Roughly £4.9million received in player sales. Only £1.5million spent. When I mused in previous blogs that, despite the gloomy outlook, Plymouth Argyle might end the January transfer window with a stronger squad than they began it, I was possibly being a little over-optimistic.
Of course, money isn't everything, and the cut-price signings we have made could easily prove to be better than the players sold. But Argyle seemed to lose out to their Championship rivals on so many big targets this month, it almost became a cruel joke. Preston signed both Aberdeen right-back Michael Hart and Oldham’s highly-rated centre-half Neal Trotman. Talented Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Glenn Whelan, who many felt would be a strong replacement for Argyle’s departing David Norris, has instead joined Stoke.
Sheffield United defender Leigh Bromby went to Watford, although for an inflated price of £600,000 (which could rise to £850,000). The £400,000 bid Paul Sturrock tabled for the right-back seemed reasonable, but clearly those kind of offers are not enough to secure the kind of players who can secure Argyle a play-off place, when competing against a relegated Premiership club who have ridiculously huge parachute payments to call on.
Much of Luggy’s wheeling and dealing has indeed been attempting to sign a right-sided full-back to provide competition for Paul Connolly, who has pretty much had the run of the role since David Worrell left in 2005. There is a groundswell of opinion among Argyle fans that Connolly is one of the weaker links in the team, and that, at least, further options in that position would be welcome, particularly after the sale of the versatile youngster Dan Gosling to Everton. However, it seems efforts to secure this have been unsuccessful.
Left-back has been another problem position, with Lee Hodges ageing and technically deficient despite his boundless, admirable commitment. Youth product Gary Sawyer, who looked towards the end of 2006-7, has not progressed as hoped this season, with many believing he is more at home in the crowded centre-back position. Luggy moved yesterday to strengthen here, with Motherwell’s Jim Paterson coming in for a reported £250,000. This looks a good signing and, with Paterson apparently good going forward as well as defending, Peter Halmosi can expect increased support down an already dangerous and potent left side.
Norris, of course, has gone, with Argyle eventually receiving £1.25million of Ipswich’s £2million fee, thanks to the Tractor Boys’ close ties with Bolton, who originally held a 50% sell-on clause on the player. This seems a reasonable return with the player out of contract in eighteen months – he’d never have signed another one, and his value in the summer would have been lower. The question now is whether any of the three new midfield recruits – Chris Clark, Yoann Folly, or the currently imjured loanee Gyorgy Sandor – can adequately replace Norris. Clark looks the most likely, with a goal and some impressive performances already under his belt. If Sturrock prefers the Scot in the centre, Nadjim Abdou could return to a right-sided role.
Up front, the pressure is all on Steve McLean, already appreciated by many fans, despite his penalty miss in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at Ipswich. This result was an odd one, with the hosts dominating, but Argyle having a great chance to win it. McLean will be expected to pick up Sylvan Ebanks-Blake’s goalscoring mantle, although it remains to be seen whether big man Rory Fallon or the pacy, improving Jermaine Easter will partner him. Personally I’d like to see the two smaller, skilful players in tandem, but it seems unlikely – Luggy likes a target man and a goalscorer.
Tommorrow the Pilgrims face Hull, in a game which - and I can not stress this enough - we simply MUST win to stay in touch with the play-off hunt. Having beaten the Tigers twice this season already this should be more than possible. If not we’ll have to start looking over our shoulder – four points behind the top six, we’re also only ten points ahead of the bottom three…
RICH PARTINGTON
Showing posts with label Norris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Norris. Show all posts
Friday, 1 February 2008
Monday, 28 January 2008
Pride at Pompey, intrigue at Ipswich
These are odd times at Plymouth Argyle, and I’m struggling to decide whether excitement or despondency is the appropriate attitude to take with regards to the remaining three months of the season. Perhaps tommorrow night’s play-off battle with Ipswich will provide us with some answers.
January must this far be regarded as a poor month for Argyle, with unrest in the dressing room, top players leaving, and a run of disappointing league results which has seen the Pilgrims drop from 5th to 11th. Indeed, we are without a league win in four matches, a run which stretches back to the Boxing Day victory over QPR, and Argyle’s last victory outside of Devon was the 1-0 success at Watford on December 15.
In addition, our two top scorers, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Barry Hayles, have been sold to Championship rivals Wolves and Leicester, with the third highest marksman, midfielder David Norris, looking likely to depart in the coming days – probably either to Leicester or tommorrow’s opponents.
The possibility of Norris heading to Suffolk seemed to increase with today’s announcement that he will take no part in the Ipswich tie. Paul Sturrock and the player have apparently come to this decision after much discussion at today’s training session, with Luggy saying:
"Disappointingly, there has been a lot of media coverage from a team that is very interested in David.
"I don’t think he would be mentally attuned to the tussle and I don’t think it would be fair of me to allow people to put the microscope on him. Every bad pass or mistake that he made would be highlighted."
