The Pilgrim’s View – Match Preview.

We asked Plymouth fan Lloyd a few questions ahead of this weekend’s fixture.

THE POSH BLOG: We should start with the new manager, Peter Reid. What have your initial opinions been on the new boss? 

LLOYD: Despite initial reservations, Reid has made a solid, if unspectacular start and has already gained the confidence of many supporters. His no-nonsense approach has gone down well following the shambles of the past few seasons, and he’s brought a refreshing honesty to the table.

THE POSH BLOG: After experiencing relegation last season, much like ourselves, what were the feelings amongst Plymouth fans in the build up to this campaign?

LLOYD: It depends who you ask, but it’s been a deathly quiet summer. It took a long time to appoint the new manager, so it’s been difficult to build any sense of momentum ahead of the new season.

THE POSH BLOG: Obviously keeping hold of Rory Fallon was a big bonus for you. How highly do you rate your World Cup star?

LLOYD: Not very highly at all. It’s true that Fallon can be a handful on his day, particularly against poorer opposition, but I think I speak for the majority of the fanbase when I say we were disappointed to see him commit his future to the club a few weeks ago. He shows flashes from time-to-time, but he regularly disappoints and he was hauled off during the first-half of our last home game against Carlisle. He hasn’t had a look since, and probably won’t be in the squad due to a ‘groin injury’. Rory Patterson will instead lead the line alongside promising local youngster, Joe Mason. 

Great for his country but poor for his club. Rory Fallon is the opposite to an England international.

THE POSH BLOG: You don’t rate Fallon very highly then. Who else should we look out for on Saturday?

LLOYD: Argyle fans have had very little to cheer about in recent years, and it’s been some time since we’ve had a genuine hero to laud. Without hyping him up too much, I do think that Mason could be a star for us given a proper run in the team alongside the right strike partner. There’s not much too him, but he’s as nippy as they come, has an eye for goal and is more than comfortable with the ball at his feet. He could be our very own George Boyd, minus the barnet.

Elsewhere, centre back Reda Johnson is a class act and rumours of a million pound move to an unnamed Premiership club have surfaced in the past few weeks.

THE POSH BLOG: I actually think Boyd’s ‘barnet’ goes quite well with his style of play, although that’s enough about men’s fashion!  What do you think your starting line-up will be?

LLOYD: I imagine that it’ll be a 4-4-2 along the lines of:

Button – N’Gala, Arnason, Johnson, Molyneux – Summerfield, Parrett, Fletcher, Bhasera – Patterson, Mason

THE POSH BLOG: Has Peter Reid been busy in the transfer window this summer? And what have the new players acquitted themselves like since arriving?

LLOYD: Reid’s said himself that he’s struggled to move players in and out. There’s a load of deadwood that’s hanging around like a bad smell, and he doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre until he can get rid of a few of our higher earners such as Bradley Wright-Phillips and Marcel Seip.

Instead, he’s had to rely largely on free transfers and loans. In goal, Spurs rookie David Button has been reasonably steady, and left-back Lee Molyneux has started well enough. He came in on a free transfer from Southampton when it became clear that our ex-player and trialist Tony Capaldi was holding out for a better offer.

David Button has made the move to Plymouth this summer.

THE POSH BLOG: What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of the current squad?

LLOYD: It depresses me to say that we have no discernable strengths at present. I’d say, though, that we have the makings of a promising defence should we get a half-decent right-back in at some point.

Our main weakness is our home form, which continues to frustrate. It’s been awful for the best part of two years now, and there’s an air of despair around Home Park. I’d venture that we need an rousing win to try to clear the cobwebs early on…

THE POSH BLOG: Things don’t sound too great down at Howe Park then. Finally, where do you think Plymouth will finish this season and what do you think the result will be at the weekend?

LLOYD: I’ll keep faithful to my initial prediction of 10th. We’ll win one week and lose the next all year, I think. It’s hard to say what will happen tomorrow, but I’ll go with a 2-0 win for you. Take that with a pinch of salt, though; the last time I predicted a Posh win was at Bournemouth two weeks ago.

We would like to thank Lloyd for doing this preview and I would encourage anyone to visit the excellent http://thetwounfortunates.blogspot.com/ ,which covers all things lower leagues, and to see more of Lloyd’s work.