Oh Shut Up!

I'm fed up of hearing people tell me that the next game is 'must win' or 'massive'. I mean, come on, state the fucking obvious, but ffs how many games have been 'massive' or 'must win' and how many have been lost?

Who didn't see that one Coming?

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 2 Blackpool

Really? Who didn't think that something like that would happen? The old two-faced weasel slimeball Judas Hollowords Holloway (TM) returns to the club he shafted and caused their current demise, to fuck them over again. Or rather that the same old Argyle are too bloody inconsistent and that's why they're going down. A very unexpected win last Tuesday that brought the 'told you so bashers' out of the woodwork and reignited the push for survival should really have spelled the forecast for the dismal performance played out again on Saturday. Suffice to say that the Holloway saga should hopefully once and for all be dead and buried; there are more recent and more bigger fish to blame.

I didn't bet on Argyle

Ipswich 0 - 2 Plymouth Argyle

What are they trying to do to the Green Army - make us insane? This is the trouble with Argyle - far too much inconsistancy. After last Saturday's result most people had made up their mind about relegation and here we are again with a glimmer of hope. The corpse is not quite dead yet. Whether to get excited about this or not is a tough one - do you build dreams on poor foundations, settle for something held up with gaffer tape or admire the hole in the ground? I don't really know what to think.
And i missed out on a tenner for the win. Bloody typical.

In related news - 20:32 FFS Spurs!
21:03 - get in!

I lost a bet on Argyle

Scunthorpe 2 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Stupid mate talked me into another bet on Argyle ("It's a fair bet, I reckon Argyle could do them" - yeah right and I told him so and actually I never remember shaking on it). So now having been relieved of £20 for the second time this weekend I am no longer accepting any bets on the Greens.

Surely that's it now? There can be no coming back, no more chances for false dawns. A condemned team limping through the motions for another months and a bit. tonight most of the Green Army have consigned the team to League One, but more perversely are looking forward to it! How can CCL1 be better than CCC? Consolidation and rebuilding? Hmm, possibly but more likely big losses of revenue and any hope of decent players could see a prolonged spell. I have pointed out Leeds' situation several times as an example of how such a drop does not mean instant success, though Leicester and Norwich managed it. Argyle is a mess off the pitch as well as on it. There is little to say that the Pilgrims will storm League One at all. The green tints have got new greener tinted glasses already.

I Won a Bet on Argyle!

Plymouth Argyle 3 - 2 Bristol City

A rare victory in the Argyle derby game saw me finally win a £10 bet (though Swindon had to win as well). Although once again the Greens took their eye of the game at 2-0 up in order to allow Bristol to come back and equalise, a third goal was forthcoming to claim the three points that now put the Pilgrims 4 points off safety. Hurrah for the win, boo for the lack of concentration. The game has opened up the gulf between the Larrieu and Stockdale brigades as to who is the better keeper. The Pro-Ros citing Stocky's give away goals and mistakes in the past few months, whilst the Stockers cite his better kicking and shot stopping. But like the wind the Green Army will always change their minds: Ro, Luke, David... Get him out! The other can always do better. And Wright-Philips finally got a chance to prove himself and scored a fantastic overhead goal. He'll be dropped by Saturday.

Going through the Motions

Coventry 1 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

So near, so far, all within a few minutes. 3 points and it would have been promotion push, but a draw and it's still trap door drop. A draw against Coventry used to be a good result, but no longer. Differing opinions of the game put Argyle on the edge to take Coventry, whilst others state a once more poor performance. Once again nothing new to say here.

Selling Home Park

To yourself after announcing a loss of over £2million this year. Argyle were always hailed as being the club always in the black but for the last few years even that accolade has disappeared with year on year losses announced every year. (Go on, blame the public for not going, you know you want to). And so to clear some debt Home Park is to "sold" to PAFC Holdings. This comes alongside 90,000 shares in Argyle being sold for £22.22 per share.

Creative accountancy aimed at [quote] "reducing debt levels in PAFC and thus strengthening its balance sheet. In addition, they should provide a basis for commercial property and development finance to be raised in order to develop the stadium in support of the club's ambitions, as well as Plymouth's support for England's bid to host the 2018/2022 World Cup." While Rome burns, the World Cup bid is still foremost in the board's eyes?

