Bully for You

Their final run-out before the season kicks off at home to Luton on August 6 saw them hold Premier League West Bromwich Albion to a goal-less draw at Home Park.

Latvian international Nauris Bulvitis was part of the Pilgrims’ defence that shut out former Argyle gaffer Tony Pulis’s Baggies, including the multi-million pound strike force of Saido Berahino and Salamon Rondon.

“A clean sheet is most important, I think, for me and for the whole team,” said Nauris. “West Brom is a very good team with good players, international players, and I think we played well.

“It was very nice. In Latvia, we don’t get such big crowds; the pitch was good; and it was a nice day.

“Everyone was working, everyone knows his place. Hopefully, we can do the same in the season. We have to feel confident.”

Nauris, 29, has played a full part in the Pilgrims’ nine-game prep for 2016-17, and is learning to adapt to manager Derek Adams’ various systems of play and to the demands of the forthcoming 46-game Sky Bet League Two campaign.

“It was a good trip to Holland and we have had a lot of games,” he said. “In some of them, I could maybe have played a little better, but I am used to playing different football so I have had to adapt a little bit. I have had to work at that but, for the team, I think it is going well.

“Everything here is a little bit quicker. In leagues which I have played before, like Switzerland for example, they give you a little more time to take the ball. Here, everyone is pressing all the time. That’s the biggest difference.

“The gaffer uses different tactics, so we just have to know our job, what we have to do. He will make the decision how we play each game; we are ready for each formation.”

With 13 new players in the Argyle squad – and one more to come in the final week of pre-season – there remain a lot of known unknowns about how the Argyle squad will gel in the weeks ahead, and whether it will result in a top-three finish.

“In training, we have good battles, good training,” said Nauris “I think the boys are ready; everyone is fit.

“I hope I will do everything to get promotion to League One. We will have to work very hard and I will do my best what I have to do.”