Pompey Monday

ejh wrote:

Angry wrote:

he is on for banton


what a complete flop banton has been since signing for us permanently.

Banton was class today, another Sheridan masterstroke taking him off first!

Groans all around the away end. Outshone the entire Argyle forward line in his time on the pitch, so don't blame him.

has his time been a success here?

X Isle wrote:

X Isle wrote:

If we go at them early and get ahead I can see them crumbling and a comfortable win will ensue.

Trouble is we don't ever seem to do that. Consequently I can see our usual reluctance to push forward giving them encouragement and getting them something they really shouldn't have a right to get.

Draw methinks, but a bit more adventure could so easily give us a win.  

As foretold, we didn't start going at them until it was too late.

When we did we had them stretched and worried, why couldn't we do that from minute 1?

Bob hope of the play-offs.

Because John Sheridan is a dour manager and his philosophy particularly away from home is not to lose more than it is to win.

After Olly Lee scored we played with the hunger and intent to score a goal for the first time all game. It was just 78 minutes too late to turn up for a football match.

Angry wrote:

ejh wrote:

Angry wrote:

he is on for banton


what a complete flop banton has been since signing for us permanently.

Banton was class today, another Sheridan masterstroke taking him off first!

Groans all around the away end. Outshone the entire Argyle forward line in his time on the pitch, so don't blame him.

has his time been a success here?

Not a success overall but he is in form, looking sharp and trying his hardest lately - which was more than you could say for Reuben, Bobby or Ansah today.

Banton was the best Argyle player today IMO, Sheridan will need to explain why he took our most effective attacker off leaving a playmaker on who was giving the ball away time and time again (Bobby), a midfielder who contributed nothing (Ansah) and a striker who quite clearly could not be arsed (Reuben).

As I say don't get the knives out for Banton on this occasion.

Player ratings.

Luke - 5 - Nothing particularly notable from him today, let in two goals but not all his fault.
Jones - 4 - Too defensive minded, didn't join the attacks enough, didn't quite look settled in the team. Had a nasty challenge against him that should have seen the Pompey defender off, but the ref had a mare yesterday.
Nelson - 5 - two silly bookings to be sent off and the only reason I mark him down. Bar that he was his standard reliable self. I like it when he just bombs it into midfield and refuses to pass the ball, as if saying to the other players "look, they're feckin shite, this shit is easy". Had a header go narrowly wide from a corner in our late efforts to claw back a point.
McHugh - 8 - This guy defends well and he's by far and away the best passer in our back line.
Hartley - 6 - Typically solid defensively, but his aimless hoofballs don't half piss me off. Pretty sure it was his hoof from kick off that lead to their goal.
THD - 3 - Like Jones, way too flat for a wingback. They both play as fullbacks rather than wingbacks. Holmes-Dennis is an alright player, can be quite skillful and is quick, but he had a real shocker yesterday. His passing was awful, his positioning was too deep, he let his man get the head in too easy for their second goal. His only moment to potentially have redeemed himself was snatched away as the ref decided against playing advantage after he saw THD had broke clear of the foul.
Bobby Reid - 3 - Was pretty shit yesterday.
Blizzard - 4 - Despite loads of huff and puff, he's still a total ghost in the middle. He offers little defensively, standing off Wallace for the first goal and he offers little going forward, wasting a good opportunity and his passing was crap. He covered the wingbacks alright on the rare occasion they did get forward though.
Banton - 4 - Pretty crap. Kept beating himself with "skill".
Reuben - 7 - Tried his hardest to drag defenders to him and open up space for Banton and Ansah, but unfortunately neither exploited it.
Ansah - 5 - Pompey gave the ball away cheaply in the midfield on a few occasions and he reacted well to win the ball and allow him, Reid and Banton to run at the defenders, put unfortunately this was wasted far too often.