Ditto

QPR 2 - 0 Plymouth Argyle

Nothing more to add really, just take the match reactions from the last year and put them together as nothing has changed. A totally toothless display last night with nothing positive to say - same problems, same strange team selection, same result.
When does it become mathematically impossible? Must be very very soon.

Budget Cuts?

Have the budgets been cut so much at Argyle that the team are only paid for half a match? The past few matches the Greens haven't turned up till around half time, by which time they're usually trailing by at least one goal. Fortunately they now have the werewithall to come back from being behind, but draws are no good when 7 points adrift. At the moment the necessary wins are not on the horizon, and with a 50% reduction in team peformances, they're not even over the horizon. Sturrock - whoops - Mariner's starting XI is pointed at as a cause, being some what negative in selection, when it has been obvious that his later substitutions have turned the game. What is the reason for not starting with likes of Bolaise and Noone, and players in their correct position. And Fallon. Bolaise did not even feature on the subs bench. PNE could have so easily gone in for the kill after their goal, and it was only a penalty that saved the point for Argyle, especially with Fallon's botched efforts. How long do we wait for the fat lady?

Ee-By-Eckersley

How northern can you get? Roll Victoria Wood and Corrie in to one, and you can come up with Argyle's new 20 year old, month-long, emergency loanee, Richard Eckersley. A versatile back player that Mariner has signed, even though he admitted to Sir Gordon of Sparkshire that he has only seen him play ONCE and taken the lad on advice of other football insiders. Now watch him keel over in the car park and go injured for the whole month with a twisted ankle. Looking at him - is the Chadwick in disguise?

One Foot in the Grave

This week saw the sad loss of Argyle's greatest followers and as well as an upstanding polititian. Michael Foot passed away at the age of 96 after years of faithful service to the Greens and to the country. Many fans have described how he used to be the Pied Piper of away games, with a queue of green, white or black shirts following him around foreign towns and cities to the match, or enjoying a pint or ten with the man. Off the pitch Michael was then a radical man, and a left wing rebel, enjoying a spell as leader of the House of Commons during Callaghan's tenure as PM and has even been hailed by Margaret Thatcher as "a great parliamentarian and a man of principles". RIP Michael.

One Step Forward...

Sheffield United 4 - 3 Plymouth Argyle

The reason given by many for being at the wrong end of the league table was the inability to score goals. Well that's been taken care of, no one can doubt that 3 goals in one game, and at least one goal in every recent game is marvellous seeing as they were a rare sight this season. So now how come the Greens are scoring but still losing? The obvious reason is the inability to keep a clean sheet and conceding sloppy goals. Therefore Mariner and Carver's next point to address is the sloppy defending that is letting the opposition through like a sieve. Stupid mistakes by all, coupled with poor starts that look like the team are tired before they've even started, are now glaringly obvious.

Argyle are advancing along the road to improvement, but the going is slow. The road ends in a few months, and the sufficient improvement to be keeping on the A roads is still a far way off. Next season on the B roads is still looking a real possibility.

Whata Mistakea to Makea

Plymouth Argyle 1 - 1 Leicester City

Another 2 points lost at home and through a stupid mistake again. This time though, an own goal. Argyle did well to fight back from being 0-1 behind, as they have done so over the past few games, but to go 0-1 behind due to your own player finding your own net is pathetic. It is stupid mistakes that have caused the Greens to lose so many points this season, that what could have been a home victory and 3 very valuable points is galling. However, things seem to have changed for the good at Home Park, the wherewithal to come back in games is now evident, when before conceding a goal would have made game over. There is still a long way to go.

Elvis has left the Building

Ex Argyle physio Paul Maxwell has finally left the club following a suspension shrouded in mystery and rumour. Maxwell was suspended by the club at the beginning of the season around the same time as players were falling out of favour like flies, and lead to rumours that Maxi had let his mouth run free, upsetting Sturrock. Some will say good riddance to a bad apple, but 18 years of service is nothing to be sneezed at.

