Schumacher "Argyle's style of play will pay off in the end"

Assistant manager Steven Schumacher says Plymouth Argyle will not waver from their style of play because he and Ryan Lowe are 100 per cent convinced it will work.

The Pilgrims have had an inconsistent start to their first season with Lowe as their boss.

They are 11th in the League Two table, with 17 points from their first 13 games, following a 1-1 draw away to Swindon Town on Saturday.

Argyle were viewed in pre-season as one of the favourites for promotion after Lowe and Schumacher arrived at the club over the summer.

They had led Bury to a second place finish behind Lincoln City in League Two last season.

There were high expectations among the Green Army that Lowe and Schumacher could guide the Pilgrims to an immediate promotion.

Schumacher, though, is not surprised that Argyle have been hit and miss at the start of the season.

He firmly believes, however, that with time it will come good for the Pilgrims.

Schumacher told Plymouth Live: “When we first came in that was it, everyone just thought ‘That’s it, we are getting promoted’.

“What people have got to understand is that it’s a brand new team.

“There is a group of players that were here from last year that suffered a relegation, which takes a little bit of time to get over.

“We had the same situation at Bury the season before. We got relegated. We had to pick them players up and it takes time.

“Just because a new manager and staff come through the door, and new players, it doesn’t change the dynamic of the team.

“Then we had to build on how we are trying to play, implement our style and get the players to understand what we are asking for.

“We needed to adapt as well to certain situations – the expectation. We went under the radar a little bit at Bury last season.

“So it wasn’t until January, February, March time that people said ‘Bury have got a real chance’.

“Whereas this year it was in July that people were saying ‘Plymouth Argyle are getting promoted.’

The Pilgrims are currently four points away from the play-off positions and seven from the top three.

They are on a run of one win, four draws and three defeats from their last eight games.

Schumacher said: “Nothing is done and dusted in October. It’s a process and we have got to believe that what we are doing is right.

“We like to have a structure to what we do. We believe in the style of play.

“We believe in trying to create chances and we know that if we keep doing the right things eventually the chances we create will go in the goal.

“We won’t come away from what we are trying to do because, in our opinion, it doesn’t work.

“So we will stick with it and hopefully the fans stick with us, through thick and thin, which is what a good fan-base does by the way.

“They don’t just come when it’s going well, as last season proved.

“There was 12,000 here on the last day of the season (for the game against Scunthorpe United).

When they needed them most the fans were here, so we know that they are going to be here for us as well.”

Schumacher added: “If you want success it’s never easy. You have to work really hard for it.

“It’s never a smooth road. There is always ups and downs and we were fully expecting that.

“We believe in the process, we believe in how we are trying to do things. It will work – we are 100 per cent convinced of that.”

All well and good, but it's a results business and that is what will determine whether they are successful or not, regardless of style.

I reckon a couple of central defenders who can not only dominate their own six yard box but score headers from corners and set pieces is a huge part of the jigsaw needed to get promoted from this league, always has been, always will be.

Best budget in the league from what iv'e been told with the second biggest support in the league eleven players signed on good money, i'd expect promotion with that kind of backing, Adams did it with fcuk all.

till that defence is sorted and the reliance on mayor to create everything it wont.

sufferedsince 68 wrote:

Best budget in the league from what iv'e been told with the second biggest support in the league eleven players signed on good money, i'd expect promotion with that kind of backing, Adams did it with fcuk all.

Second biggest support behind Bradford who sell their season tickets for next to nothing so you could argue our revenue is the best in the division.

Still behind Ryan Lowe at this moment in time and for the foreseeable future. If we are still clogging it in mid table around January then I will raise my concerns however I truly believe we will get our act together by then.

Agree Punchy.