Subs:
Lewi - 7 - finally offered some movement up top to compliment Reid's hold up work, and it seemed to get us going a bit.
Olly Lee - 6 - Other than a terrific strike, he still isn't that great, but he did vastly improve our midfield. He should be starting ahead of Blizzard for definite.
Brunt - 5 - Took Reid's hold up responsibilities and allowed Reuben to play off him. Like the other subs, we improved with him on the pitch, but he didn't provide the needed contribution.

Our negative formation with a flat 5 and no width, complimented by a weak and shite midfield cost us. Portsmouth were there for the taking, they were shit too, but we were just a bit more shit when it came to getting forward. That starting XI should have been capable of breezing 3 points against that Pompey side, but too many players were off their game.

With Nelson now suspended for the Mansfield game I'd change the system and go a 4-3-3 of:
Luke;
Mellor, McHugh, Hartley, THD;
Olly Lee, O'Connor (or Cox), Bobby Reid;
Ansah, Reid, Alessandra.

Though it'd rely largely on Ansah and Lewi getting narrow to support Reuben, as well as the two more attacking midfielders in Bobby Reid and Lee.

Greenskin wrote:

Iggy wrote:

Have a look at he team that took us on the run pre Crimbo then look at the team now, nuff said. Try amd build a team around a threadbare and mediocre team (not squad) and this is what you get, Shez has his hands tied, f UCK off Brent and take your non investing property schemes that have no place at a football club with you, Tory wanker.
In other news I have spent he afternoon at a pub in Cornwall admiring the primroses and having a crack with REAL mates. Saw a dog fight (which was total handbags but a woman got bitten by her own dog trying to save it lol) then one of my mates after telling us how has got it made, rules the roost, proper man I am an all that got dragged out by his missus ten minutes later literally by his ear, famous last words, shagtown innit.

Gunni?

Aye, the Riser yesterday, they do a great pint of bitter and decent food. I was having a convo with a mate who lives there who reckons the shagtown moniker dates back to the war when all the men were away fighting (but there was a massive Yanqui camp with the black soldiers being billeted at Gunni,) all I know is all the old Plymouth builders described it thus.

Iggy wrote:

Have a look at he team that took us on the run pre Crimbo then look at the team now, nuff said. Try amd build a team around a threadbare and mediocre team (not squad) and this is what you get, Shez has his hands tied, f UCK off Brent and take your non investing property schemes that have no place at a football club with you, Tory wanker.
In other news I have spent he afternoon at a pub in Cornwall admiring the primroses and having a crack with REAL mates. Saw a dog fight (which was total handbags but a woman got bitten by her own dog trying to save it lol) then one of my mates after telling us how has got it made, rules the roost, proper man I am an all that got dragged out by his missus ten minutes later literally by his ear, famous last words, shagtown innit.

If you want a manager whose hands truly are tied, where no budget MEANS no budget, try looking up the A38.

That off field shambles has produced the same amount of points as us 41 games into the season. That is with a transfer embargo, barely any pre season preparation, and with losing to us twice in the league! They have managed to score more than 10 goals more than us, despite not bring able to afford anywhere near a striker of Reuben Reid's quality.

Answers on a postcard for that one.

It puts our whinging that Drew Talbot got recalled to go and play League One standard pretty much in perspective. 'How can we finish in the playoffs when Brent can't even sign us a League One quality midfielder permanently?' (Apart from Anthony O'Connor). Boo hoo, Brent out!!

In fact it shows how farcical the blame for the footballing mediocrity being blamed on Brent (from some quarters) really is.

Sheridan has had the tools for the majority of the season. Far too many games perfectly epitomised by that Portsmouth game - there to be won, but players scared to have a real go because they evidently have not been set up to attack the match.

Brent hired him despite shez failing the interview, miserably. He's muddled and uninspiring.

Listen to his post match interviews. They're all virtually the same.......... I fink.

I can see EJH's points but the ultimate responsibility does lie with Brent. Hiring someone who has been based all his life up North was a bit risky. I guess Shez must have been one of the cheaper options.

Holloway is looking for a job isn't he ? Positive inspiring football plus he needs to build his reputation again so where better place to do it.

