Drawbacks

JOHN Sheridan would be happy for Argyle to lose a few more games this season, as long as they traded in a few of their draws for victories.

With 18 matches of this Sky Bet League 2 season left to play, and the play-off positions 11 points in the distance, the sand in the hour glass is fuller at the bottom, than the top.

Argyle go into their game at Northampton on Saturday with only one defeat in their last four league games, but only one win, and John said: “We’re making it difficult for ourselves.

“In the last eight games, we have won three, drawn four and lost one – we could have won five. I would rather have won five and lost three – we would have had more points.”

Indeed, if they had collected 15 points for their last eight matches, they would have performed better than every other team in the division apart from red-hot Chesterfield; as it is, they have outperformed 18 League 2 teams during that period.

“We’re unbeaten in the last three home games, in the league, and it is very difficult when you are drawing games and other team are winning.

“Drawing is not what we’re after; it’s wins that we’re after. If we’d have done that in the last two or three games, we’d be in a lot healthier position. We have got to try to win the away games now.”

Northampton are rooted to the foot of the League 2 table but nevertheless present something of an unknown challenge for the Pilgrims this weekend. They have a new manager – former Oxford boss Chris Wilder – who has made a handful of signings that will all be making their home debut.

“He’s got a lot of new bodies in and it will be a tough test for us,” said John. “Sometimes it can work for you and sometimes it can work against you. Chris will be hoping it works for them; I’ll be hoping the opposite, obviously.

“I think he’s going for it – he knows he’s got to keep Northampton in the division. He’s been splashing the cash about and he’s a good manager. He did a good job at Oxford over the last few years and I’m sure he’ll do a good there.

“He will have them pumped up and they will have right go because they need to win games to get out of the position they are in. We played Oxford not so long ago and we beat them, so he knows what we are about.

“Hopefully, after Saturday, he’ll start picking up and getting one or two results. I’m surprised they are where they are, with the players they’ve got, and, like any team in this league, on their day, any team can beat anyone.

“We have still got to be wary. Teams at the bottom are fighting really hard, and, sometimes, you can get caught up in that when you thought you might not have been if you are not winning games.”

With Andres Gurrieri suspended for one more game, and Luke McCormick, Marvin Morgan, Durrell Berry, Guy Branston and Matt Parsons injured, John’s selection will not differ too much from the team that drew 1-1 at home to Mansfield the previous weekend.

“Most of the lads who were available last week will be fit,” said John. “Neal Trotman is recovering from his ankle – hopefully, he’ll be okay.

“I still feel I have got a strong enough squad to pick a strong enough team to go and get a result. It gives one or two, like Vass [Isaac Vassell] and Jamie [Richards] the chance to get on the bench again.”