Plymouth Argyle maintained a perfect pre-season record with a 1-0 victory over Truro City, but manager Tom Cleverley said there remains work to do on the club's attacking play.
Defensive gains, attacking questions
The Pilgrims kept their third clean sheet in four friendly fixtures as Michael Baidoo produced the decisive finish in the 83rd minute. The match also marked the first half for new signing Alex Mitchell, who featured after completing his move from Charlton Athletic on Thursday.
Cleverley welcomed the defensive display but was frank about the forwards' lack of fluency against lower-league opposition.
"I thought the two positives were from a competitive aspect of the game, the tackles, the duels, the second balls, the set plays, we were much stronger than we were Tuesday,"
He added that, while the squad showed good structure and intensity, the final third has not yet clicked and will be a focus before the competitive campaign begins.
What the pre-season form shows
There are encouraging signs for the Pilgrims' defensive organisation: recent friendlies have produced steady results at the back, but the team have taken time to recreate the attacking fluency seen at the close of last season.
- Clean sheets: 3 in 4 pre-season games
- Decisive moments: late winner from Michael Baidoo
- New arrival: Alex Mitchell began with a half of football after his transfer from Charlton Athletic
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Truro City | 1-0 |
| Torquay United | 1-0 (also a 1-0 win earlier in pre-season) |
| Plymouth Parkway | 4-1 |
| Pre-season overall | 4 games, 3 clean sheets, 4 wins |
Cleverley identified specific areas to address in training, noting that further personnel additions are anticipated to boost attacking options. He emphasised that the players currently in the squad will need support to regain their most effective form.
While the defensive foundations look promising, the manager indicated the work between now and the season opener will concentrate on developing the "key avenues of attacking output" that delivered the club strong results late last term.
Supporters will take heart from the number of shut-outs so far, but will be watching closely for the new signings and improvements in creativity as the Pilgrims move toward competitive fixtures.
