After possibly the most satisfying result in the history of the club ever, it's time to get back to the league and take the long trek to Home Park, Plymouth. 

Plymouth Argyle v Derby County

Coca Cola Championship

7th February 2009

Home Park, Plymouth

It's ludicrously far to Plymouth and given the weather it's to be hoped the powers that be and the weather people get together to decide if the game is to go ahead.  Although reports suggest that Plymouth is it's usual balmy self, the surrounding area and many of the roads on the journey are in the grip of arctic conditions.

Since we met in the league back in October, things haven't gone well for the Pilgrims. At the time they were in the play off places and looking fairly good. Since then they've had a run of patchy form that's left them plummeting down the league. They are only three places above us and haven't won for six games; the Pilgrims are in trouble as manager Paul Sturrock said on BBC Radio Devon:

"It's a dogfight with about another seven or eight teams. I certainly did not expect us to go through as bad a spell as we have been through lately."

Sturrock refuses to be critical of his players who he feels merit more than they are getting from games at the moment;

"We've played 10 games and taken very little points and I would say in six or seven of those games we've merited something out of the game and that's how cruel football can be".

Sturrock points to nerves among his strikers as a key problem;

"There are too many people thinking about it. Before it was just instinctive, they just went in the goal, finished, in the goal, now they're taking a touch, when they should hit, they're hitting when they're taking a touch, they're thinking about it all the time."

There seem to be other issues at Home Park - Defender Shane White has just left the club following a drink-drive conviction, Leading striker Paul Gallagher doesn't know if he has a future at the club while highly paid striker Emile Mpenza wants to leave the club and permanently injured David McNamee is back under treatment following a broken cheekbone sustained at Preston.

Argyle managed to draw against Preston due to the heroics of goalkeeper Romain Larrieu and an away goal scored by Jamie Mackie - the Pilgrims first away league goal since November. Paul Sturrock commented;

"Getting that away goal has been like a monkey on our shoulders. We have hit the bar, had efforts cleared off the line and goals disallowed. We have to go and do the business at home now. If we start getting wins at home we'll climb up the table."

Plymouth are reporting no problems with the pitch at Home Park however Chris Barker (calf), Craig Cathcart (back)and Marcel Seip (groin) are all struggling with injuries , while David Gray (ankle) and David McNamee are out.

Pilgrims Statistics

The Rams

Chants you never thought you'd here from Derby fans;

"One Gary Teale, there's only one Gary Teale."

Or how about;

"One Robbie Savage, there's only one Robbie Savage."

Not a lot of imagination on show from the fans but it's quite a turnaround for two players who have been the scapegoats of much of the last year. Gary Teale is interviewed in the Derby Evening telegraph and is clearly relieved to be playing well again;

There was a chance I could have left when I was out on loan but I didn't want to leave without getting the chance to show what I can do, I have always wanted to stay at Derby and play for Derby and I feel I have a point to prove. When Paul Jewell came in he said I might not be playing. Then he brought you back in, and then you were in and out. I don't think that does you any favours."

Nigel Clough - and Ramzoners - feel that Teale & Savage were our best two players against Coventry and apart from Kris Commons, they were up there again on Wednesday.

What's the difference? Is it Clough' style of management that's better than Paul Jewell's? It's hard to say. It was interesting to note the difference between Clough and Jewell on Wednesday when you wonder how Jewell would have reacted to going 2-0 down?

Miles Addison may be fit and new boy Chris Porter is available to play up front if Rob Hulse isn't fit.

Mick's Team Bywater, Stewart, Addison, Albrechtsen, Connolly, Teale, Savage, Green, Davies, Commons, Hulse

What the Bookies think

The Pilgrims are favourites at 5/4 while the Rams are at 7/4. The Draw is at 11/5. Paul Gallagher and Rory Fallon are both at 7/4 to score while Nathan Ellington and Rob Hulse are at 15/8.

Kris Commons is at 8/1 while Gary Teale is at 20/1 for the first goal. Worth a flutter I reckon.

Information for travelling fans

Driving: it's a long way - 240 miles to be accurate. Best route is the A38 south to the M6. Take the M6 to it's junction with the M5 then take the M5 south towards Bristol. You then pick up the A38 again). On entering Plymouth, turn left onto the A386 towards Plymouth and when this road forks keep to the left. After a mile or so you will see the ground on your left. The ground is well signposted

Parking: There's a large car park at the ground that takes an age to get out of at the end of the game. You can park on the streets if you go past the ground but this is fairly limited.

Drinking: Footballgroundguide.com recommends the Britannia, a Wetherspoons that is about ten minutes walking from the ground but warns that security staff takes a dim view of football chants. If you get there in plenty of time, you can get a drink in the town itself around the Hoe.

Mick’s prediction

With two wins on the trot and an improved team performance, it's time to start putting points on the board and a struggling Plymouth would be a good place to start

Photo: Action Images

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