Argyle’s 2-0 win over Bradford City on Saturday was pleasing in a great many ways.
The most obviously, naturally, was the victory itself. A goal just before half-time from Julio Pleguezuelo was followed by one just after by the break by Harvey White, and the Greens saw the game out.
In fact, they did so in comfort. The longer the game went on, the more Tom Cleverley’s men controlled proceedings. Bradford, who were the only team to win both of their opening two Sky Bet League One games, barely laid a glove on Argyle, and that is largely down to how well the Pilgrims played.
It means that Argyle’s start to the season, league wise, has yielded four points from three games. After a loss to Stockport County, then a draw at Wycombe, the Bradford game was the Greens’ first win. When taking into context alongside a Carabao Cup win over Exeter City, and a battling effort in defeat to Coventry City, matters look reasonably healthy.
“A really complete performance,” Cleverley told Argyle TV. “We didn't get too low after Stockport, we won't get too high after today, but against the team who finished in the play-offs last year, the early pacesetters, to put in a complete performance that was [pleasing].
“I don't think anyone in the stadium can argue that the best team won today.
“The clean sheet is what pleased me the most. Obviously, you'd rather win 2-1 than draw 0-0. But if you told me that we could win 1-0 or 4-3 today, I'd have taken 1-0 all day. These defenders are working really hard, they're a good set of lads. At times this year it's just been good play [to score against us], but at times it's been maybe a lack of focus or key moments in games that meant we went backwards a little bit in terms of goals conceded.
“We looked solid in pre-season here against Bristol City, we never looked like conceding. So, to get back to that today gives you a real feeling that we can be consistent here.
“The clear message at half time was ‘it's a clean sheet mentality’. It's not a sit-back-and-defend mentality. They're two completely different things. Clean sheet mentality is, if we're attacking, the defenders are completely switched on to stop counter-attacks. It is playing in the right areas. It's not sitting on the edge of your box and absorbing pressure.
“I thought the players delivered that mentality to be on the red alert as a defender to any point that this game could pivot on a Bradford goal. We reduced them to four shots in the whole game.”
The Bradford game was the second for Oliver Irow and Tyreeq Bakinson, the latter of whom put in a player-of-the-match performance in the heart of midfield. Cleverley was at pains to point out his admiration for his new recruits’ effort.
“I've got to mention the composure of Tyreeq in [Harvey’s] goal,” he said. “The composure he showed to play and how clean he was, it set Harvey up for the goal. Harvey will get a lot of the headlines, but I thought Tyreeq Bakinson had a top performance today.
“To bring two players in for the budget of one, with Brendan [Wiredu] leaving, you have to take your hat off to the recruitment guys. I'm part of that, of course, but we've had a really good window, in my opinion.
“The start of the season, it's been pretty brutal, in terms of Stockport, the best team in the league right now. Bradford were, on paper, the best team in the league right now. And Leicester are the favourites to win the league. Either side of that, Devon Derby and a Premier League outfit - the fixture list has been pretty brutal.
“That doesn't stop; two tough games away from home to come this week now. Let's hope we get a good points return and then the players can take a breath. Today helps build confidence and we're four points more than we were this time last year.”
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You can watch Tom Cleverley’s Bradford City reaction on Argyle TV, in full, here.
