Palace v Argyle – preview

Here we are again – back on the roller-coaster that is PAFC and their League form. There’s a sense that, in the intervening three months since the Barnsley defeat everything has changed: a new Board, a new formation (though we probably shan’t see that tomorrow) and a new team spirit and optimism about the place. However, despite six new signings, (Fletcher, Arnason, Johnson, Wright-Phillips, Judge and Letheren), the starting XI will bear a stunningly striking resemblance to Argyle – last season’s model. At the time of writing, the Alan Gow saga was looking like ending in tears, with the Rangers outcast after more money/somewhere closer to mummy/possibly both. Good luck with that. On the plus side, Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan, whose name sounds more like an eighteenth-century dramatist-cum-laudanum addict than a footballer, is reportedly close to a loan deal.

The much-vaunted diamond will, as I said, almost certainly not make an appearance tomorrow. Instead, it is likely to be the old favourite 4-4-1-1, with, one suspects, MacLean playing off Fallon. Stevie owes us big time – he confessed as much in a recent Western Morning News interview. He *particularly owes those of us who spent much of last season defending him and arguing that his intelligent style of play would, sooner or later, come good. With Aberdeen unable to cover the proportion of wages Argyle were seeking, and with BWP crocked, Stevie has a chance to remedy his misfiring last season that at one stage it looked unlikely he would have. He’s been, by all accounts, our best player pre-season: tomorrow would be the perfect way to show all the doubters that he CAN play and he IS going to score goals. A brace at Selhurst would do just fine.

Another unlikely starter at the end of last season would have been Jim Paterson. Like MacLean the subject of ultimately fruitless enquiries (and unwelcome press comment) from Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee, Paterson has responded well to the competition for places and looks set to start tomorrow on the left side of midfield. Relying more on guile and tenacity than pace, Pato’s steady head may yet prove an important part of our challenge this term , especially if Craig Noone fails to kick on as much as we all hope. Alongside Jim in midfield, I expect to see Fletcher & Duguid resume their central “bulldog” partnership, with Judgy providing the pace and energy wide on the right. That leaves the defence, with Romain unchallenged now that Stack has gone, Saxton is injured and the new man Letheren just in as cover; Sicknote McNamee at RB, Seip and presumably Timar at the heart and Sawyer on the left. An expanded seven-man bench would probably include Letheren (obviously); Mackie, Clark, Arnason, Barnes, Johnson and Noone, covering all bases.

The Eagles look set to be without Claude Davis (work permit), Jose Fonte and Darren Ambrose (injured). A strike force of Sears and John make for a fascinating mix of youthful vigour and aging nous, while Nick Carle provides the energy in midfield for Scannell and Moses to feed off. You’d expect a Neil Warnock side to be up for the fight, so coming away with a point and no new casualties would almost certainly be seen as a positive result. COYG!

Category: Team News

Tags: Team News

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