Goals And Wanderers

ARGYLE will go on the attack against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday as they attempt to turn quality possession into a quantity of goals.

The Pilgrims entertain Wanderers in Sky Bet League 2 at Home Park on Tuesday four days after a 2-1 defeat at Morecambe in which they dominated in all departments apart from the one that really mattered.

Manager John Sheridan said: “Over the season, you will go to games and win when you don’t really deserve to – there are going to be swings and roundabouts. I felt we should have won the game with all the possession. We controlled the game for big parts of it, but didn’t really create chances.

“I don’t think there was a goal-threat from us. We were passing the ball well but there was no urgency to try to hurt them. That’s something I’ll look at regarding the team selection and how we are going to play, and I’m hoping the team I pick will have more of a goal-threat.”

However, John does not want leading scorer Reuben Reid to shoulder all the responsibility of the Pilgrims’ potency, with contributions required from fellow forwards like Lewis Alessandra, Deane Smalley and Marvin Morgan.

“We should have more of a goal-threat,” he said. “I think Reuben is the only one who really looks like a goal-threat and, when he’s not really on his game, we need a threat from more people – Lewi, Smalley, Marvin – in and around the penalty-box.

“It was a disappointing result [at Morecambe] because I thought we were well in the game. We had enough of the ball to go and win. I would have liked to have troubled their ’keeper a little bit more and possibly we would have come out with three points.”

The Pilgrims have a good opportunity to re-ignite their assault on the top of League 2 with another home match, against Hartlepool, four days after the visit of the Chairboys.

“They are both tough games and we have got to try to win them,” said John. “Wycombe are going really well again but I will put a team out which will be an attacking team, and we are going to try and win.

“They will be worried about us: we’re unbeaten at home and we have had some very good results, so hopefully we’ll take that into the game. I’m expecting a tough game but I’m confident we’ll get the result we want.”

John has talked about selecting different teams for home and away games this season, believing that he has players who are better suited to one or the other but not both. That thinking saw Jason Banton rested on Saturday.

“He’s a flair player and I want him to be a threat and get on the ball,” said John. “Away from home, he hasn’t been in the game as much as I’d like him to. I don’t think Jason is the type of player who is going to be tracking back, even though I think he’s done it a little bit better this season; I don’t think he’s comfortable in that.

“He’s not a Lewi. Ideally, I’d like Lewi to play down the middle, but I just know I’m going to get that from Lewi – he gives you that honesty and I thought he did well on Saturday.”