This seems strange in some ways, given that the one thing rarely questioned of Norris is his unswerving commitment. It is still possible that he could remain with Argyle, but given his roots in Peterborough, within an hour of Ipswich, and his undoubted ambition to play top-flight football, the only way this will realistically happen is if the Tractor Boys cannot meet Argyle’s valuation. The situation is complicated by the sell-on clause negotiated by Bolton Wanderers when selling Norris to Argyle, which means they receive half of any fee. Even if Ipswich boss Jim Magilton caves in and offers a reasonable £2.5million, Plymouth would only collect £1.25m of the money.
Argyle’s hopes going into the trip to 8th-place Town have been further dashed by the injury to stalwart centre-half Marcel Seip, which also kept the Dutchman out of Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup Fourth Round loss at Portsmouth.
‘The Dockyard Derby’ defeat, although initially disappointing, may eventually be seen as a blessing. Chris Clark’s early debut goal gave Argyle a real chance of shocking their Premiership hosts, and the pride and positive media coverage garnered from an unjust cup exit should boost morale in players and supporters alike.
Clark, a versatile Scottish attacking midfielder signed from Aberdeen a fortnight ago to little acclaim from the Green Army, could be another Sturrock find, and his fellow transfer window signing Yoann Folly has a chance to prove himself tommorrow night, replacing Norris. His eye-catching cameo role in the home draw with Southampton last week promised much.
Indeed, Sturrock has been putting the £4million received for the four players sold in January to good use, picking up talented players for low fees. This is his blueprint; hungry, committed players, moulded into a tight-knit, effective unit with flashes of flair. Clark cost £200k, and strikers Jermaine Easter from Wycombe and Jamie Mackie from Exeter were £210k and £145k respectively. Folly was free from Sheffield Wedneday, and Hungarian international midfielder Gyorgy Sandor became the latest arrival last week, the 23-year-old joining on loan from Ujpest in a similar buy-later deal which previously secured Krisztian Timar and Peter Halmosi. The ‘cherry on the cake’, as Luggy would say, was the club record £500k capture of striker Steve McLean from Cardiff.
The quality obviously present in this collection suggests that, with or without Norris, Argyle’s personnel may actually be of a higher standard at the end of the transfer window than when it began. This assertion could be shored up with a couple more bargains. Leigh Bromby from Sheffield United is a reported £400,000 target, and with the right-back area an Argyle weakness for several years, he’d be a shrewd acquisition. Rumours also abound of a bid for Oldham’s highly-rated centre-half Neal Trotman, now a real possibility after their ejection from the FA Cup at the hands of Huddersfield.
And Sturrock has said he wants another striker – could this be Derek Riordan, the Celtic man Argyle (or, at least, the Green Army) have allegedly coveted for more than a year? Probably not, as Burnley are currently the only club known to have made a bid, and the Celts are keen to sign Clarets striker Kyle Lafferty, so a swap deal looks on the cards.
Sturrock has made a habit, unlike Magilton, of keeping most of his transfer targets quiet, information sometimes only surfacing hours before an official announcement. So there may be some surprises in the coming days.
The eventual denouement of all this is that, after a tough four weeks, Argyle can go into February full of optimism and with a squad who are capable of relaunching a play-off charge, despite the current five-point gap. Lose at Ipswich though, and that dream will feel some huge Massey Ferguson tyres roll it slowly into the dirt.
RICH PARTINGTON
January must this far be regarded as a poor month for Argyle, with unrest in the dressing room, top players leaving, and a run of disappointing league results which has seen the Pilgrims drop from 5th to 11th. Indeed, we are without a league win in four matches, a run which stretches back to the Boxing Day victory over QPR, and Argyle’s last victory outside of Devon was the 1-0 success at Watford on December 15.
In addition, our two top scorers, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Barry Hayles, have been sold to Championship rivals Wolves and Leicester, with the third highest marksman, midfielder David Norris, looking likely to depart in the coming days – probably either to Leicester or tommorrow’s opponents.
The possibility of Norris heading to Suffolk seemed to increase with today’s announcement that he will take no part in the Ipswich tie. Paul Sturrock and the player have apparently come to this decision after much discussion at today’s training session, with Luggy saying:
"Disappointingly, there has been a lot of media coverage from a team that is very interested in David.
"I don’t think he would be mentally attuned to the tussle and I don’t think it would be fair of me to allow people to put the microscope on him. Every bad pass or mistake that he made would be highlighted."
This seems strange in some ways, given that the one thing rarely questioned of Norris is his unswerving commitment. It is still possible that he could remain with Argyle, but given his roots in Peterborough, within an hour of Ipswich, and his undoubted ambition to play top-flight football, the only way this will realistically happen is if the Tractor Boys cannot meet Argyle’s valuation. The situation is complicated by the sell-on clause negotiated by Bolton Wanderers when selling Norris to Argyle, which means they receive half of any fee. Even if Ipswich boss Jim Magilton caves in and offers a reasonable £2.5million, Plymouth would only collect £1.25m of the money.
Argyle’s hopes going into the trip to 8th-place Town have been further dashed by the injury to stalwart centre-half Marcel Seip, which also kept the Dutchman out of Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup Fourth Round loss at Portsmouth.
‘The Dockyard Derby’ defeat, although initially disappointing, may eventually be seen as a blessing. Chris Clark’s early debut goal gave Argyle a real chance of shocking their Premiership hosts, and the pride and positive media coverage garnered from an unjust cup exit should boost morale in players and supporters alike.
