Mansfield Town Match Thread

Man the middle

MARK BROWN

Assisted by

Simeon Lucas and Robert Merchant

Fourth Official Marc Perry

MANSFIELD VIEW ON THE GAME

Their boss Adam Murray is confident that his side can continue their good form into this weekend’s game at home to Plymouth Argyle

The Pilgrims currently lie third in the Sky Bet League Two table and Murray knows that his side will need to be at their best to compete with last season’s play-off semi-finalists.

“We’re going to have to be on our mettle, we’re going to have to stay focused and keep concentrated for 90-odd minutes. It’ll be one of those games where we’re going to have to be at our best but I think our performances through 70% of the season have been good," Murray said.

“The signings they’ve brought in over the summer have made them a more efficient outfit. It’ll be a test for us on Saturday but we’re confident going into it. We went to Luton [last Saturday] believing we could win and we believe we can beat these on Saturday too.”

Following the Stags’ 4-0 victory over Crawley Town during their last home outing, Murray wants his side to assert their authority on the game against Plymouth on Saturday.

“We’re at home so we’ll want to set the tempo but we’ll do it in a structured way. We’re going to have to be aware of their threats but we have to understand that we’ve got a lot of threats in our own team.

“There’ll be certain people who are ‘let off their leash’ to set the tempo for us but at the same time we’ll be defensively organised and we’ll have an infrastructure in place to deal with their threats.”

The gaffer is pleased with the performances of his side so far this season but now wants results to reflect that consistently.

“I think our form has been good. Our performances, especially away from home, have been excellent so we want to keep building on that. We want our performances and our results to mirror each other and my ethos is if the process is right then the results will come.

“This season’s all about progressing and as long as I see that then I’ll be happy.”

Murray is hoping for the Stags’ fans to turn out in their droves again this weekend and says that it is important that they work in tandem with the team, he said: “It’s a two-way thing. I think there are times where we have to get them going and there’s times where they need to get us going.

“You have off-days and you rely on them to kick you in and some days they have off-days and we have to kick them in with our performances so it’s a joint venture, the fans know that

Home attendance this season so far

Carlisle 4,146 Oxford Utd 3,112 WIMBLEDON 3,042 CRAWLEY 2,524

0-0

We'll win this one 2-1

Jeez. Talk about clone drone. No wonder the Ron Manager thing came about.

Is there more of a 'meh' team than Mansfield Town?

Possibly Gillingham.

Cornish Chris wrote:

Is there more of a 'meh' team than Mansfield Town?

Possibly Gillingham.

Not a fan of Gillingham. If you've ever worked in the Yard you may well have come across a fair few Gills fans that came down here to work from Chatham Dockyard when it went tits up. Knobbers.

Edit :- and Paul Scally is a prize Cnut.

Stags vs Plymouth Argyle

Your complete guide to this weekend's Sky Bet League Two match against Plymouth Argyle at One Call Stadium (3pm).

TEAM NEWS:

Stags’ boss Adam Murray has some decisions to make ahead of Saturday’s game with the Pilgrims, with three of his senior players ruled out of the fixture. After limping off at Kenilworth Road during their last outing at Luton Town, Murray confirmed midfielder Chris Clements would be sidelined for a couple of weeks with a groin problem that forced him off before half-time. Meanwhile, striker Chris Beardsley is yet to fully recover from a shin injury that ruled him out of the 1-0 defeat to the Hatters a week ago, while young central defender Corbin Shires is suffering from a virus.

Plymouth could be without defensive midfielder Carl McHugh for their 534 mile round trip to One Call Stadium, after the former Bradford City man suffered a hamstring injury during their draw with Bristol Rovers. Midfielder Josh Simpson made his return to the Argyle squad as an unused substitute against the Pirates after recovering from a groin issue and manager Derek Adams will be hoping the ex-Crawley captain will be fit enough for a recall. However concerns remain over Bolton loanee Oscar Threlkeld, after the left-back missed the last match with a thigh problem.

RECENT FORM:

Stags will be looking to continue their unbeaten record at One Call Stadium that has seen them pick up seven points from a possible twelve in their first four home fixtures this campaign. Three consecutive 1-1 draws was followed by a resounding 4-0 victory over Crawley Town, but after slipping to a 1-0 defeat at Luton Town last Saturday, Murray and the squad will be hoping to find three points to lift them towards the League Two play-off spots.

