The next match has soon come around and this time it's Barnet lying in mid table currently. Despite Saturday we are still No. 1 and regardless of the result of this one will still be in that place at the end of this match. The "what could possibly go wrong" thing went wrong in the last game. Was it a blip or is it the start of something worse is what everyone is now asking. We have had some injuries around this and the squad is not looking so full as it did a week or two ago. I still think the squad is strong enough to withstand this and still think the last game was not the start of something worse. Barnet have had a reasonable run over the last 5 games having put together an unbeaten run. So they are not without form themselves. Not 100% sure but I think our record at Home Park against Barnet is a decent one and they aren't one of the boggie sides. Yet. The weather today has been disgusting. The pitch though drains really well now so am expecting a bit of a paddle to get into the park from Barn Park entrance but not a soggy mess inside the ground. The forcast tomorrow is for more rain but nowhere near as bad. Hopefully it won't be a wet shirt night. I think Argyle can win this one.
Sh*t ref to end all sh*t refs seems to be a factor. Luke fouled for first, penalty on Jervis ignored, 2ND goal offside after Songo'o fouled. All absolutely impartial of course. Yet another conceded another from a corner though...
Probably deserved more again from what I've read but goals conceded from a corner and a breakaway just like Saturday. Whilst we hope both are OK, we can't rely on Brunt and Spencer recovering. A striker is needed in Jan. Maybe a full back with some pace too.
'2-0 to the referee , 2-0 to the referee' repeat ad finitum. Argyle came away pointless and goal less for the second time in 4 days, and for the second time in four days we probably didn't deserve to lose by that margin. Barnet started the brighter and for the first few minutes it looked like we were struggling to play, despite an immaculate pitch showing no ill effects from the recent deluges. Only seven minutes had elapsed when we were one behind. Minutes earlier the ref had blown up for a foul in the penalty box during a Barnet corner-unfortunately he didn't see fit to do the same this time. I am not a fan of giving too much protection to the keeper, but a combination of their attackers and our defenders meant Luke couldn't get anywhere near the ball and it landed rather tamely in the net. In fairness to Argyle they reacted well and once again played some really good football-Jervis was outstanding down the right and Carey as always looked a class apart. That said, the closest we came to a goal was when a shot thundered against the crossbar. The ref was once again centre of attention when he failed to give what looked like a nailed on penalty as Jervis was hacked down. Block 11 was not the best view for the incident but it looked like a good shout to me. He further incensed the crowd minutes later when a long range shot was clearly deflected over the bar but he inexplicably gave a goal kick and must have the only person in HP not to see the deflection (well, apart from the linesmen but they were so equally useless as not to be worth a mention). Argyle huffed and puffed for the rest of the half, leaving time at the end for the ref to make his final blunder of the half. Songo (I think) was clearly fouled just inside his own half and most of the argyle players stopped (schoolboy error I know) but Barnet played the ball through to their attacker who looked to be clearly offside, the lino wasn't watching again and a one on one with Luke resulted in 0-2. Despite plenty of time wasting the ref only found 2 mins of extra time. Argyle came out of the traps for the second half clearly looking for an early goal; a fantastic point blank save by their keeper kept their goal intact and Argyle gradually ran out of steam and ideas. Barnet were very 'professional' , wasting time at throw ins and goal kicks and breaking up play with a string of fouls- they also defended very well and always carried an attacking threat. DA made various changes, not sure I understood the rationale behind them all and we ended up with Goodwilly, Slew, Garita all up front and Jervis at right back......but still couldn't score. So in the final analysis what do I make of it? Not entirely sure. Had decisions gone the other way we could have easily have won or at least got a point. Have the wheels come off ? I don't think so - there was plenty of good football and 'nearly' moments , especially in the first half, to maintain optimism and we are still 7 clear of 4th . Jervis deservedly won the MOTM and Carey & Fox played okay. I want Goodwilly to do well, but at the moment he looks like an amateur. Very little stuck to Garita and the back four still don't inspire confidence. At least we are away on Saturday which could see an upturn in fortunes....
I'm not going to argue with any of that lyndhurst. I know I go on about Referees a lot and say this one or that one is the worst I've seen but it will take some performance to beat tonight's. He was worse than shocking. Akinde or whatever his name is litterally pushed Luke over for that corner. It was so blatant it was difficult for the man on duty on the Tamar bridge not to have seen it. The lino who was supposed to look of course saw nothing either. The second goal was a minimum of 2 yards offside. It wasn't difficult to spot. The man offside was a fecking big unit and he was wearing white on a green background. It was again worse than shocking as a decision. The Jervis shout was as nailed on as a penalty as I've seen. How the Ref could not give it feck knows. The man is not fit to cover any other match and should be thrown out of football for his incompetence. I am going to blame the Referee and his co-horts for this defeat. We should have had 3 points tonight and got nothing.
