Sinking without Trace?

Sheffield Wednesday 2 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

So, hands up who had resigned themselves to relegation? Enjoying the wins, though few and far between, but really don't get surprised at a loss? Has the losing mentality become the norm? It seems so when you watch some of the players at work, and certainly in the crowd's reaction to their "work". One signing in the transfer window that closes tomorrow, a goal keeper none the less to replace a goal keeper we let go because we didn't need another one (huh?). So we are looking at the team that will take us to the end of the season and through the toughest few months in recent years, not least March which sees a plethora of matches augmented by the rearranged postponements. Nothing to get really excited with as the Greens look unlikely to ever breakout of the drop zone.

Do my Own Eyes Deceive me?

Plymouth Argyle 1 - 0 Derby City

A win? You wot? Sure? Yes, a win at Home Park against Derby, probably an extraordinary feat in days like this. Though as usual it wasn't a pretty display, and their is still a long way to go, but it's the result that counts, which lifts the Greens one more place to the top of the drop zone. Apparently, Warnock left his scouting report by accident in the changing room last week, which details the teams weaknesses in minute detail. Whether that was deliberate or not, it hasn't been acted upon yet, with players' weaknesses still in evidence. Plus, with Palace going into administration, the 10 point deduction will place them a few points off Argyle, though as they've fallen from the top of the table, they should pick up points from the remaining games to pull away again.

P-P Again

Due to the woeful state of the pitch, the Barnsley game has been postponed for the second time, meaning this is the 3rd cancelled fixture and no football today in Plymouth, and with the other teams playing and pulling away, the Greens are coming further adrift. It also puts the game on Tuesday against derby in doubt. Though this weekend's weather has been good so far to dry it out, considering the state of the pitch last Saturday will not be easy to rectify by Tuesday. Barnsley must be fuming.

Normal Service Has Resumed

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Crystal Palace

How tedious, that normal service has been resumed at Home Park with a loss on a quagmire of a pitch, when including the FA Cup game, no goals have been scored since the flash in the pan of Reading and Cardiff. There's really nothing much to be said that hasn't been said already, so you can be spared any moaning. For now.

Gary

I have a friend who used to be quite an ardent Argyle fan. But not any more. He hasn't set foot inside Home Park for years. On the occasions we have discussed this his reason has been twofold. Namely, that they don't come and see him when he is bad, and that the good players are always being sold off. So, New World, as you supposedly want to know why the Plymouth public don't give a crap, here's your answer. Now what are you going to do about it?

Bye Bye Cup

Newcastle 3 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

No surprise there really.

Extinction

So the transfer embargo was a symptom of something much more deeply worrying - that Argyle had received a winding up order. What the heck has happened? From being a celebrated financially stable club that wouldn't throw pence at a tin of paint for fear of being in the red to one that was on the verge of being extinct within at most a year? Seeing especially as the takeover happened very recently, which was meant to give the club a firmer foundation. So what has happened to all the so called money? The tangible answer lays in the big squad with players paid stupid prices for not even getting a sniff at playing, let alone getting into the car park. But this cannot be all. No wonder Argyle desperately wanted people to stop buying Dewdney's pasties, if the catering is going to make up some of the short fall. But apparently this is ancient history (if a few weeks can be ancient) and nothing to worry about. Like fuck it is - there will always be a 'what if' element.

P-P

By now it should have been 35 minutes into the first half of QPR v Argyle at Loftus Road. Instead of shivering in the School End, the Green Army are shivering at home, in the pub or out shopping due to the postponement of the game because of safety. In fact across the whole country this weekend only a handful of games are going ahead because of Mother Nature.

Such postponement will affect Argyle two fold - on the one hand Mariner hasn't been able to train the players properly this week and thus will get extra time before the Cup tie on Wednesday (assuming that's happening). However the momentum built up during Christmas risks being slowed or halted, QPR (now) are fairly weak, however come the replay, with dealings in the window, they may be riding high. Also due to the Cup replay, the Barnsley game is also being moved. This does give us 2 games in hand (though most clubs this weekend will have some games in hand too), hopefully to cash in at the right time.

Nobargo

The Embargo has been lifted, so on with the show!

In the Bleak Midwinter

Bloody snow, makes everything slow down or stop. Not much different to Home Park really. The transfer embargo STILL hasn't been lifted, meaning that the debt hasn't be paid as promised. Good players are being sold off or loaned out because of the need to get some capital and personal gripes and the club can't even organise selling tickets properly meaning the "sell out" verses Newcastle wasn't really a sell out and people left because of the queues.

But on a brighter side, the 0-0 has forced the Greens into the draw for the FA Cup 4th round, meaning another long ol poke up north on a Wednesday night, meaning that the rescheduled Barnsley game will need to be rescheduled again. Mind you as it's going with the weather QPR on Saturday may be in doubt too as clubs are racking up the postponements.

New Year, Old Crap

Roll up Roll up to the great Argyle Give Away, players going at a fraction of the cost you'd get elsewhere! 4 players have gone, including Seip on a season loan to the Blades, meaning that he (like I predicted) will never get near a green shirt again. It appears that the decision to oust him as come from boardroom to changing room, so what has gone so wrong there, especially as Mariner said he would judge players individually but never saw him play. Next to the door: Mackie.

The transfer embargo has not been lifted despite assurances that the debts would be paid off, meaning the Greens can sign no one. So yet another load of hot air from those in charge about a situation (lack of money) that has been seen before.

What other deja vue moments can we expect in the next few weeks. Maybe start with crashing out of the cup tomorrow?