It’s been a stellar start to the season for Plymouth after taking an impressive 16 points from their first eight league matches. Having lost only one of their last seven matches in all competitions, the Devonshire club are sitting pretty in third, trailing the leaders Leyton Orient by just a point.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS:

The two sides have met 33 times in total to date, with the first fixture dating all the way back to 1958 when Plymouth ran out 4-1 winners at Field Mill.

Although the Stags have only won two of their last 13 matches against Saturday’s opponents, those two successes have come during their last three home games, in 2002 and 2014 respectively.

Vadaine Oliver’s chipped effort handed then caretaker manager Adam Murray a win in his first game in charge of the club back in November of last year; a result the boss will be looking to replicate on Saturday.

OVERALL RECORD: WON 7 DREW 8 LOST 18

DEREK ADAMS has been singing the praises of Plymouth Argyle's on-loan midfielder Hiram Boateng to Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew.

Boateng, 19, arrived at Home Park from the Premier League club in late July, towards the end of pre-season, and has gone on to become a first team regular.

He has started all 10 of Argyle's first team matches this term and made a very favourable impression on Adams.

The Pilgrims' boss has been particularly struck by the way that the powerful Boateng that coped with the physicality of playing in League Two.

Adams told Herald Sport: "I have been delighted with him, and I have let Alan Pardew know he has been doing well.

"He's only 19 years of age but he has been strong, he has been very good on the ball and he looks like he has played in the division for a number of seasons."

Boateng, who is under contract to Palace until the summer of 2017, has been signed on loan by Argyle until the start of January.

The Pilgrims have also borrowed Craig Tanner from Reading and Oscar Threlkeld from Bolton Wanderers for the same period of time.

Adams continued: "I think it's important when you take players on loan you look at them – not only technically but physically as well. Are they going to deal with League Two?

"The ones we have taken in, Tanner, Oscar and Hiram, all look like they can deal with it."

Adams believes it is important to stay in regular contact with the clubs from which he makes loan signings.

He said: "I like to keep the clubs updated, whether it is the manager, his assistant or whoever, just to let them know what is going on."

Boateng can expect another physically demanding League Two game when Argyle play Mansfield Town at Field Mill on Saturday.


The Pilgrims will be forced into one team change because Carl McHugh, so effective in a midfield holding role this season, has been ruled out by a hamstring injury.

He was hurt in the 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers at Home Park last Saturday and had to be substituted.

Adams said: "We will miss Carl. He has been an important player for me since I came here.

"I have moved his position into midfield and he has been one of our top performers."

Adams will choose between Lee Cox, Josh Simpson and Oscar Threlkeld as the replacement for McHugh in the game against Mansfield.

Nathan Thomas. Bound to terrorise us, isn't he? Hopefully he'll be on the bench.

Will last season's violence be repeated ?

ejh wrote:

Nathan Thomas. Bound to terrorise us, isn't he? Hopefully he'll be on the bench.

Where they have Thomas we have Carey, Wylde, Tanner and Jervis in return we'll be ok

mind you Thomas might have had a role here in this new system we play had he stayed i feel. It suits his style of play to a tee.

Would have been adored by Adams, possibly even selected over Wylde or negated the need to sign him.

Never ever understood the rationale in us letting him go.

ejh wrote:

Would have been adored by Adams, possibly even selected over Wylde or negated the need to sign him.

Never ever understood the rationale in us letting him go.

How exactly do you know that? Nathan Thomas has not been a regular for Mansfield and made no impact at the Scottish club that he joined-where is the evidence that Thomas is in any way adequately equipped to play a consistent part in a promotion winning side, which would surely be the criteria by which DA would judge a player?

We shouldn't cause the Stags any problems

Mansfield 2-0 Argo

Greenskin wrote:

ejh wrote:

Would have been adored by Adams, possibly even selected over Wylde or negated the need to sign him.

Never ever understood the rationale in us letting him go.

How exactly do you know that? Nathan Thomas has not been a regular for Mansfield and made no impact at the Scottish club that he joined-where is the evidence that Thomas is in any way adequately equipped to play a consistent part in a promotion winning side, which would surely be the criteria by which DA would judge a player?