Yes a mate texted me at half time and said the ref was effing rubbish.. Perhaps he does not like devon or the weather here.. How do these people become so useless at the job? then get away with it? surely some bufffoon in charge looks at this? Perhaps mr Brent needs to get an envelope ready? Move on still on top,,
The referee is FROM North Devon and qualified as a Football League ref only a year ago. Twiitter was awash with allegations he's variously not an Argyle fan to categorical statements from people who claim to know him that he has at times frequented St James Park. I can't possibly say if that's correct but the universal opinion of the reasonable number of people that Tweet from Home Park was that he wasn't just bad but the worst ever seen, which is saying something. Several amateur commentators were addressing their comments directly to the @FA as well as to #pafc but fat lot of good that will do. I can't speak personally about last night but I do agree with Sensible about Saturday's game. Yes, we lost 0-3 but actually played some decent stuff. We gave their defence problems and there were a lot of attempts which petered out at the last minute, shots blocked, killer passes millimetres astray etc etc which don't really show in the stats. We haven't scored in 2 but our ongoing problems are more at the back where we give away too many unnecessary goals. If we as fans don't start to believe it's a crisis, it won't transmit to the players and it isn't a crisis. I do think though that we need to bring in another "leader of the line" type of striker when the window opens. We can't rely on Brunt and Spencer being back soon although we hope they will be of course. Also, I'd look at another full back. Sawyer is presently out after an operation, so the same argument applies, we are short of pace at the back and I'm not totally confident in Miller. And of course we need to renew the loans of Sawyer and Garita...
I have been reading the on-line comments....which do at times make you wonder if they have all been at the same game as each other. Total agreement by most that the Referee played a blinder.....emphasis on the blind bit seems to be relevent ....and no intervention from his linesmen in any of the actions that led up to both goals....were 95% of those attending totally green tinted Argyle blind supporters ? A lot of head scratching about team selection and subbing by the comments I have read. 1.....Goodwillie was mentioned by many....that he isn't a lone striker player type. 2.....Jervis was by far man of the match. 3.....Yet he and Carey end up playing full back roles for the last 20 mins. 4.....Derek Adams hasn't worked out how to play at home...what system to use or a successful plan B or C when needed. 5.....The realization that Jimmy Spence was doing a great job...now he is out injured it is noticeable. 6.....Agreement that we are desperate for a quick winger...Gregg Wilde mentioned. 7.....Question marks regarding our defence and defending far post crosses being poor. 8.....Luke McCormick being at fault in recent games...even though he has saved his first penalty for yongs. 9.....Depending too much on Carey always having to play well for us to win.....the man needs a rest. 10...A captain needs to be an out-field player not a goalkeeper has also been mentioned as well. It was bad luck that Saturdays defeat was followed by another home game so soon.....most managers would relish the opportunity to get back to winning ways so soon....but home games can be an achilles heel for Argyle....lost three at home now.... goals for ziltch...goals against eight...that is an awful statistic. Away on Saturday to Morecambe should be just what the doctor ordered.....they and Exeter have appalling home records....lets do the business then away.....If we don't then last years slump might be coming a little earlier this season.... and we will need some serious January work done by Adams in the transfer market....at least a Striker (that can score goals) and a quicky down the wing. PS.....just read your post before this one notDistant......Tanner is who you meant not Sawyer.
Whilst sitting in Waitrose coffee shop in Sevenoaks today after a walk through Knole Park ....I was supping a nice bowl of soup ( as you do) and by chance picked up a Sun Newspaper from a nearby table (if that's the right word for it)....there was a write up on the Barnet game...obviously a London edition and though praising Barnet's win they did mention the animosity towards the Referee and some of his decisions especially around the play prior to both goals....interesting.
It's quite simple with the "goals". For the first one Mac was litterally pushed over by Akinde. It wasn't even subtle. Everyone was waiting for the whistle and the Ref to point to the free kick. When he didn't there was a stunned disbelief. For the second one Songo'o was flattened just about on the halfway line. The Barnet player went right through him. Nothing from the Ref who just waved it all on. The ball was played through to Akinde who was at least 2 yards offside. The lino wasn't even looking I think and just ran down the line with his flag down. The silence was deafening and then they errupted. I have never heard so many people singing at the Ref about not being fit for anything. Then the cheat chants started. He was boo'd off at halftime and boo'd back on in the second half. I would not have been surprised if somebody hadn't run on the pitch and had a real go at him. He was worse than shocking and looked like he had just stepped out of the crowd and was given the whistle. The FA would have been looking at this if it was a prem game and the papers would have had it all over the front page never mind a small mention on the back somewhere. They would have been showing this from all angles on Sky. But never mind it's only league 2 afterall. The Argyle players looked completely deflated and as if they had given up. And why not because there was no way this man was going to give us anything at all. He knew it, they knew it and so did the crowd. My Mrs has a theory that there is a load of corruption in football with games. I tell her there probably isn't but when you see games like this one it is hard to defend that opinion. It looked worse than dodgy. Do I think this game was one of those games Hmmmm!!!! well shall we say there would be no shock if it came up at some point in the future in a trail.
