Tom Cleverley’s post-match reaction to our 4-1 win at Home Park was despondent, as they made it three without a win.
Having recently rubbed shoulders with the likes of Middlesbrough and Leeds United, they’re now struggling to find a rhythm against Lincoln City. Yesterday, Cleverly felt a good start was undone by their own hand, rather than ours.
“It was a strong performance first half, which has been quite consistent of us getting on the front foot and being really aggressive and intense,” he said.
“We knew the threat they have from set plays and we didn’t deal with it anywhere near well enough today, in both halves.
“The disappointing thing for me is second half we came completely away from what has made us successful recently. That is to be a little bit more vertical, a little bit more forward-thinking, maybe a little bit more direct at times.
“The structure we do that from is really key to it and we completely came away from that. We were playing in such an open shape and then playing purposeless passes along the back line, creating turnover moments like their second goal.”
The second came from us turning over the ball high, and then doing what we do best, sweeping from one side to the other and back again, for Reeco to finish comfortably.
That goal did kill them off, while at 1-1 it felt finely balanced, we were able to shift a gear, while Plymouth, who have been on a great run up un til the last few games, curled up and almost admitted defeat.
“We are absolutely crippled by injuries at the minute, seven or eight starters. It seems like every time someone scores a goal for this football club they are injured the next game,” add Cleverly, referencing Bim Pepple, who came off after a clash of heads.
“But the reason I’m so angry is because I know the players coming in can deliver what we want. Today, it was a real swerve away from our game plan and our success from recent weeks.
“We can’t have that because, in the second half, we certainly looked like the team that you saw in August and October rather than the team you have seen in December and January. First half, I thought we were more than their match and probably edged it,”
Cleverley’s assessment also centred on how Argyle reacted once the balance of the match shifted. He pointed to body language and in-game setbacks, suggesting they knocked his side off course, with our efficiency in those moments making the difference
However, it’s always interesting to see the other side of the coin. When you’re assessing your own side, it is easy to see the negatives, but there were positives for Plymouth. For the first 45 minutes, they looked a decent outfit, despite having four centre-backs across the defence, and missing key players further forwards.
In his post-match interview, Michael Skubala paid tribute to the Pilgrims, who have now conceded seven in two matches against the Imps, and lost three in a row at Home Park when we have visited.
“They’re a good team and a big side,” he said. “This club is a great club, with amazing fans who support the team. The last 15 games. Tom has really got them winning, and you can see how hard they are to play against. I keep saying there is no easy game in this league.”
Usually, it is we who start fast, but Plymouth did the same, and the first half was engrossing. Michael felt the club’s preparation, which saw them travel to Bath on Thursday, train and stay in a hotel, before heading to Plymouth on Friday, helped in terms of energy in the latter stages.
“If you don’t start fast, you’re not on it, or you don’t make the right decisions and stay disciplined, you can get hurt. We had to weather that, which I’m really proud of.
“We also had to travel, and the way we’ve travelled over the last two days makes a difference at this level. Little details behind the scenes can make a difference to what we’re trying to do.
“In the last 20 minutes we still had energy in our legs to see it out, and all those little things make a difference. It was a really good performance.”
After tough looking back-to-back away matches against sides who should probably be doing better, City now face a home game against a side doing very well indeed. Bolton Wanderers are six points behind City, having played a game more, but come to the Bank unbeaten in six, with four wins from four in recent matches, albeit all by a single goal and three of which were at home.