Clark, a versatile Scottish attacking midfielder signed from Aberdeen a fortnight ago to little acclaim from the Green Army, could be another Sturrock find, and his fellow transfer window signing Yoann Folly has a chance to prove himself tommorrow night, replacing Norris. His eye-catching cameo role in the home draw with Southampton last week promised much.
Indeed, Sturrock has been putting the £4million received for the four players sold in January to good use, picking up talented players for low fees. This is his blueprint; hungry, committed players, moulded into a tight-knit, effective unit with flashes of flair. Clark cost £200k, and strikers Jermaine Easter from Wycombe and Jamie Mackie from Exeter were £210k and £145k respectively. Folly was free from Sheffield Wedneday, and Hungarian international midfielder Gyorgy Sandor became the latest arrival last week, the 23-year-old joining on loan from Ujpest in a similar buy-later deal which previously secured Krisztian Timar and Peter Halmosi. The ‘cherry on the cake’, as Luggy would say, was the club record £500k capture of striker Steve McLean from Cardiff.
The quality obviously present in this collection suggests that, with or without Norris, Argyle’s personnel may actually be of a higher standard at the end of the transfer window than when it began. This assertion could be shored up with a couple more bargains. Leigh Bromby from Sheffield United is a reported £400,000 target, and with the right-back area an Argyle weakness for several years, he’d be a shrewd acquisition. Rumours also abound of a bid for Oldham’s highly-rated centre-half Neal Trotman, now a real possibility after their ejection from the FA Cup at the hands of Huddersfield.
And Sturrock has said he wants another striker – could this be Derek Riordan, the Celtic man Argyle (or, at least, the Green Army) have allegedly coveted for more than a year? Probably not, as Burnley are currently the only club known to have made a bid, and the Celts are keen to sign Clarets striker Kyle Lafferty, so a swap deal looks on the cards.
Sturrock has made a habit, unlike Magilton, of keeping most of his transfer targets quiet, information sometimes only surfacing hours before an official announcement. So there may be some surprises in the coming days.
The eventual denouement of all this is that, after a tough four weeks, Argyle can go into February full of optimism and with a squad who are capable of relaunching a play-off charge, despite the current five-point gap. Lose at Ipswich though, and that dream will feel some huge Massey Ferguson tyres roll it slowly into the dirt.
RICH PARTINGTON
Monday, 21 January 2008
From the rubble comes creation
When the final whistle sounded at Home Park on Saturday afternoon, the Plymouth Argyle players, as usual, applauded the home supporters stacked across three sides of the ground. One player, however, appeared to clap a little harder.
Midway through the second half of the preceding 1-1 draw with Southampton, a long ball down the right channel of Argyle’s half was pursued by a Saints player, in yards of space. Like Mr. Benn’s shopkeeper clad in green, suddenly David Norris was there, sliding full length across the zippy, moist surface to crunch the ball out of play.
The ‘Zoo’ corner of the Lyndhurst Stand were not shy in displaying their appreciation. An ensuing chant of "There’s Only One David Norris" was the loudest noise of an atmospheric afternoon in front of a respectable 14600 souls, quite clearly in response to continuing speculation of the Peterborough-born midfielder’s impending departure.
Rumours abound that Norris handed in a transfer request last week, and Paul Sturrock has failed to confirm or deny this, suggesting the player is almost certainly on his way. Saturday’s opponents have been tracking Norris since before the summer, joined by Norwich, Leicester, and Ipswich. The latter, rolling in Marcus Evans's debt-laden millions, seem favourites to nab him, with a £1.8million bid currently on the table and the club representing a base much nearer to Norris’s roots.
The majority of Pilgrim fans have resigned themselves to the loss of this committed and diligent performer, with his notably fervent applause for the Green Army on Saturday strengthening this assertion – it being viewed as something of a goodbye. Tony Capaldi, Akos Buzsaky, Barry Hayles, and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, the last four first-team players to leave the club, all reacted similarly in their final games. Slowly, the squad which pushed hard for a top six slot this year – and last – under Ian Holloway is being broken up, and you get the sense that this was a strong social as well as footballing group. Greed, ambition, and club decision-making, in varying degrees of concentration, has pulled them away, yet their time at Argyle was clearly a valued one.
For their part, the Argyle fanbase appears to wish Norris little ill in his probable departure. This may come as a surprise, especially since the Southampton clash also featured an updated version of ‘The Syvlan Ebanks-Blake Song’, the now-Wolves striker gleefully exhorted to "fuck off". This bitterness, however, is more to do with the way SEB left – forcing Argyle into a sale at below market value, and refusing even to countenance the idea of a new contract. Norris, it seems, has been more patient, but perhaps that patience is now wearing thin.
He has been a good servant to the Pilgrims since joining from Bolton in 2002, and is generally considered an absolute Argyle legend. As a player, his finishing and control have sometimes let him down, but his energy is unequalled in my years of watching Plymouth, and his commitment has, until recently, rarely been in doubt. Enthusiasm, ebullience, ingenuity – he might never be Premiership-quality in terms of technique, but he could play there on sheer force of personality.
