Back from the game - Argyle

[Victor Meldrew]

It's Marek's fault, mainly. Sorry, but it's not up to the rest of the team to work out where he wants to play football.

There's a famous quote, I think it was about Ray Wilkins, who was accused of playing 'another brilliant ball to no-one in particular'.

You are right up to a point but if we are ever to get away from being just a long-ball team we do need to get some midfield interpassing going as well-presumably these players do actually train together?

[cmonurz]

I wonder whether the correct contrast between Marek and Harper is that both are technically good on the ball, and receive a lot of it, but Marek will go for the killer pass, Gerrard style, whilst Harper will hold on to it until his team-mates move for him. Different approaches to the same role, but explains their markedly different styles and how they are perceived.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Cracking point.

Thought their 1st goal was a clear foul on Pearce, 2nd was a great hit, dunno how he got so far with the ball though.

Great header for our 1st, could have had another. Cracking pass from Marek for the 2nd, if only Kebe could finish like that every week....

[SteveRoyal]

I wasn't at the game, so you can ignore me if you want.

Does Matejovsky lose the ball more often than most others simply because he tries to play balls forward?
He doesn't play the safe ball our to the wings and expect Stephen 'Hit and Hope' Hunt or Jimmy 'Run Jimmy Run' Kebe to do something, he tries to feed our strikers more. Obviously, if you're going to try and slice open defences with passing, you're going to lose the ball more often, but you also have a higher possibility of a chance created.

[AthleticoSpizz]

I wonder whether the correct contrast between Marek and Harper is that both are technically good on the ball, and receive a lot of it, but Marek will go for the killer pass, Gerrard style, whilst Harper will hold on to it until his team-mates move for him. Different approaches to the same role, but explains their markedly different styles and how they are perceived.

It would seem Mareks "killer passes" are countered by Harps' "measured ones" in terms of retaining pocession

Can't have it all I guess however,

looking at the player ratings recently, it seems that we have a new "Golden Child" contender, Stretch?

[rg6royal]

Good to see Long getting good ratings.

[dellwoodboy]

This was my first live game of the season having only previously seen the games on Sky.
Overall I thought it was a pretty good game played on a softish pitch which didn't help matters very much.Not a lot happened in the first 20 minutes or so and then Plymouth scored out of the blue from a free kick which looked very dubious to me and in the subsequent melee it was difficult to see what happened but Pearce seemed to be impeded in some way.
We needed to get back into the game quickly and this we did from a corner.We dominated the rest of the half and came close to scoring again.
The second half started off very quietly and just when Reading started to get on top Plymouth scored a fine goal. (When did we last score a goal like this after a run ad a terrific shot from 25 yards) Plymouth were easily the better side for the next 10 minutes and I like a lot of other people thought they had scored a third.
Thankfully we soon got back into the game and created a host of chances burt due to bad luck and several good saves from their keeper we couldn't get anequaliser. Finally Kebe was our savior taking his chance very well. In my excitement I nearly lost my teeth but it was a relief we had found the net.
We were the only side in it for the last 10 plus minutes but could not score the vital extra goal.
Overall it was a pretty good game and general opinion seemed to be that it was Reading's best performance for a while. But Plymouth are not a very good side and we were much superior but that is no good if you cannot get the three points.
We now need to win our two home games otherwise I reckon automatic promotion is out of the question because with 6 of our last 9 being away where our form is suspect nothing can be relied upon.

[rg6royal]

How did the ref do?!

[AthleticoSpizz]

nice one Dell


..........but we have a habit of losing to "not very good sides"

All in all a good point (bearing in mind that they recently won at Wolves)

[Blue Blood]

Fed did have to make a fine double save just after they went 2-1 up.

I thought Hunt had a shocker - poor crossing and passing, I thought he should have been subbed as nothing was working for him.

Marek I would say needs to work with what is around him more I think he is still finding his way to be fair.

I am a Long fan and thought he did well.

Foul for their first but we should have been stronger and picked the scorer up.

12 corners better than they have been and we could have scored more from then. Free kicks Hunt has lost that killer ball in.

[Bristol Paul]

Thanks for the report guys. Seems a mixed bag, but the concensus seems to be

- Long had a great game
- Kebe was much improved
- SHunt was again dire
- Marek didnt have his best game, but still posed a threat with his vision
- Federic wasnt at fault for the goals.

Please, please, please drop SHunt, he is absolute pants, 20,000 fans can't be wrong?

[a royal called morty]

I'm glad to come on and see that i wasn't the only one who thought Long had a good game.
I thought we played well today, better than recent games, but we have to win games like this, and I was quite disappointed not to with some of the chances we had.
I am still in shock that kebe scored, i'm sure i wasn't the only one who had visions of him slashing it wide.
I didn't catch what happened with the stewards, although I saw the aftermath, and I was surprised to see so many stewards surrounding someone who didn't look to be retaliating. There was another small incident where a steward seemed to make a young lad cry, I think it was because he brought his drink up to his seat. Anyone else see this??

