Roving Brief

ARGYLE manager Derek Adams is looking for his Pilgrims to replicate their last home performance against Wigan Athletic when Blackburn come to Home Park this weekend.

For the second hme game in succession, Argyle face the cream of Sky Bet League One, with second-placed Blackburn Rovers following leaders Wigan Athletic to the Theatre of Greens.

Although the Latics returned to the North West with three points, a consensus which included Wigan manager Paul Cook believed that Argyle deserved better for their efforts against a side that came to play. 

Pilgrims’ manager Derek Adams said: “The game was quite open, there was a lot of space, and I don’t see that being any different on Saturday. 

“From both teams, the football was good. There was an exciting brand of football from both sides and plenty of chances created. Supporters appreciated that. 

“It will be similar against Blackburn, a team that was in the Premier League not a good number of years ago, as Wigan were, and in the Championship recently. Both teams want to get back there.

“Blackburn are a team thatare strong favourites to go back into the Championship. They have got a very good squad; they strengthened over the transfer window, as well. 

“They play in a similar style to Wigan, I just feel they could maybe be a wee bit more powerful than them. 

“They are a very good team, an excellent outfit. They have been up there with Wigan for most of the season. They have got [Danny] Graham and [Bradley] Dack – they spent £750,000 on Dack in the last transfer window – and have got players who are Championship players. 

“We have got players who are competing with them, and that’s good.” 

The game comes at the beginning of a month in which mid-table Argyle will also face top-five outfits Shrewsbury Town and Bradford City as they bid to make their first season back in League One safe.

“We’ve got 16 games to go to pick up as many points as we possibly can,” said Derek, who believes the Green Army can lend a hand, especially at Home Park. 

“We’ve got Blackburn on Saturday, Shrewsbury and Bradford. It’s going to be a month when we will have to work really hard and be at our best to get wins out of these games.” 

“We have shown that, when the atmosphere is very good, the players respond and we have had that a good number of times this season. 

“The attendances have been very good – 10,000-plus a good number of times this season is very good progress.”