Tag: football

Newport County Vs Plymouth Argyle -Preview

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RYAN Lowe’s Plymouth Argyle look to continue their flawless start to the League Two season as they travel to Rodney Parade to face Newport County on Saturday afternoon.

The Pilgrim’s are on a strong run of form after three consecutive victories, including Tuesdays success over Leyton Orient in the Carabao Cup.

Lowe made five changes for the midweek clash and now has a conundrum on who deserves a starting place on Saturday.

The Argyle boss admits he has a ‘selection headache’ but told Plymouth Live that it is all part of his Job.

Plymouth Argyle manager Ryan Lowe

He said: “It’s a good part of the job. Some of the lads who played on Tuesday night were probably a little bit unfortunate not to start the first game of the season.

“But I’m the manager, I make the decisions, I have to pick the team. Sometimes you will get it right and sometimes you get it wrong.

“At the moment, it’s going right, but what I know – and what the lads know – is they are going to get opportunities, whether that’s through injury or through different cup competitions.

“When their chance comes along it’s over to them to take it.

He added: “Yes, they have given me a selection headache, but also the lads who played on Saturday have given me a selection headache.

“The lads know that. The group is very good and we just want to keep pushing.”

Argyle’s opponents on Saturday, Newport County, have had a much slower start to the season with two consecutive draws in the league.

However, success in the Carabao Cup midweek has seen them draw yet another Premier League side to Rodney Parade.

Newport will face West Ham in the next round and boss Micheal Flynn is hoping that both that and Argyle visit on Saturday will spur on his new signings.

Flynn told BBC Sport: “On Saturday they will get a taste of the real atmosphere Rodney Parade brings.

“Plymouth always travel well, have good supporters and are a big club – a very big club in this league.

“So its going to be a noisy afternoon. I am hoping we get 6000, we will see. It’s one of those games where if we win its an unbelievable start, if we don’t at least we only have to play them once more after this.”

Saturday’s away fixture will be a tough one for the Green Army as they face last season’s Play-off finalists but it will be a game where Lowe is determined to get a positive result.

Ryan Lowe: How Plymouth Argyle’s new manager could affect Liverpool’s young stars

Deemed the “Jurgen Klopp of Devon” Ryan Lowe has begun his tenure at recently relegated Plymouth Argyle.  

The Liverpudlian joined the club after leaving financially troubled Bury following their promotion into League One.

Lowe comes with a reputation of fast, high-intensity football reflecting the styles of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.

Last campaign his Bury side were promoted as the league’s top scorers, scoring 105 goals in all competitions.

Ryan Lowe at his first press conference as Plymouth Argyle manager

The Green Army will be hoping a similar style of football is replicated at Home Park next season but how will Lowe’s appointment affect Jurgen Klopp’s young stars?

The newly appointed boss has made clear his strong working relationship with Klopp, reiterating the conversations the two have engaged in.

The partnership could end up being a mutually beneficial one as the South-West has now become an option for Klopp to send his younger players in order for them to develop in a similar style of play to his own.

As mentioned, Lowe is very strong on playing a certain attacking style of football no matter what level you are playing at and believes anyone can achieve this style with “Hard work and graft.”

He said: “I said before why can’t Bury play the same way as a Liverpool, Man City or Barcelona? And now I’m here in Plymouth why can’t Argyle play the same way?”

This attitude could be an attractive feature for the biggest sides in England, more specifically Liverpool to send their youngsters down south to develop in the right way.

Lowe is very much a manager for the younger player, giving five youth players their first team debuts last year at Bury. This coupled with his good man-management skills will see the younger players thrive under his guidance.

The Argyle boss demands that 100% is given by all of his players, all of the time and accepts nothing less, however he understands that the end-product might not always be perfect.

He said: “I expect everyone to give 100%, at times I will forgive lack of quality, but I will never forgive lack of effort.”

This relentlessness and drive, yet understanding of the young player, is rare in the lower divisions of English football and something that makes him all the more attractive for potential loanee’s.

Any young talent sent the way of Lowe will be worked harder than ever before and learn more than they ever have but ultimately, they’ll develop into top young players.

This would be the end goal for Klopp, or indeed any other manager who sends players to the South-West and thus it is likely that many players will tread this path.

In all, Klopp could do worse than to send his youngsters to Home Park and Lowe could do worse than taking some of England’s best talent on-loan. It seems like it could be a beneficial arrangement for both parties so don’t be surprised to see some young reds heading south this summer.