Harder and Stronger

ANDRES Gurrieri has promised to return “harder and stronger” from his enforced three-game absence.

The Argentinean midfielder misses Argyle’s next three Sky Bet League 2 matches – starting with Saturday’s visit of Cheltenham to Home Park – following his sending-off at Rochdale.

Andres, 24, was red-carded after a collision with Dale defender Jack O’Connell and has to serve a three-match suspension for violent conduct. As well as the Cheltenham match, he will miss the midweek trip to Newport and the following weekend’s home game against Mansfield.

Although largely felt to be a harsh dismissal, Argyle decided not to contest it for fear of Andres being hit with a lengthier ban for undertaking a frivolous appeal.

“I will try to take the positive things from the situation and try to train harder than we play,” said Andres. “It’s not very good to train too hard as I’ll be tired for a game, but now I can use that time to come back harder and stronger.”

Andres was dismissed after he jumped to challenge O’Connell for the ball. The Rochdale defender actually brought his head down on the back of the Argyle man’s own head, although, with both players using their arms for leverage, there was a confusing scenario

“I think it’s very unlucky because I never had any bad intention to hit him with my elbows,” said Andres.

“The ball was in the air when I jumped. I twisted a little bit and he hit the ball and continued on to hit my head. Because I jumped with my arms like that – which is normal – the ref says that I hit him with my elbow, but that didn’t happen.

“Unfortunately it all happened very quickly and the reaction of the other players didn’t help much.”

Argyle manager John Sheridan sided with his diminutive midfielder.

“I don’t think it was a sending-off,” he said. “The thing with an appeal is that, if you lose the appeal, there’s [the danger of] another game chucked on top of it  – and you don’t hear of many winning appeals.

“We have three games in a week, so the week is going to go quick for him. But it’s still three games.”