Southampton vs Plymouth Argyle – preview

Having had no game on Saturday, due to Saints FA Cup involvement, Argyle get the chance to move up to seventh with tonight’s game at St Mary’s. It should be an intriguing clash: Luggy is fearful of a Saints backlash after their humiliating Cup exit at the hands of Bristol Rovers on Saturday, and with the club board moving swiftly to end their period of managerial limbo and appoint former Newcastle assistant Nigel Pearson, there could well be an added ‘new manager’ factor. Argyle continue without Seip, Clark and Sandor – and two other, unnamed, players will have late fitness tests. We never win in Southampton and looking at there’s no reason to think anything will change tonight.

However. Luggy has pulled off possibly his biggest coup in the transfer market to date, securing the signing of Scottish international right winger Gary Teale from Derby, initially on loan until the end of the season but apparently with a view to a permanent deal. Teale is blessed with electric pace and a high work-rate and is clearly seen as a direct replacement for Norris. Teale has gone straight into the squad for tonight’s game and may well even start. Argyle remain on a high after back-to-back wins – and Saints clearly aren’t, having slipped to 18th and been dumped out of the cup by lower-division opposition. Influential midfielder Youssef Safri is still suspended and Rasiak has gone to Bolton. It could be Argyle’s night.

Expect us to line up something like this:

McCormick
Connolly
Doumbe
Timar
Paterson

Teale
Nalis
Abdou
Halmosi

MacLean
Easter

Subs:

Mackie
Wotton
Fallon
Sawyer
Hodges

Edited to add – Sturrock has also managed to secure the loan signing of Sunderland CB Russell Anderson on an initial one-month loan. Formerly with Aberdeen, Anderson impressed so much that he was shortlisted last season for the SPL Player of the Year Award. He’s struggled with injuries since being at the SoL and it may be more than just a route back to fitness for him. He, like Teale, goes straight into the squad for tonight’s game – the only CCC game incidentally to survive the weather.

Category: Team News

Tags: Team News

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