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00:00Chris, good morning. You've got another long trip in store, which I'm sure you're used to by now,
00:05but Plymouth are still alive, aren't they? Still going at it.
00:10Just about, George, yeah. Looking forward to the trip to Deepdale. I enjoy going there.
00:15Nice stadium, friendly people, yourself included.
00:19They have given themselves a little bit of hope. I think it's not a massive amount of hope,
00:25but there is hope there. They've won the last three home games. They've beaten Norwich City, Sheffield United and Coventry City.
00:32And that's an impressive run of form. And in fact, over the course of the season,
00:37I think if it was just based on home form, they would be probably staying up.
00:42But the away form has just been truly awful. And that is what potentially is going to cost them their place in the championship.
00:51But they're in their fighting. They had a good win against Coventry City on Easter Monday.
00:59Possibly one of their best performances under Miran Muzlic since he took over as the head coach in January.
01:06So, yeah, they'll be coming up there. They know they've got to win.
01:09Their draws are no good. They have to win. So that will definitely be their mindset.
01:16What's the biggest impact you'd say Muzlic has had? Because I read this week,
01:21he said he thinks if he was here all season, then Argyle would be OK.
01:24So has it been a major improvement? Or is the away form still a bit of an issue?
01:30Yeah, he hasn't been able to get to the bottom of the away form.
01:34I mean, just the facts or the stats, George, were under Wayne Rooney,
01:39Argyle got 18 points from the first 23 games of the season.
01:44They then had two games with caretaker managers, but they got two draws.
01:49And then under Muzlic, they've got 23 points from 19 games.
01:53So I think if you had 23 points from 19 games, if you had that over the course of the season,
01:59that probably will keep you up just about. It'd be a bit close, but it probably will keep you up.
02:03So I think that's what he's basing his comments on, on the form they've had under him.
02:09That might have just kept him up.
02:12He's totally transformed the style of play.
02:18Under Rooney, it was very much the passing out from the back, starting with a goalkeeper,
02:24centre-backs taking goal kicks, a goalkeeper playing as centre-backs,
02:27all that sort of thing that we've seen a lot.
02:30And then since Muzlic's come in, he's worked hard to make them tighter at the back.
02:38They have had a few blips, but generally speaking, they've been a bit more solid at the back.
02:43They're definitely more direct.
02:46They get the ball forward quicker.
02:48The goalkeeper will kick the ball long a lot more, whereas before that wasn't done.
02:54And they've done their very best to try and find a long throw-in threat.
02:57But it's something that a lot of opposition teams have had, and Argyle have never really had.
03:04But they've deployed a guy called Cornel Such, who's a Hungarian defender.
03:10It's not the longest long throw you've ever seen, but I think the theory is get the ball in the opposition box,
03:17try and win the second balls, just get themselves up the pitch.
03:22So, they're a lot more direct than they used to be.
03:27They're quite physical as well.
03:31So, yeah, anyone who was at home park in October and saw that 3-3 draw,
03:38the Argyle of then and now, in terms of style, is quite different, to be honest.
03:42Yeah, from what you've said there, has he sort of eliminated risk in all the sort of play, so at both ends?
03:51I think, you know, yes, that's true.
03:54If you try and play out from the back, you can make mistakes, you can be caught in possession,
04:01and it can lead to a goal.
04:02So, I'm thinking of Arsenal, the Arsenal Palace game on, what was that, Wednesday night,
04:07and Arsenal try and play out from the back, got caught, score.
04:11If the ball is in the opposition half, I know this is quite simplistic,
04:14but if the ball's in the opposition half, you're probably not going to concede from there.
04:18So, yeah, cut out risks.
04:22Transition is a word that Miron uses quite a bit.
04:25So, Argyle, even at home, are quite happy for the opposition to have the ball,
04:31quite happy for them to have it, but they will try at the right moments to win the ball
04:36and then go on the break.
04:37And they've got the likes of Ryan Hardy and Mustafa Bundu,
04:41who have been playing quite well for them recently,
04:43who are two quick attackers who can perhaps break from slightly deeper positions
04:48and try and catch teams on the counter-attack.
04:51I'm happy telling you that because Paul Heckenbottman and Preston
04:54and anyone who's seen Argyle recently will know exactly what Argyle are going to do.
04:59They'll have, they'll try and be, they'll be solid.
05:03They'll probably be in a low block, but they will try and catch teams on the break.
05:09And up at Middlesbrough on Good Friday is probably a good example
05:12of what we might see at Deepdale, where, you know, you've seen Middlesbrough.
05:17They're a very good team.
05:19They pass the ball around a lot.
05:21But I think they had 75, 80% of possession.
05:25But I think they had three shots on target the whole game.
05:29And Argyle, I think off the top of my head, was like 18 goal attempts, five on target.
05:35And so, yes, while they're going to defend on the low block,
05:38I think they will try and catch Preston in possession, nick the ball off them, break,
05:46create chances that way.
05:47And, yeah, that worked quite well against Middlesbrough.
05:51They did concede a very late and pretty harsh penalty at the end of that game,
05:56and they lost 2-1.