Other than that, 4 points from 2 away games isn't all bad, but these next two home games are now that little bit more important.

[Percy's Rocket]

</quote> I do wonder if it's because the others have gone so long not playing one-twos and moving into space that they just can't read him.[/quote]

I always thought Marek would need to be given a run of games before the others got back on his wavelength because he actually wants to pass the ball. The next two home games will be the acid test. Now he has had several games to get tuned in can he unlock your average championship defence and will the others, especially Stretch and Rosey plus the forwards, make the runs that will create the space...and then will we put te chances away...Marek can always have a dig nimself of course..way overdue another strike.

[bishbosh92]

a good point with a really good performance but it we really should of had all three.

Plymouths first goal pearce was pushed in the back and nothing was given, we were also very unlucky with Cisse hitting the bar and having 2 cleared of all the line.

but fair play what a screamer by Jamie Mackie what a goal!!

stilll cant belive Kebe scored lol brillaint finished by him, worst player was S.hunt who doesnt look like he wanted to be there and has been for the last 5 or 6 matches !!

also Plymouth fans need to sort out there map skills as its the first time ive ever been called a norhten bastard!!

[rg6royal]

Midweek I say we try Kebe on the left and Tabb on the right.

[Snowball]

Marek 6 (very involved but lost possession too much and gave the ball away too often)sadly this seems to crop up too often

I think Marek's footballing brain is far, far quicker than that of some of his colleagues. For example, there was one instance where he played a perfect ball into space for Stretch to run onto, but Stretch just wasn't on the same wavelength so the ball went out with no-one near it. Marek's fault or Armstrong's?

I partly agree with this. That particular move I think CA should have been ready (and it would have given him space)

I really think we should persist with Matty, he's a cut above

CA was MoM tho

[Snowball]

It's Marek's fault, mainly. Sorry, but it's not up to the rest of the team to work out where he wants to play football.

There's a famous quote, I think it was about Ray Wilkins, who was accused of playing 'another brilliant ball to no-one in particular'.

Not sure I agree, his reverse pass to Chris Armstrong was definitely "on" and it was CA who was flat-footed

He's the only player we have who doesn't give a telegraphed pass (telegraphed to the opposition)

Trouble is, sometimes his pass is for a better player (if that makes sense) and he will have to pull in his horns just a tad

[floyd__streete]

I am utterly unconvinced that Matejovksy will ever fit in with our team of honest plodders long term but anyone who didn't think he was the outstanding player on the park during an afternoon of kick and rush in the rain perhaps should start following another sport. Some fantastic passes, unfortunately his team mates aren't often on the same wavelength

Would have been been a complete joke if we hadn't managed at least a point out of the game, most of the clear cut chances in a busy match came our way. Long played a decent 90 minutes. Kebe looked lively again today and finished his chance with aplomb. Overall though I still fail to be overly convinced by this side and I suspect that we are destined for play-off failure and the loss of some good players in the summer.

[Snowball]

Fed couldn't stop either goal


Armstrong was brilliant, ran his heart out, made one great tackle in the RB spot. At one point Hunt had the ball and CA must have run 30 yards screaming for the ball and was fed perfectly by Hunt. Good cross too but another chance went begging. One tiny mistake when caught flat-footed by an excellent reverse pass by Marek. My MoM 9.1

Thought Rosey was at least solid throughout but in the second half got to the byline a few times, good crosses went begging. I'd score him at least a 7

CBs solid again but they play the safety ball into touch too readily when sometime they have time for a ball up int the channels. 2 x 7

Marek is real class and if he can get an extended run should eventually have the team purring like a rolls. He made a few wayward passes but many very VERY good ones. His corners are superb 8

Can't remember much about Cissee, just his solid self with the odd caught out positionally moment. I think both him and Marek were wrong side once or twice

Kebe was decent without being quite so flamboyant. He looks like he's been told to tone it down a bit. I only remember one miscontrol and he took the goal very very well

Disagree on HUNT. His play was excellent, full of fire and passion and tackling back, worked well with CA etc. Unfortunately his final ball was just not good enough, too many gifted to the keeper. Apart from his crosses I'd've given him an 8. But they drop him to 6.5

Doyle was OK but didn't look "lethal". Might have done better with the shot that I think the keeper got a foot to. 7



Shane had a GREAT game, worked hard, challenged, chased. Got to the byline a few times and got his crosses away (all good I think) 9


I thought we looked stronger and more up for it when Bikey came on

[Ian Royal]

The more I read about Marek's performances the more I think a 3 man central midfield involving him, Harper and an enforcer (like Cisse or Gunnarsson) would be outstanding in this division. With quality wide forwards capable of scoring goals (SHunt, NHunt, Henry, Tabb and maybe Kebe) it shouldn't reduce our goal threat from reducing to only one striker.

Sadly the earliest we'll see it is next season.