Miron on Owls Defeat

Argyle Head Coach Miron Muslic’s stark assessment of Argyle’s 3-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was this his team ‘collapsed’ after their first setback. 

Another Home Park full house would have been buoyed in the early stages by a fast start by Muslic’s Pilgrims, but on 15 minutes Wednesday took the lead, forcing the ball home via Nathanael Ogbeta own-goal, and from there the Owls took over. 

Callum Paterson added a second before the break, and when Djeidi Gassama fired home in the second half, the game was sealed, if it had not been already. Argyle looked forlorn, unable to threaten at all in the second half, and the boss was left concerned about his team’s response. 

“We collapsed after the first goal,” Muslic told Argyle TV. “We actually started very well, the first 10, 12, 15 minutes. We were aggressive, trying to create goalscoring opportunities, we had two big ones with Mus [Bundu] and Matty [Sorinola]. That was the moment for us to score. 

“But with the first offensive action of Sheffield they scored immediately, and that for us felt like a collapse, and we could not bounce back from this. 

“Pressure can do a lot of damage. We are in a period where we can’t deal well with that pressure. 

“We played Manchester City and Liverpool, and they were outstanding games because they were something to enjoy, and there was not pressure at all. You see what we were capable of. As soon as we have to [face pressure] we are struggling. 

“We have to look into the mirror to find our mistakes. It is my responsibility that we are not performing, and we are not collecting the points. It is my task to put up the right line-up, the right tactic and the right approach. 

“I will take the responsibility, like I did against Burnley, and am to protect the lads, to keep them away from this.”

The second half in particular saw audible disgruntlement in the stands, with a swathe of supporters leaving after the third goal, and although it is a sign no-one wants to see, Muslic was sympathetic to the reaction of some of the Green Army. 

He said: “It was a big moment when they turned against us. They gave up on us today – but I cannot blame them, because we gave up on ourselves also. At 2-0 down, with still a half in front of you, that was a moment when the pressure was on, and in these moments, we are struggling to keep a cool head. 

“I saw similar things against Burnley, one-and-a-half months ago. We managed to get out from this, to find the right approach, to support lads and take away the pressure for them, so they can perform. 

“We will try to do the same. Nothing is over yet.”