Big @ Barnet

Plymouth Argyle face a huge and important League Two game against struggling Barnet on Saturday.

While the Greens have been trying to find their best form with just one win from their last seven league games Barnet have fared even worse with no wins recorded in any league contest this season.

The Bees are rooted to the bottom of League Two, five points adrift of safety, after drawing three games and losing the other eight and have picked up just two points from the last nine games played.

Argyle have had a miserable record at Home Park this season and have picked up the lion share of their points on the road therefore you’d expect the Pilgrims to beat Barnet but Argyle have always been rather good at breaking the runs of other teams, either grabbing an unexpected win against all odds or getting beat by a team that has been on a bad run.

Argyle boss Carl Fletcher is under pressure from the fans especially after a poor display from his team in the 2-1 defeat against AFC Wimbledon at home last week, although the Greens did beat Aldershot in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie on Tuesday.

That Argyle team contained many changes with several first-teamers absent through injury, suspension or an international call-up. The young side that took to the pitch against Aldershot played some good attractive football and did what the senior players have struggled to do – win a game of football!

So will Fletcher revert back to his first choice eleven or will he sprinkle in some JPT winners?
It’s a gamble for Fletcher because a defeat against Barnet will heap even more pressure onto his shoulders.

Several years ago Argyle fans organised a Big @ Barnet day at Underhill to protest at the regime then running the club but the event was also intended as a way of celebrating PAFC.
Saturday’s game also promises to be a modern Big @ Barnet day for Argyle but for different reasons.

Prediction: Fletch is usually a cautious manager but in recent games has thrown caution to the wind and taken a gamble so I expect him to start with a formation aiming to win the game with two strikers in a 4-4-2 line-up: Cole, Berry, Purse, Blanchard, S Griffiths, MacDonald, Young, Hourihane, Cowan-Hall, Madjo, R Griffiths.

Nelson should replace Blanchard if he hasn’t recovered from his head injury with JPT stars Gurrieri and Lennox late substitutes if Fletch has to chase the game.

A 3-1 win to Argyle.