Price-wise, though, Argyle would be fool to accept £1.8m. Norris is worth a fair bit more than that, and with a number of suitors, a bidding war could increase that price by at least 50%. There is also the added inconvenience of the clause which means Norris's former club, Bolton Wanderers, will receive half of any sell-on fee. If a new, promotion-challenging Sturrock team is to be reconstructed from the rubble of Holloway’s side (although of course Norris was Luggy’s signing) the greens will need to splash the cash.
Friday was a good start, with the capture of Steve McLean from Cardiff for a club-record £500,000 fee. The 25-year-old is fits the two most common criteria of a Sturrock signing; he’s Scottish, like the boss, and they worked together at a previous club, Sheffield Wednesday. It was at Hillsborough McLean enjoyed his most successful years thus far, before a short, injury-plagued spell in Wales this season. In addition to several previous problems, this is a minor worry, but McLean’s performance against the Saints was more encouraging. A thoughtful, elegant player, he showed some nice touches, but could have had a crack at goal a couple of times, and may need to build up his strength and match fitness. He will also take a few games to get used to the nuances of his team-mates’ styles and the manager’s tactics, but if he does there is no reason why he cannot prove to be even better than the man he has replaced in the number nine shirt – Ebanks-Blake.
The Southampton match itself fitted the unfortunately typical formula a great deal of home matches in the past eighteen months, including one just over a year ago against the same opponents, which ended in the same scoreline. Argyle start badly, concede early, and proceed to dominate proceedings from then on, with poor finishing meaning they are only able to score once, if at all. The visitors were poor, a shadow of their former Premiership-fixture selves. But Plymouth could not force the win.
On Saturday it was Rory Fallon who at least prevented a greatly unjust defeat, volleying in from Argyle’s most common source of ammunition – the superlative left foot of Peter Halmosi, who almost effortlessly produced a man-of-the-match performance.
Fallon has been much maligned since his arrival a year ago, without really having a sustained opportunity to prove himself. Against the Saints he was excellent, recalling the half-time draw guest, Mickey Evans, in winning so much in the air and proving a constant menace to the visiting defence. Incredibly, Uriah Rennie did not book the Kiwi despite a string of fouls, each knock further unsettling the Southampton centre-halves. A big-man-little-man partnership appears to be Luggy’s preferred attacking blueprint, and if so Fallon has a real chance of establishing himself alongside, probably, either McLean or Jermaine Easter.
Halmosi, meanwhile, remains the absolute jewel in Argyle’s crown. If Norris leaves, it will be a sad day – he is popular and a talented footballer. But if it is a choice between he and the infinitely more talented Hungarian, I have already made my decision. And so, you feel, has Paul Stapleton.
RICH PARTINGTON
Midway through the second half of the preceding 1-1 draw with Southampton, a long ball down the right channel of Argyle’s half was pursued by a Saints player, in yards of space. Like Mr. Benn’s shopkeeper clad in green, suddenly David Norris was there, sliding full length across the zippy, moist surface to crunch the ball out of play.
The ‘Zoo’ corner of the Lyndhurst Stand were not shy in displaying their appreciation. An ensuing chant of "There’s Only One David Norris" was the loudest noise of an atmospheric afternoon in front of a respectable 14600 souls, quite clearly in response to continuing speculation of the Peterborough-born midfielder’s impending departure.
Rumours abound that Norris handed in a transfer request last week, and Paul Sturrock has failed to confirm or deny this, suggesting the player is almost certainly on his way. Saturday’s opponents have been tracking Norris since before the summer, joined by Norwich, Leicester, and Ipswich. The latter, rolling in Marcus Evans's debt-laden millions, seem favourites to nab him, with a £1.8million bid currently on the table and the club representing a base much nearer to Norris’s roots.
The majority of Pilgrim fans have resigned themselves to the loss of this committed and diligent performer, with his notably fervent applause for the Green Army on Saturday strengthening this assertion – it being viewed as something of a goodbye. Tony Capaldi, Akos Buzsaky, Barry Hayles, and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, the last four first-team players to leave the club, all reacted similarly in their final games. Slowly, the squad which pushed hard for a top six slot this year – and last – under Ian Holloway is being broken up, and you get the sense that this was a strong social as well as footballing group. Greed, ambition, and club decision-making, in varying degrees of concentration, has pulled them away, yet their time at Argyle was clearly a valued one.
For their part, the Argyle fanbase appears to wish Norris little ill in his probable departure. This may come as a surprise, especially since the Southampton clash also featured an updated version of ‘The Syvlan Ebanks-Blake Song’, the now-Wolves striker gleefully exhorted to "fuck off". This bitterness, however, is more to do with the way SEB left – forcing Argyle into a sale at below market value, and refusing even to countenance the idea of a new contract. Norris, it seems, has been more patient, but perhaps that patience is now wearing thin.
He has been a good servant to the Pilgrims since joining from Bolton in 2002, and is generally considered an absolute Argyle legend. As a player, his finishing and control have sometimes let him down, but his energy is unequalled in my years of watching Plymouth, and his commitment has, until recently, rarely been in doubt. Enthusiasm, ebullience, ingenuity – he might never be Premiership-quality in terms of technique, but he could play there on sheer force of personality.