FY 310 wrote:

I can see EJH's points but the ultimate responsibility does lie with Brent. Hiring someone who has been based all his life up North was a bit risky. I guess Shez must have been one of the cheaper options.

Holloway is looking for a job isn't he ? Positive inspiring football plus he needs to build his reputation again so where better place to do it.

Each to his own but if that media whore enters the gates of HP - I walk out indefinitely!!

ejh wrote:

Iggy wrote:

Have a look at he team that took us on the run pre Crimbo then look at the team now, nuff said. Try amd build a team around a threadbare and mediocre team (not squad) and this is what you get, Shez has his hands tied, f UCK off Brent and take your non investing property schemes that have no place at a football club with you, Tory wanker.
In other news I have spent he afternoon at a pub in Cornwall admiring the primroses and having a crack with REAL mates. Saw a dog fight (which was total handbags but a woman got bitten by her own dog trying to save it lol) then one of my mates after telling us how has got it made, rules the roost, proper man I am an all that got dragged out by his missus ten minutes later literally by his ear, famous last words, shagtown innit.

If you want a manager whose hands truly are tied, where no budget MEANS no budget, try looking up the A38.

That off field shambles has produced the same amount of points as us 41 games into the season. That is with a transfer embargo, barely any pre season preparation, and with losing to us twice in the league! They have managed to score more than 10 goals more than us, despite not bring able to afford anywhere near a striker of Reuben Reid's quality.

Answers on a postcard for that one.

It puts our whinging that Drew Talbot got recalled to go and play League One standard pretty much in perspective. 'How can we finish in the playoffs when Brent can't even sign us a League One quality midfielder permanently?' (Apart from Anthony O'Connor). Boo hoo, Brent out!!

In fact it shows how farcical the blame for the footballing mediocrity being blamed on Brent (from some quarters) really is.

Sheridan has had the tools for the majority of the season. Far too many games perfectly epitomised by that Portsmouth game - there to be won, but players scared to have a real go because they evidently have not been set up to attack the match.

The fact that City are sniffing our arses despite us having the twenty goal man strengthens my case not weakens it, are midfield is shite, it's never scored more than the odd goal in its collective career, nor will it. Shez stopping players scoring, feckin joke mate.

FY 310 wrote:

I can see EJH's points but the ultimate responsibility does lie with Brent. Hiring someone who has been based all his life up North was a bit risky. I guess Shez must have been one of the cheaper options.

Holloway is looking for a job isn't he ? Positive inspiring football plus he needs to build his reputation again so where better place to do it.

WTF has him being from the north got to do with his ability to manage or not???

hollowords wouldnt come back here not after the mob campaign that houndd his family out of plymouth.

You would think that Sheridan would be able to spot a goal scoring midfielder wouldn't you?

Sheridan's budget should be good enough to compete better with those higher than us in the table. Plenty of sides have a greater budget than us, but they're under performing to that budget worse than us, while other clubs are performing beyond there means. I understand both sides of the argument, Brent hasn't offered a massive promotion guaranteeing kitty and sold our best and most vital player for relative pittance. At the same time, a manager like Tisdale has his side level on points with ours while the club, I heard, runs on a wage bill of £1m (that covers senior players to the apprentices). Only Shrewsbury, Southend and maybe Bury have greater budgets than ours that are ahead of us in the table. IF Sheridan was performing to his budget then we'd be a few notches higher in the table, exploiting the failings of clubs like Luton, Portsmouth, Northampton. Sheridan has failed to build a side with balance, our defense is brilliant (though its no surprise when we've largely played with a back 6) and our strikers have notched in their fair share of goals, but our midfield is utter cack.

If some people from up the A38 are to be believed, Tisdale is the highest paid manager in League 2. Now, if that is true, then it's a perfect example of 'you get what you pay for'.

Would Brent pay top whack for a manager like that???

Answers on a postcard for that one.

He was the cheap option and they fluked it. They got him in from feckin Bath FCOL. They put him on a decent contract because they wet themselves over the prospect that they'd bagged a good'un and that someone would come pay them loads of dollar - didn't happen though. It wasn't that they sourced a proper amazing proven manager and paid top whack for him.

