Plymouth Argyle’s four match winning run and five match unbeaten run came to an end with a poor performance at Adams Park against Wycombe Wanderers.
Kyle Letheren: 5
Didn’t have much to do, saved all Wycombe shots on target, though many were routine. However, his weakness dealing with crosses – which has led to many near misses during his run in the team – finally resulted in a goal as a he failed to attack a set-piece hung virtually under the crossbar. Distribution was below standard once more.
Ashley Smith-Brown: 6
Didn’t have too much to do as Wycombe focused their attacks down the centre and right. When he was tested, he was fine but he didn’t offer a threat going foward.
Ryan Edwards: 5
Struggled to deal with Akinfenwa all game – as virtually all defenders do. A series of chances stemmed from his failure to win the aerial duel with Wycombe’s beast, but aside from that his performance was okay.
Niall Canavan: 6 – Man of the Match
Like Edwards, Canavan failed to deal with Akinfenwa in the first half, though that improved in the second half and he put in a decent performance.
Gary Sawyer: 3
Very poor by Argyle’s elder statesman. Ex-Pilgrim Cowan-Hall was all over him in the first-half, using his speed and strength to get the beating of him, and he offered nothing going forward all game.
Yann Songo’o: 4
Dealt with Akinfenwa for the first 10 mins, but that was about it. Scored the own goal – his third for the club, as many as goals as has has scored in the right net – and failed to tame the beast. He looked purposeful and useful in the second half but struggled find his teammates when trying to pass forward from the back.
David Fox: 4
As ever, Fox as always an option for his centre-backs when in possession but he was mostly forced to play backwards or sideways, and lost the ball too often. This was the kind of game in which Argyle needed to control possession to limit Wycombe’s aerial threat, but once again we saw him struggle to exert influence throughout a match in a set-up that limits him. Struggled defensively, unsurprisingly.
Ruben Lameiras: 5
Argyle’s in-form attacker nearly scored with a bent effort from outside the box that hit the bar late in the first-half, but otherwise he barely saw the ball. Played a couple of intricate passes, but otherwise that was about it.
Antoni Sarcevic: 4
He’s the best midfielder from a defensive perspective but, once again, his position at centre-attacking midfield prevented him from supporting Argyle’s defence against Wycombe’s direct style. Additionally, being at the tip of midfield meant he rarely saw the ball, while he otherwise was reduced to strolling around the pitch and failed to register an impact when in possession.
Graham Carey: 4
Like the rest of Argyle’s attackers, he suffered from the team’s inability to gain control of the game in midfield. Spent the whole game not getting the ball and being fouled. Was okay when in possession but was too sloppy for his high standards.
Freddie Ladapo: 4
The completely wrong game to start Ladapo in. Ran a lot and tried hard but rarely won the headers his teammates desperately needed him to in order to get them playing in Wycombe’s half and lacked quality on the ball.
Ryan Taylor: 5
Won the first ball after he came on but little else.
Our thanks to Liam Morris for writing this for us. If you want to be a guest writer for Argyle Life, email contact@argyle.life.