It is only a shade over five weeks since Argyle last met Wycombe Wanderers – and it will only be three further weeks until the sides play again.
A game on 1 November saw the Greens lose 2-0 at Wycombe in the Emirates FA Cup, and this Tuesday night will see the first league meeting of the season, before Wycombe head to Home Park between Christmas and New Year.
Since the cup tie, Wycombe have been unbeaten in the four league games they have played, rising to 12th from 17th in the Sky Bet League One table, but they have lost their last two, exiting the Vertu Trophy at Northampton Town, and then the FA Cup against Exeter City.
“I think it helps,” said Argyle Head Coach Tom Cleverley, speaking of if there is benefit for the teams meeting so frequently. “I also saw them play when I went to watch Port Vale a couple of weeks ago.
“[Wycombe are] a team I know very well. They're a team that's playing to a high level of consistency. They had a blip at the weekend, but since Michael [Duff] has gone in there, they're a team who have been one of the best in the league. It'll be a tough test.
“They went on a really long unbeaten run. You can see why. They've got a big squad and they've got a lot of quality in that. Not many coaches would turn their nose up at having the wingers that they have, really dangerous players at this level.
“It was a different player on the right-hand side; we’re expecting it to be [Fred] Onyedinma on Tuesday. They're highly effective players, real match-winners. We need to be on high alert to stop them from having impact on the game.
“With players like [Luke] Leahy, [Dan] Harvie and [Jack] Grimmer, they have good experience in their team. It just looks like a really well-balanced League One team who are in a good moment.”
Argyle, less so – but amongst the red letter Ls on the form guide comes a green W for a 1-0 win at Port Vale, and a victory by the same scoreline at Leyton Orient last Tuesday, in the Vertu Trophy.
On Saturday, Argyle lost 1-0 at home to promotion-chasing Bradford City, thanks to a combination of a contested penalty kick which was converted, and profligacy on the Pilgrims part, as Argyle created chances they were not able to take.
“I think we've shown a decent version of ourselves against the team that's second in the division and last year's play-off finalists this week,” said Cleverley. “If we show that level of performance and competitive spirit, it's only a matter of time until it turns into results.
“We have to show a better version of ourselves than we did in the FA Cup because, for me, that was our poorest performance of the season.
“We've showed a level of consistency in our performances that sooner or later will turn into results because we look like a team who can control games now. We're creating chances, the final part is the bit that we're missing, but we also look like keeping clean sheets now.
“Right now, we're not content with where we're at, but I believe certainly results will eventually come from these things. We have to improve more, and we have to get better in that final action, of course.
The full interview with Tom Cleverley is available to Argyle TV subscribers, now.