Dick Trickle wrote:

You would think that Sheridan would be able to spot a goal scoring midfielder wouldn't you?

He certainly seemed to be able to spot one at Chesterfield;

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SwimWithTheTide wrote:

He was the cheap option and they fluked it. They got him in from feckin Bath FCOL. They put him on a decent contract because they wet themselves over the prospect that they'd bagged a good'un and that someone would come pay them loads of dollar - didn't happen though. It wasn't that they sourced a proper amazing proven manager and paid top whack for him.

So they're not getting value for money?

It was excellent negotiating by Tisdale to land a deal that rolls for two years, but it was his performance in getting them out of the Conference and into League 1 that probably earned him the deal, wouldn't you say?

Czarcasm wrote:

SwimWithTheTide wrote:

He was the cheap option and they fluked it. They got him in from feckin Bath FCOL. They put him on a decent contract because they wet themselves over the prospect that they'd bagged a good'un and that someone would come pay them loads of dollar - didn't happen though. It wasn't that they sourced a proper amazing proven manager and paid top whack for him.

So they're not getting value for money?

It was excellent negotiating by Tisdale to land a deal that rolls for two years, but it was his performance in getting them out of the Conference and into League 1 that probably earned him the deal, wouldn't you say?

Yes, definitely. They paid after he proved himself successful, because they were anticipating him to be the next sought after young English manager and wanted to guarantee compensation. As it is, he's not particularly sought after, but he is good. He was initially brought in as an unknown cheap option though and it paid off handsomely, for a bit. I'm no Brent apologist, I want him out, but your point that he should be paying top whack for a great manager like our neighbours ain't quite right. They went for the cheap option and invested when they thought there was profit to be made... Sound familiar?

Sheridan has turned us into a playoff contender side from a absolute shower of shit that he inherited from the much loved by the bought fans Carl Fletcher era inside 2 years. I'd say he hasnt done that bad a job, we actually look like a football club again and not a circus on the pitch "with we're plymouth argyle we're trying our best" echoing around home park. Dont get me wrong we are still a circus off the pitch with an owner who thinks its still 1950's where teams only had 11 players and nothing beyond that mostly and budgets for that.

The Players are getting to much protection from the anti sheridan camp which is not warranted as they are to blame just as much as sheridan and brent are if we bottle it.

Angry wrote:

Sheridan has turned us into a playoff contender side from a absolute shower of shit that he inherited from the much loved by the bought fans Carl Fletcher era inside 2 years.  I'd say he hasnt done that bad a job, we actually look like a football club again and not a circus on the pitch "with we're plymouth argyle we're trying our best" echoing around home park. Dont get me wrong we are still a circus off the pitch with an owner who thinks its still 1950's where teams only had 11 players and nothing beyond that mostly and budgets for that.

The Players are getting to much protection from the anti sheridan camp which is not warranted as they are to blame just as much as sheridan and brent are if we bottle it.

There is plenty or room for improvement though.

It is still in the hands of Argyle to go on and secure a PO spot, the team know what they need and they know what they have to do now, win the next four games.

Considering the sides they face, those four wins can be obtained, but will it happen. Only JS and the team know that answer.

Should Argyle fail to get into the POs, even go up via them, some serious questions will have to be asked and answered after May 2nd.

Whoever the manager is next season, they will need to build a side capable of going up in first, second or third.

VillageGreen wrote:

Angry wrote:

Sheridan has turned us into a playoff contender side from a absolute shower of shit that he inherited from the much loved by the bought fans Carl Fletcher era inside 2 years.  I'd say he hasnt done that bad a job, we actually look like a football club again and not a circus on the pitch "with we're plymouth argyle we're trying our best" echoing around home park. Dont get me wrong we are still a circus off the pitch with an owner who thinks its still 1950's where teams only had 11 players and nothing beyond that mostly and budgets for that.

The Players are getting to much protection from the anti sheridan camp which is not warranted as they are to blame just as much as sheridan and brent are if we bottle it.

