Pilgrims Determined to Thanks Bounce Back

It’s been a difficult 12 months for everyone associated with Plymouth Argyle. The club was relegated from League One on the final day of last season after a string of subpar performances. The Pilgrims picked up a mere 7 points from their last 10 games. Despite beating Scunthorpe 3-2 at home on the final day, their fate was already sealed.

However, Plymouth are determined to bounce back and reclaim their spot in England’s third tier. There have been plenty of changes at Home Park in recent months, but the team looks fully prepared to start their charge towards the playoffs.

Argyle have made a steady start to the new season. Ryan Lowe’s team have racked up 11 points so far and have hit the back of the net on 12 occasions. They are the second highest-scoring team in the division and look formidable every time they go forward. If they can tighten things up at the back, we’re confident that they can achieve their objectives this year.

Today, we’ll evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. We’ll also include a handful of League Two football tips for good measure.

What Are Plymouth’s Biggest Assets?

We’re extremely impressed by new manager Ryan Lowe. The former Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere Rovers striker guided Bury to the semi-finals of the EFL Trophy during his first season in charge. What’s more, he secured a top-three finish in League Two before eventually being beaten by Portsmouth.

Lowe collected the League Two Manager of the Month Award on three occasions. His style of play has also been complemented by several top-class managers, including Rafa Benitez, Jurgen Klopp, and Pep Guardiola. The 40-year-old will need a few months to make his mark on this Plymouth squad, but when he does, we believe the sky's the limit. Lowe is one of the most impressive young managers in the EFL right now.

The Pilgrims also have an extremely strong team. Byron Moore, Callum McFadzean, and Antoni Sarcevic have already scored a handful of goals this season. If Lowe can get the Jose Baxter and Ryan Taylor firing on top of that, there won’t be any shortage of goals at Home Park this season.

Potential Weaknesses

Plymouth have conceded 8 times this season. They threw away a lead against Oldham already. It’s something that Ryan Lowe will be hoping to rectify sooner rather than later. The Pilgrims are scoring plenty of goals right now, but what happens further down the line during tight games? However, it’s still early days. The alarm bells aren’t ringing just yet.

Injuries to key players is another potential problem, but not one that Argyle will face alone. Every team in the division will need to overcome this issue at some stage during the year.

Competitive League

League Two is one of the most competitive leagues in England. Plymouth’s journey back to League One won’t be plain sailing. They’ll need to be at their best week in, week out. If they can address their defensive issues before they become a major problem, we think that the Pilgrims can achieve promotion.