05:57But I think if they could put in a performance like they did against Middlesbrough
06:02and just have one or two things go their way,
06:07then they'd be hopeful of getting a good result up at Deepdale,
06:10while obviously respecting the fact that Preston are pretty keen to get a win themselves now, aren't they?
06:17Yeah, exactly.
06:18So, in terms of the tighter defence,
06:20is there anywhere that still looks a weakness to you that Preston might be looking to exploit?
06:24Because this low block talk will worry Preston fans because they lack creativity
06:29and they won't be sort of too confident in breaking that down
06:32if Cardiff Plymouth can keep it tight at the back.
06:34So, is there anywhere you've seen in recent weeks thinking it could be a problem?
06:40I suppose there's always the potential for people to run in behind Argyle.
06:46They're not the quickest at the back.
06:51So, the centre-backs have done a pretty good job recently, the three centre-backs,
06:55but they're perhaps not the quickest.
06:58Aerially, Nikola Katic is a Bosnia-Herzegovina defender,
07:03and he's been good, strong in the air.
07:08And so, I think physicality-wise, they're good.
07:12Like a lot of defences, you know, if you can get in behind them,
07:15if you can turn the defenders, then that's probably the way to go.
07:21I wouldn't be surprised.
07:22I mean, I say there's three centre-backs.
07:23They play with the wing-backs as well.
07:25The wing-backs might well line up and make it almost like a five.
07:30But Argyle do have to win.
07:32You know, there's – you know, they can't – you know, I think the key for them
07:36is to get themselves into the game.
07:40When they played up at Swansea a couple of weeks ago,
07:43they conceded the first goal after four minutes.
07:46They were 3-0 down after 35, and it was just, like, damage limitation then.
07:50So, they will try and avoid a repeat of that and then hope they can get
07:55the sort of performance they did against Middlesbrough where they got
07:58themselves into the game, and then chances will come as the game goes on.
08:03So, they're not going to be going gung-ho just because they need a win
08:07and attacking from the off.
08:08And, you know, I can't see that.
08:10That would be against the style that they've shown.
08:14But I think they'll try and work themselves into the game,
08:18make sure they're nice and tight, and then look to go on the transition.
08:23But like I say, anyone who's watched Argyle,
08:25Preston will have scouted them, Middlesbrough did.
08:27You know, that's – that's what I would be planning for
08:32if you're playing against Argyle, and I'd be pretty surprised
08:34if it wasn't like that on Saturday.
08:38Yeah.
08:38Has Lewis Gibson been missed?
08:40It sounds like he's going to be a real key player on the day
08:42in terms of keeping Hardy and Bundy quiet, players you'll know really well.
08:45Yeah.
08:46Yeah, he was a really good player for Argyle.
08:51He's got good mobility and a bit of pace about him as well.
08:54Reads the game well.
08:55Yeah, I mean, it was disappointing.
08:58He left when he – at the time he did.
09:01Understand it.
09:02And, you know, I think he's going to go on to do well,
09:07hopefully at Preston for your guys' legs.
09:10But he looks as though he's got the – he's good in the air,
09:14decent with the ball at his feet, reads the game well.
09:19So, yeah, I think – you know, I would have thought any game
09:22that he plays in, he's going to be a key performer for Preston
09:27because I think he's a – I think he's a good all-round defender.
09:31Yeah.
09:32Is there a good away following coming?
09:33I think Plymouth are associated with an outstanding sort of backing
09:37on the road with all the long trips and things, and they will be right
09:40up for it, won't they?
09:41They'll be making a great –
09:41They will be, yes.
09:42I mean, the Green Army have had a tough old season this season.
09:48You know, just one away win out of 22 home league games, George,
09:51which, you know, is dreadful.
09:54I was just looking at the record here just so I can get it right.
09:57So, 22 away league games, one win, six draws, 15 defeats,
10:02nine goals scored, nine in 22, and 48 conceded.
10:08But the Green Army, to their immense credit, always turn up
10:11in good numbers.
10:13I think the cut-price ticket offer's helping a bit as well as the fact
10:16that Argyle do need to win.
10:17The last figure I heard was 1,500.
10:191,500 fans have already got tickets, and hopefully a few more might get
10:25tempted between now and the game on Saturday.
10:28So, yeah, a good follow-in, and they'll be looking to get behind the team
10:36as they always do.
10:38They travel thousands and thousands of miles.
10:40They've not seen a lot from their team on the road this season.
10:44But they were better against Middles, but that's the thing that I think
10:47everyone will be clinging to, that they did play quite well
10:50at Middlesbrough on Good Friday in their last away game.
10:53And if they can produce that sort of performance, then they have got a chance
10:57of getting the result they need.
10:59If they play like they did against Swansea in the previous game,
11:02it'll be all over by half-time.
11:04So, that's part of the problems.
11:06One of the reasons they're bottom is their sheer inconsistency is you just,
11:12you struggle to know what you're going to get from them a lot of the time.
11:15Although, in fairness, I would say under Muzlic that there's been one
11:20or two blips, but they have been more consistent.