Plymouth Argyle vs Torquay United

[Plymouth Gull]

Home Park
Monday 2nd January 2012
KO: 3pm

We have our first reverse fixture of the season on Monday, and obviously it is also our first game of 2012, so lets start the year off with a bang! An away game at a club within a 50 mile radius is a rarity for us, so it's something I'm really excited for. Not having to spend 6+ hours travelling is always a positive. We've sold plenty of tickets for this, which makes it even better! It should be a special atmosphere, both sides are on a bit of form, Argyle are 5 unbeaten whereas we've lost one game in our last 9 league games. Both sides picked up 4 points over the Christmas/New Year week, both winning on Boxing Day before drawing blanks today.

GULLS NEWS.

Rene Howe still out with suspension. That's all, I think.

THE OPPOSITION.

Not too much has changed since we played them about 6/7 weeks back, so I'll just go over the changes to their squad. Carl Fletcher remains in charge at the club, and he seems to be turning a corner currently, as the Greens have come off the bottom now. The goalkeeping situation is the same, with Jake Cole seemingly having a spell in net while Larrieu is used as back up now.

Further up the field, Darren Purse has come in from Millwall, and he is set to sign an 18-month deal in January, but fortunately he is suspended. The back four may stay the same as it was at Plainmoor, although Maxime Blanchard may play. There are no changes to the midfield roster, though this time there are no suspensions, so Conor Hourihane may play. Fletcher may also choose himself. Finally, up front, where the Greens were weak before, they've bolstered this with the signings of Nick Chadwick and Ashley Hemmings, from Stockport and Wolves respectively. Chadwick returns for a second spell at Home Park, whereas Hemmings is back in Devon, after a spell with us last season.

HOW THEY LINED UP.

This is the line up that drew 0-0 at Aldershot:

Cole

Berry
Blanchard
Bignot
Bhasera

Atkinson
Walton
Hourihane
Hemmings

Chadwick
Feeney

Subs: Larrieu, Williams, Soukouna, Young, Sutherland

LAST TIME AT HOME PARK.

26th December 2001;

Plymouth (0) 2 - Coughlan (50), Stonebridge (52)
Torquay (0) 2 - McClinchey (o.g 67), Logan (pen 90)

Att: 13,667

REF WATCH.

TONY BATES
Andrew Laver and Timothy Wood
Fourth Official Andrew Rodda

Tony Bates is the man in the middle for this one. An experienced official, he has done 20 games this season, including Exeters game against Liverpool, and Arsenals game against Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup. His most recent game was on Boxing Day, at Pride Park as Derby beat Leeds. He has given 55 bookings but is yet to deliver a red card this year. The last Torquay game he refereed was last year at Cheltenham, which if I remember he wasn't too good, but I'll put that down to a blip!

PREDICTION.

Draw. 1-1.




Finally, a happy new year to you all!

[stevegull]

Great OP, as usual.

But, has Ling said Saah is available again now? I thought he was waiting on him to play a reserve game? I'm happy to stand corrected though...

[stevegull]

Think some fans are assuming this will be an easy win for us, that is definitely not the case. The pilgrims have improved massively after coming out of administration, and even more after Fletcher managed to add some players. I think if you worked it out, post administration argyle form throughout the season would see them comfortably mid-table, and if Argyle has the same form since their new signings came in, they would be pushing for a play off places.

The Argyle fans are also raving about Hemmings. Apparently he has added a decent delivery to the raw pace we saw with his stint with us. Oastler will be in for a challenge, that's for sure. But i think if Joe gets in and hits Hemmings early, he might not be quite as up for it. Some younger players may flinch under the scrutiny of derby games.

Chadwick has also been on good form for the Greens, as he adds what they most needed up top, a bulldozer. He will be physcial and Feeney will be buzzing around near him sniffing for chances. This will be a genuine test for our defence. Don't let their current league position fool you. This will be a test.

[Southampton Gull]

Excellent as always, Nick although I think Purse was at Yeovil prior to joining the Gargs.

This is going to be a tough game but if we can get an early goal I expect the noisy Yellow Army to roar us onto a long-awaited victory at Home Park (40+ years for me anyway).

COYY !!!

[Plymouth Gull]

Think Yeovil was a loan, Dave. Happy to be corrected though.

[stevegull]

Yeah, I think he was at Yeovil on loan and Argyle pipped them to signing him permanently. How dare you question Nick! Although i haven't checked, and could also be wrong, as is usually the case.

[Chris B]

A third consecutive clean sheet is a must if we're to win on Monday, I think. We really will be lacking in attacking options to come off the bench with Bodin sure to replace the suspended Morris in the starting XI.

[Colorado Gull]

This won’t be an easy game, they always are against teams at the bottom, but also it's a Derby so anything can happen!

I think we can get a victory, but it will be tough!

I can't wait the atmosphere will be amazing!

COYY!

[AustrianAndyGull]

Gordon Bennett Nick you don't hang about do you? No sooner has one game thread ended than another is posted! Well done and thanks my good man. I will most probably be the furthest traveller amongst the Gulls contingent having to travel nearly 600 miles round trip to get to a local derby! I've never been to an Argyle / Gulls match and so am looking forward to it immensly if not the drive down. Also not looking forward to the unwelcoming greetings we are gonna get from the gargs fans in and out of Home Park. Stevegull and others are right in not assuming this game to be an automatic three points as they have picked up recently although i personally believe we will have enough to take the points. Argyle are poor at the back where we are pretty solid and we do have attacking capabilities even with Howe out so i think we will win 4-1.

[Gullscorer]

You will have no trouble at all with Argyle fans, just so long as you behave yourself..

[Forest gull]

Making the trip down from Forest of Dean for this one, and feeling pretty confident. Argyle struggled a bit today despite their recent good form. United to pinch it by the odd goal in three.

[DTG]

Really looking forward to this game. Agreed, the GAWS are a different proposition to the team we faced at Plainmoor, but they have the same cack defence. If we get at them I'm sure they will crack. Their fans will be all cocky again and their expectations will be European qualification so we need to deflate them with a solid defensive display. Up front they will be confident but then so are our defense. It's going to be an interesting battle. I think it will be another 0-0, but hoping for a 0-2.

[Gullscorer]

Plymouth are now unbeaten in five games, including three away. Seven of their next eleven games are at home. With a few additional January signings, they will have a great chance to pull away from the relegation zone. And with their home crowd behind them they will be up for it tomorrow. So, despite the fact that they are still not a good side, they will play with determination.

So it will be a much closer game, possibly quite a tough one. But I still back the Gulls to do the double over Argyle, by the odd goal, though I'd be happy with a draw. Should be a big crowd, with a great atmosphere.

[Dave]

Yes this will be a tough game, for a few weeks now read a number of post across a few forums showing concern and worry about our opponents, think it's time to stop worrying about other teams are doing, and start praising our own, since that 4.1 loss at Southend, our team has won 6 drawn 2 and lost only 1, scoring 13 and concceeding 4 , 7 of those match's have seen us keep a clean sheet.

If the team turn up at Argyle tomorrow and do what they have been doing since late October, i can see only a Torquay win here.

[tktufc91]

I think with the atmosphere we are going to create, if we can make it sound like we are the home side, then I have no doubt that we will win this match. Looking forward to this game since we beat them at ours.

COYY!!