After a series of victories, Argyle’s good run came to an end at home to Burton Albion last Saturday. This has left Head Coach Tom Cleverley looking for a reaction as soon as possible, and his side have the opportunity to that when they visit Leyton Orient this Saturday.
Orient are 11th in Sky Bet League One, three points behind Argyle, having played a game fewer. The O’s will be without two players, on international duty, but, in turn, Argyle will not have Tyreeq Bakinson at their disposal, as he is on loan from Saturday’s opponent.
Speaking to Argyle TV, Cleverley said: “Something that we've been good at in the last few months is responding to below-par performances, which we're all aware that it was last weekend. We've been really good at not letting the lows take us too low, first and foremost, and then understanding why the performance was below our standards.
“The last part of that reaction is putting it out there on Saturday. That's what we're all working towards doing, and really responding to a disappointing day last weekend. We're a wounded animal right now; they can be dangerous and the players look hungry to put it right.
“[There are] similarities in terms of about 50% of our starting line-ups are new players. There is always that uncertainty about ‘will they be a three, will they be a four [at the back]?’
“They're missing the two guys in midfield through international duty. We're missing [Tyreeq] Bakinson and Malachi [Boateng]. The key to it for me is that whatever team, whatever system, whatever structure we play, they play - we deliver on what makes us Argyle, what makes us successful and effective, and that's what we didn't do last weekend.
“We need to get back to what we are, and I can see that the players are ready to do that in the training sessions. It's a new game, it's a new week, it's our most important one because it's the next one. We'll approach it with confidence, trying to work as hard as we can, and be the best we can be at all the things we can control.”
The game is sold out, for both sets of supporters. It means that Cleverley and his team will be backed by over 1,300 supporters in the capital, a level of support that is never lost on the boss.
“It's really motivating; it's important that we do respond,” he said. “We owe a lot to our supporters. We always want to be the catalyst to create atmosphere, but there's many times I can count since I've been at the club where they've got us through.
“We'll need them more than ever on Saturday, to really connect with the players and create atmosphere for us. Just in numbers alone, they do that for us. So we thank them, we work hard for their support and to show our appreciation.
“It's always a nice one, this one, for myself. I like to connect with the London Supporters Branch on the Friday evening, and we'll be doing that again, which hopefully is an annual thing for me.
“I think it's important. We understand that we are a big club and we don't just have supporters in the South West, in Devon and Cornwall. I think it's good that me, the players, the staff, or whoever it may be, can connect with those supporters groups across the country.”
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You can watch Tom Cleverley's Leyton Orient preview on Argyle TV, in full, here.
