The Voice - Match preview #3: Plymouth Argyle vs Bradford City Saturday 29th August 2026 3:00pm

You're right. On the upside, with the squad we have you could pick 2 seperate 11s and there'd be little to no difference in quality between. Them. On the downside, we have lots of 7/10 type players, but not enough top, top quality.

 

I agree. We have to get young Cartwright involved, he will make mistakes that is a given, but we have to see if he can improve. Sarc is a good lad, he will play wherever GA wants him to play. We have lost our cutting edge with him too far back. Looks like we are getting another young midfielder on loan from QPR. Like others have said, I have wanted City for the last two seasons and beyond that we need a strong midfield in order to play attacking football. So far we have the emphasis on defensive midfielders, Smallwood and Power, neither of them were goal scorers. If we can’t buy one, then we are going to have to grow our own. We might also consider 3 across the middle, but we cannot play with huge holes opening up. We do need to change as every man and his dog are sussing us out.

I am not going to comment about yesterday, apart from saying emotional and physical fatigue were clearly obvious, not the only reason, but our game up until now is built on strength, and pressing, plus a never give up attitude.

 

Where would you put Phillips? Seems to me that there are 3 players for that right sided forward position. I don't think Sarce us getting back there unless there's an emergency. And then, who plays central?

 

We haven't changed our system at all. We still only play down the flanks. And at the moment down the left Tyreik is injured, Bobby is out of form and a shadow of his true self and Swan isn't up to it there. On the right we have lost Sarcevic and neither Jackson nor Phillips is creating much. Beesley tries but so far has done nothing in my view to suggest he is the answer. The midfield is creating next to nothing and, more so than last year, has the potential to be overrun by sides playing three there or players with pace. Only the defence is a strong area thankfully. I really wish we'd looked at changing to 5-3-2, as I believe we have the personnel to make it work, but since we haven't I can foresee a season of narrow ground out wins and more days like yesterday.

 

It's Chris!

 

On Tuesday night (because that's what I'm talking about), I'd have him on the bench and Connolly and Cartwright in the centre. After that it will depend on who we bring in between now and the window closing as to what our best starting 11 is going to be going forward.

 

Cartwright is gonna have to get game time soon or it was pointless signing him, even if it's just to see if he's up to the level we require. Equally Alexander has to get the balance right behind Beesley. Those two positions need to be working in tandem with Beesley and all should be in double figures by the end of the season. As it stands after 5 league and cup games Beesley, Jackson, Pointon, Phillips, Powell and Sarce have a combined 2 goals and one assist between them, Powell and Swan with a goal apiece and Phillips with the assist. Moving Sarce into midfield has pretty much nullified his asset of goals and assists.

 

Thank fu@k Baldwin is doing the heavy lifting in the scoring charts then.

One player stepping up and doing what’s asked of him and more.

 

Didn't Stockport stuff 'em at Home Park a couple of weeks ago Rod?
3 - 0 up I believe before Plymouth pulled on e back.
Mind you, they didn't have a Swan or Beesley playing for them!

 

Defensive wise we look solid and Baldwin is at the heart of that. Yesterday they came under a lot of pressure due to no shape at all in midfield, certainly no respect for possession of the football. Baldwjns clearing header isn't a good one but no one is covering the edge of the box.

 

Some of the loss of possession stuff was just schoolboy.
Touray putting it in to touch from the centre circle when under no pressure.
Launching high balls to Pointon that defenders just mop up.

I know we’ll never be a tippy tappy possession based team but we can’t just cough it up to the opposition as often as yesterday and expect to get much out of games.

 

Agreed. However, it was never gonna come together overnight. We've got to give them a few more games to make it work, no?

 

If I see sighs that a particular set up is giving improvement I think we should give it time to gel. I'm not a fan of playing players out of position and I see Sarce in that bracket.

 

I’d have Sarc competing with Philips for the right side. Jackson competing with Beasley for the striker position and bring in a proper CM.

The squad looks solid enough but there are a few square pegs in round holes, notably Sarc in CM and Swan playing on the left.

I wonder if Philips could do a job on the left, if Pointon is out of form. That would give him the option to drift inside on his right foot.

 

give the same team a chance to redeem themselves first half was a lot better than the second half.