: No, I didn’t think it was too serious on Saturday. He felt a tightness in his groin, so we are very hopeful he will be able to play.
CE: Jamie Ness has played a couple of games on the comeback trail after injury. How is he progressing?
DA: He’s progressing well. He has been able to get some minutes under his belt and is ready now to push for first team action.
CE: You took him up to Sunderland after just the one run-out in the Premier League Cup. What was the thinking behind that?
DA: We needed another midfield player on the bench. It was between him and Conor, and we felt that Jamie was ahead of Conor at that moment in time.
CE: Team news wise, anything else for Saturday?
DA: Just that Joel Grant and Conor Grant are the only ones who are definitely out.
CE: Lloyd Jones (on loan from Luton) presumably will not be involved against his parent club?
DA: Yes, that is correct.CE: Luke Jephcott has been called up for the Wales under-19 squad for later this month. He will miss some games I think.
DA: He has been part of the Central League, the Premier League Cup and been in the first team squad.
He has had the opportunity to play some match time in the first team. It has given him an insight into that.
It’s up to him to kick on and score goals in the Central League, and obviously perform when he goes away with Wales to really keep on pushing ahead. At this moment in time, it’s good progress for him.
CE: He has played a lot of games in lots of different competitions, and lots of different styles of football this season, hasn’t he?
DA: He has, and it has been hugely beneficial for him. All the youngsters have had a lot of game-time, either in the Peninsula League, the Central League, the Premier League Cup or out on loan so they have had that benefit this season.
CE: Antoni Sarcevic played in the Peninsula League game at Saltash last Saturday while he is out suspended for the first team. There is another game against Tavistock on Friday night. Will he be involved in that?
DA: He won’t be, no.
CE: What was the thinking behind playing him at Saltash? Just to keep him ticking over?
DA: We gave him 60 minutes so that when he does come back then he’s ready to go.
CE: You have got Luton on Saturday. Everyone knows how good a season they have had. What sort of challenge are you expecting against them?
DA: They have done very well this year. Mick Harford has taken over and he’s an experienced man.
I have known him for many years. I met him a number of times when he was been up scouting in Scotland.
I met him at the QPR game earlier on this season. He’s a really nice gentleman, but he wasn’t the nicest gentleman when he was on the pitch.
Off the pitch, he’s a really nice guy. He was a top player.
I remember my Dad (George), when he was at Aberdeen, having to go and watch him to see if he was going to sign for Aberdeen at the time.
He played in a testimonial for Brian Irvine up at Aberdeen as well.
He has certainly taken to life back in management – I know he has been in management before – very well.
CE: Nathan Jones did a very good job at Luton and when he left people might have wondered about them, but they haven’t lost for 22 games.
DA: You look at Nathan and he has struggled when he has gone to Stoke. Mick has taken over and seamlessly taken things onwards.
He has been great for Luton Town. He’s a big figure at that football club.
CE: Luton have sold all their tickets for the game. Your crowds have been good this season. It’s going to be another big occasion.
DA: They are obviously at the top of the league. We have played Sunderland, who are third, last week as well.
So, from that point of view, it’s a lot of big games that the supporters enjoy.
CE: How do you go about beating a team like Luton? They have got a lot of attacking firepower haven’t they?
DA: They have. We obviously have to stop that and limit them to not many opportunities on goal. And then we have got to play in a way where we are going to create chances.
We have done that ever so well recently where we have been able to score goals and win football matches.
CE: I looked at their reserve team in midweek and it included (Luke) Berry, (George) Moncur, (Dan) Potts, (Alan) Sheehan, and (Jason) Cummings. They have got a very strong squad.
DA: It is. They have been able to build that squad to try and push for the play-offs probably.
That’s what they probably were thinking about, but they have been able to get to number one position in the league.
CE: I can’t imagine that you ever go into any game not looking to win it though. You will be trying to come up with some ways of causing them trouble, and you have got good attacking players.
DA: We have competed well at times this year against the top sides and we will have to do likewise on Saturday, but the players are in a good place and ready to go.
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Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:42 pm