Derek Adams told me at a meet the manager event. He said He was fully aware of who Nathan Thomas was and thought he was an exceptionally gifted player. He said it was a crying shame JS let the lad go as he'd have got 15 goals a season out of him. He also said that a Nathan Thomas free of defensive duties was an absolute joy to watch and would have been a real crowd pleaser. He said fans love a George Best at all levels of football, and when you are lucky enough to have one, you dont let him go.

Fair enough I say, the gaffer is entitled to his opinion.

Argyle radio for Saturday

Saturday 26th September 2015 - BBC Radio Devon (1400-1800)

James Vickery presents Devon Sport from the Studio

League Two
Mansfield Town v Plymouth Argyle - Drew Savage & Chris Errington (3pm Commentary on 95.7FM & DAB also on Argyle Player)

ejh wrote:

Greenskin wrote:

ejh wrote:

Would have been adored by Adams, possibly even selected over Wylde or negated the need to sign him.

Never ever understood the rationale in us letting him go.

How exactly do you know that? Nathan Thomas has not been a regular for Mansfield and made no impact at the Scottish club that he joined-where is the evidence that Thomas is in any way adequately equipped to play a consistent part in a promotion winning side, which would surely be the criteria by which DA would judge a player?

Derek Adams told me at a meet the manager event. He said He was fully aware of who Nathan Thomas was and thought he was an exceptionally gifted player. He said it was a crying shame JS let the lad go as he'd have got 15 goals a season out of him. He also said that a Nathan Thomas free of defensive duties was an absolute joy to watch and would have been a real crowd pleaser. He said fans love a George Best at all levels of football, and when you are lucky enough to have one, you dont let him go.

Fair enough I say, the gaffer is entitled to his opinion.

Especially when he agrees with you.......

Elias wrote:

Will last season's violence be repeated ?

Who knows ?.

VillageGreen wrote:

Elias wrote:

Will last season's violence be repeated ?

Who knows ?.

ejh wrote:

Greenskin wrote:

ejh wrote:

Would have been adored by Adams, possibly even selected over Wylde or negated the need to sign him.

Never ever understood the rationale in us letting him go.

How exactly do you know that? Nathan Thomas has not been a regular for Mansfield and made no impact at the Scottish club that he joined-where is the evidence that Thomas is in any way adequately equipped to play a consistent part in a promotion winning side, which would surely be the criteria by which DA would judge a player?

Derek Adams told me at a meet the manager event. He said He was fully aware of who Nathan Thomas was and thought he was an exceptionally gifted player. He said it was a crying shame JS let the lad go as he'd have got 15 goals a season out of him. He also said that a Nathan Thomas free of defensive duties was an absolute joy to watch and would have been a real crowd pleaser. He said fans love a George Best at all levels of football, and when you are lucky enough to have one, you dont let him go.

Fair enough I say, the gaffer is entitled to his opinion.

Argyle v Mansfield: McCormick, Mellor, Nelson, Hartley, Sawyer, Simpson, Boateng, Jervis, Carey, Brunt, Reid


Argyle subs: Cox, Wylde, T Harvey, Purrington, Threlkeld, Tanner, C Harvey

Bruntinho starting. Forcing Reuben left wing? or copying Sheridan's tactical masterstroke of playing a 6' 4" Marvin Morgan on the left wing to head set goal kicks into Reuben?

Simpson in for the injured McHugh despite Cox impressing in his 45 mins last week.

DA has been pretty stable in his selections, two minor surprises today though, seems like a little shake up. Game on!

Sheridan and Adams won't be both wrong. I'm a fan of playing tall powerful players out wide on occasion. I myself switched out wide for a couple of seasons. It was a turkey shoot dominating an average 5 10 full back on the ground or in the air. Loved the position. I'm trying to think a 6footer+ who did well out wide in the 70s. May have been a Clough guy.
Modern footballers should be able to play many different roles. Sometimes you really hit on something. Brian Clough was a master at moulding class players out of also-rans by changing their position. Burns was the classic he changed late in the player's career.
Another wheeze that seemed to work on occasion is to play no players up front in the middle whatsoever, but out wide. That can work too, watch the CBs run around like chickens trying to help out their swamped wing/full backs, leaving the Careys to run through at pace from deep.