Lots to Play For

AS the depth of Argyle’s squad increases, it is pleasingly reassuring to know that there are many players capable of assisting in the Pilgrims’ play-off push.

Given that Argyle have six Sky Bet League 2 games in 18 days starting with the trip to Bristol Rovers on Saturday, it may well be that the squad needs to be dipped into and revolved to help maintain the drive to reach the top seven.

Or is that a myth? Are fitness levels, at this stage of the season, high enough to a point that if managed correctly, players can surge through a busy fixtures period maintaining their quality?

The Greens will travel to Wycombe on Tuesday following the trip to Bristol, then face two home games – against high-flyers Scunthorpe and Chesterfield – before a jaunt to the north-west to face Accrington. The swift sextet of games ends with a home fixture against local rivals Exeter.

“If I was a player I would rather play Saturday-Tuesday,” says manager John Sheridan. “Training takes care of itself. When you are playing Saturday-Tuesday you don’t need much, it’s just ticking over.

“We have some really good games. If we can get through these two away games and pick points up, we’ve got some cracking games coming up at home. I’m sure the crowds will be bigger, the atmosphere better.”

Having a sizable squad available obviously means that some players are going to be disappointed and left out of the squad entirely. The manager has frequently said that it is the hardest part of his job, but he hardly needs to show justification to those left out when the team are on such a roll.

“It makes my job easier when we are winning four- or five-nil,” he said. “You’ll find out on Saturday, but I don’t think I’ll be making many changes. It’s harder picking the bench at the moment.

“There’s only really Jason (Banton) who is injured. Other than that everyone is fit and available. We’ve got a really strong squad. It’s disappointing that one or two will be left out, but they all want to play, which is good.

“There’s lots to play for. There’s a little bit of belief now that you are closer to the teams around you. We’ve just got to really for it and see if we can carry on winning football matches.”