There is plenty or room for improvement though.

im sure if he had a squad and not so relient on the same 11 staying fit, performing and not getting suspended he probably would....oh and a budget too

Angry wrote:

Sheridan has turned us into a playoff contender side from a absolute shower of shit that he inherited from the much loved by the bought fans Carl Fletcher era inside 2 years.  I'd say he hasnt done that bad a job, we actually look like a football club again and not a circus on the pitch "with we're plymouth argyle we're trying our best" echoing around home park. Dont get me wrong we are still a circus off the pitch with an owner who thinks its still 1950's where teams only had 11 players and nothing beyond that mostly and budgets for that.

The Players are getting to much protection from the anti sheridan camp which is not warranted as they are to blame just as much as sheridan and brent are if we bottle it.

I do agree Angry, no one is immune to criticism - or praise for that matter. Plenty of things being done rightly and wrongly on and off the pitch.

Angry wrote:

WTF has him being from the north got to do with his ability to manage or not???

hollowords wouldnt come back here not after the mob campaign that houndd his family out of plymouth.

I was talking about the stories of Shez not being in Plymouth much to take training, Still living up North & generally not being committed to the area. We've seen it time & again with players so no reason why a manager should be any different.

Others are talking about our budget & how it compares with our position in the league. I maybe wrong here but has anything definitive ever been said about the budget ?, or just the usual vague (aren't they always) words by Brent.
Realistically nobody outside the club has they slightest clue what budget the club are working to. It may be among the highest in League Two or it may be piss poor. FWIW a friend was told by someone on the youth set up (no idea who) that our budget last season was about that of a mid ranking Conference club. No idea if that was true or if it has changed this season but its a bit unfair to castigate Sheridan too much if we don't know whether he has one hand or both tied behind his back.

FY 310 wrote:

Angry wrote:

WTF has him being from the north got to do with his ability to manage or not???

hollowords wouldnt come back here not after the mob campaign that houndd his family out of plymouth.

I was talking about the stories of Shez not being in Plymouth much to take training, Still living up North & generally not being committed to the area. We've seen it time & again with players so no reason why a manager should be any different.

Others are talking about our budget & how it compares with our position in the league. I maybe wrong here but has anything definitive ever been said about the budget ?, or just the usual vague (aren't they always) words by Brent.
Realistically nobody outside the club has they slightest clue what budget the club are working to. It may be among the highest in League Two or it may be piss poor. FWIW a friend was told by someone on the youth set up (no idea who) that our budget last season was about that of a mid ranking Conference club. No idea if that was true or if it has changed this season but its a bit unfair to castigate Sheridan too much if we don't know whether he has one hand or both tied behind his back.  

In this day and age where contracts dont mean jack its not hard to understand why so many managers and players commute rather than upsticks and move.

As for the budget if sheridan can only afford to fund a starting 11 and has to rely heavliy on loan signings when one gets injuried or suspended due to there being next to no one to call up of equal standing bar yts players i would say his budget isnt that great.

FY 310 wrote:

Angry wrote:

WTF has him being from the north got to do with his ability to manage or not???

hollowords wouldnt come back here not after the mob campaign that houndd his family out of plymouth.

I was talking about the stories of Shez not being in Plymouth much to take training, Still living up North & generally not being committed to the area. We've seen it time & again with players so no reason why a manager should be any different.

Others are talking about our budget & how it compares with our position in the league. I maybe wrong here but has anything definitive ever been said about the budget ?, or just the usual vague (aren't they always) words by Brent.
Realistically nobody outside the club has they slightest clue what budget the club are working to. It may be among the highest in League Two or it may be piss poor. FWIW a friend was told by someone on the youth set up (no idea who) that our budget last season was about that of a mid ranking Conference club. No idea if that was true or if it has changed this season but its a bit unfair to castigate Sheridan too much if we don't know whether he has one hand or both tied behind his back.  

Brent said at a supporters meeting in September that Argyle were working on about the same budget as last season, which equated to being between the 7th-9th biggest in the division.