Price-wise, though, Argyle would be fool to accept £1.8m. Norris is worth a fair bit more than that, and with a number of suitors, a bidding war could increase that price by at least 50%. There is also the added inconvenience of the clause which means Norris's former club, Bolton Wanderers, will receive half of any sell-on fee. If a new, promotion-challenging Sturrock team is to be reconstructed from the rubble of Holloway’s side (although of course Norris was Luggy’s signing) the greens will need to splash the cash.
Friday was a good start, with the capture of Steve McLean from Cardiff for a club-record £500,000 fee. The 25-year-old is fits the two most common criteria of a Sturrock signing; he’s Scottish, like the boss, and they worked together at a previous club, Sheffield Wednesday. It was at Hillsborough McLean enjoyed his most successful years thus far, before a short, injury-plagued spell in Wales this season. In addition to several previous problems, this is a minor worry, but McLean’s performance against the Saints was more encouraging. A thoughtful, elegant player, he showed some nice touches, but could have had a crack at goal a couple of times, and may need to build up his strength and match fitness. He will also take a few games to get used to the nuances of his team-mates’ styles and the manager’s tactics, but if he does there is no reason why he cannot prove to be even better than the man he has replaced in the number nine shirt – Ebanks-Blake.
The Southampton match itself fitted the unfortunately typical formula a great deal of home matches in the past eighteen months, including one just over a year ago against the same opponents, which ended in the same scoreline. Argyle start badly, concede early, and proceed to dominate proceedings from then on, with poor finishing meaning they are only able to score once, if at all. The visitors were poor, a shadow of their former Premiership-fixture selves. But Plymouth could not force the win.
On Saturday it was Rory Fallon who at least prevented a greatly unjust defeat, volleying in from Argyle’s most common source of ammunition – the superlative left foot of Peter Halmosi, who almost effortlessly produced a man-of-the-match performance.
Fallon has been much maligned since his arrival a year ago, without really having a sustained opportunity to prove himself. Against the Saints he was excellent, recalling the half-time draw guest, Mickey Evans, in winning so much in the air and proving a constant menace to the visiting defence. Incredibly, Uriah Rennie did not book the Kiwi despite a string of fouls, each knock further unsettling the Southampton centre-halves. A big-man-little-man partnership appears to be Luggy’s preferred attacking blueprint, and if so Fallon has a real chance of establishing himself alongside, probably, either McLean or Jermaine Easter.
Halmosi, meanwhile, remains the absolute jewel in Argyle’s crown. If Norris leaves, it will be a sad day – he is popular and a talented footballer. But if it is a choice between he and the infinitely more talented Hungarian, I have already made my decision. And so, you feel, has Paul Stapleton.
RICH PARTINGTON
Monday, 7 January 2008
Ebanks-Blake blossoms to bury Tynan's ghost
I was but a glimmer in my father’s (or maybe the postman’s) eye back in 1986. That spring, Thomas Tynan, one of the heroes of Plymouth Argyle’s run to the 1984 FA Cup semi-final, returned to the club on loan from Rotherham United. The Pilgrims were pushing for promotion to the old Division Two and manager Dave ‘Ciderman’ Smith brought Tynan, who had scored 54 times in 107 starts in his first spell at Plymouth, in to spearhead his team in the closing stages. It proved a masterstroke; Tynan bagged ten goals in the final eight matches, including two in the 4-0 win over Bristol City, which clinched promotion on April 29th.
Signing permanently again the following season, the Liverpudlian was the clubs focal point for an ultimately unsuccessful charge towards the top flight, eventually leaving in 1990 with 144 goals from 310 appearances, a feat unequalled at Home Park since the war.
Ever since, the ghost of Tynan, now a taxi driver and evening newspaper columnist in Plymouth, has haunted the club. Until this season, no Argyle side has really come close to matching the 7th place finish in the second tier achieved in 1986-7, when Tynan plundered 19 goals. And Home Park has become something of a striker’s graveyard, even as the glory days returned under Paul Sturrock.
Dwight Marshall impressed many; Mickey Evans was a legend, but a target man, not a poacher. The mythical ’20 goal-a-season’ man has become the worst of clichés, with Argyle unable to raise the funds or develop the talent to finally replace King Tommy. Every new forward provoked fans to suggest ‘flashes of Tynan’ soon after arriving, and every one was ultimately unable to hit those heights.
But that may be changing. Last summer, Ian Holloway plucked Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, just a month old when Argyle went up in ’86, from Manchester United’s reserves for £250,000. Despite initially appearing possibly lazy and out of shape, increased opportunities alongside the veteran Barry Hayles sharpened Ebanks-Blake’s instincts and provided him with the confidence to progress. A goal in his second start, away at QPR, was the first of ten in 2006-7, the majority coming in the second half of the season.
This form carried through to the new season, with the winner at Hull on the opening day. Against the same opposition on Saturday, in the FA Cup third round tie at Home Park, Sylvan again showed the strength, quick feet, and unerring ability to find the target which have become his forte.