Swan Song

Plymouth Argyle 1 - 1 Swansea City

The revival continues.
The dire crap continues.

Tuesday's game was one of two view points - the first half saw the same old rubbish served up by Argyle that led to some leaving earlier, however by the end of the second half the Green revival was still in full swing as a penalty was awarded, missed, retaken, missed and scored on the rebound. Though the point did little for league position, it was better than none at all. The views coming out of Home Park by the Green Army have varied in the extreme in recent years and depending on your tint, this game was a real splitter, especially after the win the previous game. False dawn or renewed hope? It's just too much!

2 years, 49 days

Barnsley 1 - 3 Plymouth Argyle

The amount of time since Argyle came back from being behind to win (Boxing Day 2007). What a statistic! And who would really have thought that it would have been broken today? Such wins are a fantastic celebration amongst the grim reality, however it will be a chance for the warring fractions of green and brown tints to lock horns again and many punches will be thrown along with name calling ("you're not a proper fan"), coupled with the fact that Fallon finally found the net, some serious muck slinging will be going on.

The win currently puts the Greens now 6 places off Reading (them being out of action in the FA Cup today), which seems not so much of an insurmountable gap any more. The next game is at Home verses Swansea on Tuesday, followed by Leicester. As the home form is currently abysmal, what pray will the gods of football bring Argyle's way?

Don't Stop Believing

Some will win, some will lose,
Some were born to sing the blues.
Oh the movie never ends,
It goes on and on and on and on.

To quote Journey/Glee. Of course Mariner ain't going to say 'that's all folks', but blind faith isn't going to help, getting a dose of reality and doing something about the problems might. The Herald reported that the fans' consensus is the club is doomed, and the inevitability of League One has set in with people making plans to visit old haunts and (God spare us) stand on terraces (I might piss myself at the excitement).

Consolidate and rebuild in League One. With even less money than now - look at Leeds, an even bigger club than Argyle, and they're only just coming back out. Haven't we heard that before, practically every season has been a 'consolidate and rebuild' season, yet consolidation hasn't happened and lessons haven't be learned. What makes people say that will change?

But there is still a minuscule ray of hope, though it is fading fast.

Hanging by a Thread

Reading 2 - 1 Plymouth Argyle

Well that's it really, 9 points adrift from the safe zone and no prospect of winning sufficient games to make up the required amount of points. Besides you need goals to win and that ain't going to happen, and every other team needs to lose and that's not likely either.

There was hope as the Greens clawed an equaliser, but the last minute penalty put paid to that. Controversial it may have been, but why ever get into a position where one could be given in the first place? Poor play, which as basically been the club's problem since Sturrock came back. And now Mariner's glasses have acquired a green tint as he insists every thing's OK (all right it's not mathematically impossible yet), he even sounds like Sturrock on his interviews!

Sir Roy, the man who never fails is fast sliding back to oblivion. The brave New World have said little about the club's plight now they've secured the World Cup bid, once again there's no money and a transfer window squandered. Blame the stay-aways is the cry - but with a team and management that has been seen before, really, who can blame them?

Handbags at 30 paces

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 West Bromwich Albion

Did any really expect anything to come out of the WBA game pointage wise? Though the game was very entertaining, plus the scuffle at the end provides an interesting talking point - did it show team solidarity or poor discipline? Whilst the fighting spirit can be good - a solid team effort on the field showing that there is some breath in the old dog called Argyle even if it doesn't produce results - or are tempers boiling over because the corpse is DOA already?

Football is a results business and without them we'll be saluting at the Mayflower sinks to League One come May. There is no reward for a gutsy performance, though that's part of the battle. Stuck to 23rd place, 4 points off Reading, it's a bleak outlook, as even if a wining streak is forthcoming, everyone else has to go on a losing streak. And life ain't that kind.

Closed for Business

The transfer window has closed and Argyle have managed to sign a grand total of 3 loanees, Stockdale, Cooper and Johnson. International players, good prospects. Proof of the pudding in the eating. Meanwhile, in the opposite direction, some of the 'dead wood' has been shifted.