This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Tom Cleverley has made a poor start to life as the new Plymouth Argyle manager.
There were high expectations following his appointment earlier this summer, with supporters expecting he could lead them back to the Championship. However, he has supervised just one win in their first six league games, leaving the Pilgrims in the relegation zone as the summer transfer window closes. Plymouth are already 12 points behind the automatic promotion positions, and the ex-Watford coach will face increased pressure if results do not improve in September.
Plymouth to blame for Tom Cleverley’s bad start
When asked if he had any early doubts about Cleverley, FLW’s Plymouth fan analyst Luke Hodge stated that the club is more to blame for the season’s poor start. He emphasized the recruitment method, implying that the team is significantly worse now than it was at the start of the summer. “There are no doubts about Tom, and I believe the majority of the supporters feel the same way; this isn’t on him, but on the club,” Hodge told Football League World.
“They’ve been awful in the market, and recruitment has been particularly poor. “Don’t get me wrong, we’ve signed some great players, but there’s a serious lack of balance in the squad; it’s very young, with a lack of experience, quality, and numbers. “I’m not going to lie; it’s a little worrying. “The club has lost a lot of internal roles, and they appear to be reacting at the moment rather than knowing what they want and how to go about it.
“The fact that we have a couple of young players like Freddie Issaka and Caleb Roberts, they should’ve been out on loan about 18 months ago, at a vital moment in their careers, and they’re still receiving sporadic minutes for us, which isn’t good for them or the club. “So, there’s a lot of worrying signs around the club at the moment.”
Too soon to judge Tom Cleverley
Hodge has said that Cleverley hasn’t spent enough time with the team and that it’s too early to pass judgment, despite the fact that questions about his tactics are emerging. “But, in terms of Tom Cleverley, I don’t think this is on him,” he said afterwards. “He’s been stubborn in his 4-2-3-1 arrangement, with many people questioning if we should go to a back three.
“However, when you lose literally every player from the squad due to last year’s relegation and have to start over with a completely new club, I realize that chopping and rearranging formations may not be the ideal option. “He needs to stick to his guns, stick to a 4-2-3-1, and hope that these players understand what he wants and how he wants to play, and that they begin to gel sooner rather than later.” “It hasn’t been terrific, and we don’t want any knee-jerk reactions since we’re only five games in.
“However, being favourites for promotion is no longer the case, and I believe most fans understand that staying in the division is the primary goal at the time. “Because, as things are, we’re most likely fighting for relegation. “I don’t think we’ll go down; I think we’ll finish around mid-table. “It’s time to consolidate and perhaps begin to improve.
“We’ve had a difficult run of games, and it won’t get any easier; we have Stockport on Saturday, who are right up there. “I believe Cleverley has some free time; I’ve checked social media, and no one has criticized him yet. “There are a few people condemning him, as you would expect given how poorly we’ve performed, but this is primarily about recruitment and the club rather than Tom Cleverley. “But, us fickle fans, that can soon change.”
“I believe Cleverley has some free time; I’ve checked social media, and no one has criticized him yet. “There are a few people condemning him, as you would expect given how poorly we’ve performed, but this is primarily about recruitment and the club rather than Tom Cleverley. “But, us fickle fans, that can soon change.” Plymouth are presently 21st in the League One table after six games, with three points from a possible 18.
Changes will take time to work at Plymouth
Plymouth had a difficult summer after being demoted, as they changed manager and the majority of their squad. Given the circumstances, it’s not surprising that they’ve gotten off to a sluggish start, and Cleverley may work things out with time. Patience may be necessary, but the 36-year-old demonstrated last year at the Championship that he is more than capable of competing at this level as a coach.
If results don’t improve, the pressure will be on, but Plymouth should stick with their man for the time being and give him an opportunity to adjust to this new squad.
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