Far from providing the foil for Hayles, as he did last season, Ebanks-Blake has led the line almost single-handedly, with his veteran partner running out of legs. With Bazza now the first victim of Holloway’s ‘fool and his money’ policy at Leicester City, (reportedly leaving for £150,000 – more than Argyle paid and with his contract up in the summer) Ebanks-Blake has the opportunity to forge a promising partnership with young Welsh international Jermaine Easter, who scored in every round of the League Cup (bar the final) last year.
One particular trick in the SEB book is proving very successful. Commonly derided for a supposed lack of effort due to his restricted movement in the final third, Ebanks-Blake is in fact playing to his strengths. Hovering on the edge of or just inside the 18-yard box, he edges forward with his back tight to the opposition centre-halves, and looks to receive the ball to feet from midfield. In one sharp movement, he spins his marker and is often allowed a clear run at goal. Argyle’s other attackers take the other defenders out of the equation to give him space. Even with less opportunity to move, the 22-year-old’s eye for goal, vastly improved since profligate early days, means he’s usually a good bet to score.
Against Hull, with Argyle leading 2-1, he broke down the left hand side, laying the ball back for Peter Halmosi and ghosting into the area. The Hungarian winger beat a man before squaring across the crowded penalty area to Ebanks-Blake, whose first time, angled strike found the bottom right-hand corner. It was as good a piece of natural finishing as I’ve seen from a green-shirted player.
Argyle’s mixed results over Christmas have kept them just a point outside the playoffs, and with many of the big guns out of the way for a while. Saturday’s trip to Burnley could be a major test of promotion credentials; Sturrock’s squad is playing well, but is low on numbers, with more players set to follow 17-year-old Dan Gosling, Argyle’s record sale in going to Everton for £1.5million, out of the door. A flu bug is also causing problems.
The Clarets are in poor form and Argyle are clearly a better side in most departments, so a win must be expected, and the same can be said for next week’s home tie with Southampton. It’d be a huge boost for the Pilgrims to travel to Ipswich, whose manager Jim Magilton continues his efforts to poach David Norris, on January 29 with more points than our hosts, and no more star players having left.
Ebanks-Blake should definitely remain, despite reported interest from Derby last summer. However, if he can reach the magical 20 by the season’s end, and Argyle have not won promotion, expect the Premiership vultures to begin their spherical dance.
RICH PARTINGTON
Signing permanently again the following season, the Liverpudlian was the clubs focal point for an ultimately unsuccessful charge towards the top flight, eventually leaving in 1990 with 144 goals from 310 appearances, a feat unequalled at Home Park since the war.
Ever since, the ghost of Tynan, now a taxi driver and evening newspaper columnist in Plymouth, has haunted the club. Until this season, no Argyle side has really come close to matching the 7th place finish in the second tier achieved in 1986-7, when Tynan plundered 19 goals. And Home Park has become something of a striker’s graveyard, even as the glory days returned under Paul Sturrock.
Dwight Marshall impressed many; Mickey Evans was a legend, but a target man, not a poacher. The mythical ’20 goal-a-season’ man has become the worst of clichés, with Argyle unable to raise the funds or develop the talent to finally replace King Tommy. Every new forward provoked fans to suggest ‘flashes of Tynan’ soon after arriving, and every one was ultimately unable to hit those heights.
But that may be changing. Last summer, Ian Holloway plucked Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, just a month old when Argyle went up in ’86, from Manchester United’s reserves for £250,000. Despite initially appearing possibly lazy and out of shape, increased opportunities alongside the veteran Barry Hayles sharpened Ebanks-Blake’s instincts and provided him with the confidence to progress. A goal in his second start, away at QPR, was the first of ten in 2006-7, the majority coming in the second half of the season.
This form carried through to the new season, with the winner at Hull on the opening day. Against the same opposition on Saturday, in the FA Cup third round tie at Home Park, Sylvan again showed the strength, quick feet, and unerring ability to find the target which have become his forte.
Far from providing the foil for Hayles, as he did last season, Ebanks-Blake has led the line almost single-handedly, with his veteran partner running out of legs. With Bazza now the first victim of Holloway’s ‘fool and his money’ policy at Leicester City, (reportedly leaving for £150,000 – more than Argyle paid and with his contract up in the summer) Ebanks-Blake has the opportunity to forge a promising partnership with young Welsh international Jermaine Easter, who scored in every round of the League Cup (bar the final) last year.
One particular trick in the SEB book is proving very successful. Commonly derided for a supposed lack of effort due to his restricted movement in the final third, Ebanks-Blake is in fact playing to his strengths. Hovering on the edge of or just inside the 18-yard box, he edges forward with his back tight to the opposition centre-halves, and looks to receive the ball to feet from midfield. In one sharp movement, he spins his marker and is often allowed a clear run at goal. Argyle’s other attackers take the other defenders out of the equation to give him space. Even with less opportunity to move, the 22-year-old’s eye for goal, vastly improved since profligate early days, means he’s usually a good bet to score.
Against Hull, with Argyle leading 2-1, he broke down the left hand side, laying the ball back for Peter Halmosi and ghosting into the area. The Hungarian winger beat a man before squaring across the crowded penalty area to Ebanks-Blake, whose first time, angled strike found the bottom right-hand corner. It was as good a piece of natural finishing as I’ve seen from a green-shirted player.
