Plymouth Argyle v Crewe Alexandra

Argyle News

Unbeaten in eight league games, Argyle go into their Sky Bet League One fixture with Crewe Alexandra at Home Park, on Tuesday high in confidence.

The 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers on Saturday showed the character and resilience within the squad to come from behind to take all three points.

It means that the Pilgrims are yet to taste defeat at home this season and have picked up 18 points from the opening nine games of the season.

It pleases me to see Home Park packed to the rafters. We want to keep performing on the pitch to send them home happy.”

With one of the stronger defences in the league and with strikers who have ten league goals between them, Argyle are becoming an all round threat.

The opening game of the season aside, they have found the net in all Sky Bet League One matches and have found different ways to score against some stubborn opposition.

Ryan believes that Crewe, who haven’t started the season too strongly, will be just as tough as anyone else they have played so far.

He said, “Crewe are going to turn up with a game plan to beat us, we know that. They play a good brand of football and we have to respect them.

“They scored a 90th minute penalty on the weekend so like us, showed resilience and character in that game.

“I want us to be a bit better, be a bit better in possession of the ball and if we are, hopefully we’ll be fine.”

Taking a closer look at Crewe’s form will tell you why they have made a slow start to the campaign.

With six goals, only Doncaster have found the net fewer times in the league so far.

French striker Mikael Mandron has half of those and seems to be the most likely goal threat for Dave Artell’s side.

Despite sitting second bottom of the table, Crewe have picked up form of late, losing one of their last five in all competitions.

They have five points from their last four league games, beating Burton Albion and drawing with Shrewsbury Town and Rotherham United.

The latter of those draws coming as a result of a last minute Chris Porter penalty against one of the promotion favourites.

If you add this little upturn in form along with the fact that they picked up four points from the two games with Argyle last season, the Cheshire outfit will feel they have a chance when they visit Home Park.

The game here last season saw an Oliver Finney strike cancel out an early Luke Jephcott penalty in a 1-1 draw in January.

In recent times Argyle have had a good record against Crewe, winning four of their last six meetings, including in Ryan Lowe’s first game in charge of the Pilgrims, when Callum McFadzean scored twice and a Joel Grant strike gave the Greens a 3-0 win.

TEAM NEWS

Both Danny Mayor and George Cooper have been training with the first team and could be considered for Tuesday evening’s game.

Niall Ennis and James Bolton will both be ruled out due to long term injuries and with three games in the past ten days, Ryan Lowe could consider making some changes.


Crewe

Dave Artell says he will be adaptable with his formation this season to try to give his new-look Crewe team an edge.

The Alex largely played 4-3-3 on their way to promotion in 2019/20, and again last year in finishing 12th in their first season back in League One since 2016.

But after a high turnover of players, he’s mixed things up this season and went three at the back for Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Rotherham.

Artell, whose side are away to Plymouth in the league on Tuesday, said more clubs appear to be using a back three but the Alex won’t be lining up like that every week.

He said: “I think three at the back is a bit more in vogue at the minute. But I can remember watching Italia 90 and Bobby Robson played three at the back. These things go in cycles.

“I read an article the other day about Antonio Conte. It was a brilliant article but he wasn’t the pioneer of it.

“So, is it a way for us to play? Yes.

“Are we going to use it every week? No.

“Last year we felt we were probably the best footballing team in the division so we had our way and were going to out-football teams. That’s not the case this year.”

The manager said Rotherham probably hadn’t expected his side to line up the way they did. He added: “I think that helps. We have to be smarter this year.

“That’s not to say we can’t look at what we did last year against teams and say, ‘we had real joy doing it this way so we have to go this wa


Crewe Alexandra will check on the availability of Terell Thomas and J’Neil Bennett before deciding on the travelling squad for Plymouth.

Both players missed the 1-1 draw at Rotherham United due to illness but the club remain hopeful that they could yet be available for the game at Home Park. Both players have been suffering with a sickness bug but have steadily improved over the weekend.

Crewe boss David Artell told us: “Both Terell and J’Neil are improving. They are progressing, so all we can do is see how they are before we decide on the squad. I don’t think it is the same as when we had 6 or 7 wiped out after the Portsmouth game and had to travel to Oxford with only 6 subs.

“If we are stretched is irrelevant really. It will be 11 v 11 at Plymouth with enough subs. We have to go there and make sure we match the effort we showed on Saturday and get another result.”

Another victory this time 2-0

Hardie and Grant

Another tricky game like Donny was tonight. Artell will no doubt try the same tactics to disrupt Argyle's free flowing game. However if we stay focussed at the back and Hardie, Jephcott and Camara play well then it should be on for 9 unbeaten.
COYG

Shocking weather forecast today,heavy rain and thunder later on. If the match goes ahead then 1-1, Argyle still not scoring enough goals from other areas of the team and set pieces.

slightly cold and wet one tonight for sure.

A stormy 6 pointer foreshore ... we'll win by that many goals that there'll be calls to the football league demanding they award us 6 points. Argo 9 Crewe 1(Cooper og harv)

You are freathy and I claim my prize.

Advance notice: Outland Road will be down to one lane in each direction between the Esso garage and Meredith Road from Monday 27 September to Saturday 9 October (Monday to Friday nights only, 7pm to 6am). This is for footbridge refurbishment works outside the school. Bus stops below the footbridge will be out of use during these times.

Lots of rain in the muff …is the game still on ?

Could be a swimming pool at Barn park & demport ends Jimmy never did sort that drainage out

Angry wrote:

slightly cold and wet one tonight for sure.

Yeah you got huge form for wet weather and non attendance at Crewe matches Angry..................

RegGreen wrote:

Could be a swimming pool at Barn park & demport ends Jimmy never did sort that drainage out

at least the pitch wont be waterlogged i hope.

Terrible conditions but still good enough for a cheeky 2-0

Angry wrote:

RegGreen wrote:

Could be a swimming pool at Barn park & demport ends Jimmy never did sort that drainage out

at least the pitch wont be waterlogged   i hope.

the only trouble is when there’s heavy rain the demport end penalty area gets a bit flooded six yard box up to the penalty spot can get a bit flooded Hardie & jeppers best get there flippers on tonight

Off to pick grandson up for game, five in car alltold

Another poor performance on a par with Saturday's.

Argo 1-1 Crewe

I reckon we may lose this one just on the basis that all winning streaks come to an end and a team like Crewe on a wet Tuesday night would be a good bet for that. I'm shite at predictions so let's hope I'm wrong.

Just went to buy audio stream and bought a live stream for tv I thought that only away matches were available for us locals?

Crewe score 3mins ffs

Oh dear 1-0 down already ffs

Made me chuckle to see the Crewe guy having a quick check over his shoulder to check for racists whilst taking the knee.

Where da fook did that come from?

WTF kinda defending was that ?

Earwegoagain wrote:

Just went to buy audio stream and bought a live stream for tv I thought that only away matches were available for us locals?

as long as it’s not a Saturday 3oclock game will be shown on Argyle tv I believe

Need to hit it first time instead of taking a million touches