Argyle’s mixed results over Christmas have kept them just a point outside the playoffs, and with many of the big guns out of the way for a while. Saturday’s trip to Burnley could be a major test of promotion credentials; Sturrock’s squad is playing well, but is low on numbers, with more players set to follow 17-year-old Dan Gosling, Argyle’s record sale in going to Everton for £1.5million, out of the door. A flu bug is also causing problems.
The Clarets are in poor form and Argyle are clearly a better side in most departments, so a win must be expected, and the same can be said for next week’s home tie with Southampton. It’d be a huge boost for the Pilgrims to travel to Ipswich, whose manager Jim Magilton continues his efforts to poach David Norris, on January 29 with more points than our hosts, and no more star players having left.
Ebanks-Blake should definitely remain, despite reported interest from Derby last summer. However, if he can reach the magical 20 by the season’s end, and Argyle have not won promotion, expect the Premiership vultures to begin their spherical dance.
RICH PARTINGTON
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Halmosi and co could make Sturrock king again
Plymouth Argyle's 2-1 defeat against Championship strugglers Norwich City on Tuesday night may have continued an unspectacular start for returning manager Paul Sturrock, but the ingredients seem to be in place to suggest significant success is within reach.
Losing at home to an excellent West Brom outfit in Luggy’s first game back at Home Park was disappointing, but certainly no disgrace. And goals from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Krisztian Timar, and Nadjim Abdou chalked up the first points of the new regime in Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Scunthorpe.
Norwich seem somewhat revitalised under Glen Roeder, whose knack for making a notable initial impact at a new club continues. He did the same as Newcastle United caretaker in the latter part of the 2005-6 season, and was given the job full-time, eventually discovering St. James’s Park to be as much of a managerial graveyard as most of his predecessors.
Reduced-price ticket schemes for Tuesday’s match (shows what a big draw Plymouth are!) dragged more than 25,000 into Carrow Road, and the big crowd seemed to intimidate referee Paul Taylor, whose decision to award an 87th minute penalty for Paul Connolly’s clearly ball-winning challenge on Darren Huckerby was quite frankly shocking.
But, looking at the bigger picture, the playing staff currently present at Home Park look well-equipped for a Sturrock team.
A few are still there from his last reign, of course. Romain Larrieu and Luke McCormick continue to dispute the goalkeeping jersey, with the former deservedly holding sway at present.
Paul Connolly broke through from the youth ranks in Luggy’s last season and, after looking out of his depth in the second tier for the last few years, appears somewhat rejuvenated at right-back, his performance in the 1-0 win at Sheffield United on November 24 a particular highlight.
Lee Hodges has defied all predictions, and his own advancing years, to adapt admirably to a higher level, although again it has taken time, and those wearying legs have necessitated a move backwards from midfield.
David Norris, a Sturrock find, continues to work his arse off in midfield, and the old tendency to sprint down blind alleys appears to be waning. Paul Wotton, Mr. Plymouth Argyle and the club captain, remains also, and is approaching recovery from knee ligament damage sustained more than a year ago.
But whether he’ll break back into the side must be a moot point. For there is an abundance of talent elsewhere in the squad.
It has often been said of Sturrock that his talents are in the lower leagues; and promotions with Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon Town, and of course Plymouth (esentially twice) seem to support this. He is yet to achieve anything massive above the lower levels, unfairly sacked at Wednesday (they’ve not got any better since) and Southampton (they’ve got a lot worse).
At St. Mary’s Luggy bought Peter Crouch, who scored a hatful of goals and was sold on at a massive profit. Given only thirteen games, Sturrock won a respectable five, but was hounded out by negative media coverage, and, allegedly, a dressing room revolt involving the likes of Kevin Phillips and James Beattie, ‘star’ names who apparently objected to their managers fashion sense and strict changing regimes. Both have long since left the Saints, who have plummeted out of the Premier League and towards financial meltdown.
Sturrock, it seems, does not suffer fools, or big egos gladly. He’ll have been pleased to find a refreshing absence of those at Plymouth. Despite three nightclub-related arrests of Argyle players in the last eighteen months – Marcel Seip (twice) and Ebanks-Blake the culprits – these are a hard-working bunch with a similar team ethic to that instilled in the rampant 2001-2004 sides.
Seip is a rock at the back, magnificently consistent and an excellent reader of the game. Timar, who nicked his second goal in as many games at Norwich, in so doing recalled one Graham Coughlan – a monstrous figure arriving late in the box, splitting the defence, and delivering a powerful header.
The Gallic pairing of Abdou and the veteran Lilian Nalis reflect many of the qualities the David Friio-Steve Adams partnership brought in the centre of the Argyle midfield. Nalis is a vastly improved version of Adams, winning the ball constantly, and subtly orchestrating the midfield, albeit with the technical ability, shooting boots, and attacking thrust the Plymothian lacked. ‘Jimmy’, meanwhile, has some way to go to match Friio’s legendary status, but arriving late in the box and slotting home like he did on Saturday is a good way to go about it.
In attack Ebanks-Blake, Jermaine Easter, Barry Hayles, and Rory Fallon provide Sturrock with a far more competent stable of strikers than during his initial tenure, but the real gem is on the left hand side of midfield.
Hungarian international Peter Halmosi was Argyle’s record signing when joining from Debrecen for £400,000 in the summer, making permanent and impressive loan spell. His displays this season have raised the bar for every player at the club, a constant source of creation and invention. All three strikes against Scunthorpe were products of his assists, and Luggy is clearly a fan.
Halmosi’s humble yet fiercely determined nature – he has made it clear he wants to play in the Premiership – mark him out at the archetypal Paul Sturrock player. He’ll surely be in the top league next season, with or without Argyle.
RICH PARTINGTON
Losing at home to an excellent West Brom outfit in Luggy’s first game back at Home Park was disappointing, but certainly no disgrace. And goals from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Krisztian Timar, and Nadjim Abdou chalked up the first points of the new regime in Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Scunthorpe.
Norwich seem somewhat revitalised under Glen Roeder, whose knack for making a notable initial impact at a new club continues. He did the same as Newcastle United caretaker in the latter part of the 2005-6 season, and was given the job full-time, eventually discovering St. James’s Park to be as much of a managerial graveyard as most of his predecessors.
Reduced-price ticket schemes for Tuesday’s match (shows what a big draw Plymouth are!) dragged more than 25,000 into Carrow Road, and the big crowd seemed to intimidate referee Paul Taylor, whose decision to award an 87th minute penalty for Paul Connolly’s clearly ball-winning challenge on Darren Huckerby was quite frankly shocking.
But, looking at the bigger picture, the playing staff currently present at Home Park look well-equipped for a Sturrock team.
A few are still there from his last reign, of course. Romain Larrieu and Luke McCormick continue to dispute the goalkeeping jersey, with the former deservedly holding sway at present.
Paul Connolly broke through from the youth ranks in Luggy’s last season and, after looking out of his depth in the second tier for the last few years, appears somewhat rejuvenated at right-back, his performance in the 1-0 win at Sheffield United on November 24 a particular highlight.
Lee Hodges has defied all predictions, and his own advancing years, to adapt admirably to a higher level, although again it has taken time, and those wearying legs have necessitated a move backwards from midfield.
David Norris, a Sturrock find, continues to work his arse off in midfield, and the old tendency to sprint down blind alleys appears to be waning. Paul Wotton, Mr. Plymouth Argyle and the club captain, remains also, and is approaching recovery from knee ligament damage sustained more than a year ago.
But whether he’ll break back into the side must be a moot point. For there is an abundance of talent elsewhere in the squad.
It has often been said of Sturrock that his talents are in the lower leagues; and promotions with Sheffield Wednesday, Swindon Town, and of course Plymouth (esentially twice) seem to support this. He is yet to achieve anything massive above the lower levels, unfairly sacked at Wednesday (they’ve not got any better since) and Southampton (they’ve got a lot worse).
At St. Mary’s Luggy bought Peter Crouch, who scored a hatful of goals and was sold on at a massive profit. Given only thirteen games, Sturrock won a respectable five, but was hounded out by negative media coverage, and, allegedly, a dressing room revolt involving the likes of Kevin Phillips and James Beattie, ‘star’ names who apparently objected to their managers fashion sense and strict changing regimes. Both have long since left the Saints, who have plummeted out of the Premier League and towards financial meltdown.
Sturrock, it seems, does not suffer fools, or big egos gladly. He’ll have been pleased to find a refreshing absence of those at Plymouth. Despite three nightclub-related arrests of Argyle players in the last eighteen months – Marcel Seip (twice) and Ebanks-Blake the culprits – these are a hard-working bunch with a similar team ethic to that instilled in the rampant 2001-2004 sides.
Seip is a rock at the back, magnificently consistent and an excellent reader of the game. Timar, who nicked his second goal in as many games at Norwich, in so doing recalled one Graham Coughlan – a monstrous figure arriving late in the box, splitting the defence, and delivering a powerful header.
The Gallic pairing of Abdou and the veteran Lilian Nalis reflect many of the qualities the David Friio-Steve Adams partnership brought in the centre of the Argyle midfield. Nalis is a vastly improved version of Adams, winning the ball constantly, and subtly orchestrating the midfield, albeit with the technical ability, shooting boots, and attacking thrust the Plymothian lacked. ‘Jimmy’, meanwhile, has some way to go to match Friio’s legendary status, but arriving late in the box and slotting home like he did on Saturday is a good way to go about it.
In attack Ebanks-Blake, Jermaine Easter, Barry Hayles, and Rory Fallon provide Sturrock with a far more competent stable of strikers than during his initial tenure, but the real gem is on the left hand side of midfield.
Hungarian international Peter Halmosi was Argyle’s record signing when joining from Debrecen for £400,000 in the summer, making permanent and impressive loan spell. His displays this season have raised the bar for every player at the club, a constant source of creation and invention. All three strikes against Scunthorpe were products of his assists, and Luggy is clearly a fan.
Halmosi’s humble yet fiercely determined nature – he has made it clear he wants to play in the Premiership – mark him out at the archetypal Paul Sturrock player. He’ll surely be in the top league next season, with or without Argyle.
RICH PARTINGTON
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