Plymouth Argyle: Watford evidence is warning for Wayne Rooney, Simon Hallett ahead of January
In an exciting 2-2 draw at Home Park last Friday, Andre Grey stole the show for Plymouth Argyle with a brace against previous team Watford.
Throughout the 90 minutes at the Theatre of Greens, Wayne Rooney’s team had trouble creating many clear-cut opportunities, but their star player showed his abilities with two top drawer finishes to ensure that the game ended all square.
His team first tied the score with a lovely volley in the first half, but he showed what he is capable of when given a taste of goal with a beautiful curling effort with the game’s final kick.
The 33-year-old was brought to the team for precisely that kind of game-changing performance, and since the forward only signed a temporary contract through January, Rooney and owner Simon Hallett must do all in their power to keep him at Home Park for the long run.
Andre Gray’s Watford display must force Plymouth Argyle’s hand
Although it had taken some time for Grey to catch up after returning to England, his performance against the Hornets shows that he still possesses the skills necessary to succeed in the second division.
The attacker signed a short-term contract at Home Park in October after playing in Saudi Arabia until recently. He previously told the BBC that he didn’t think he would play in England again after stints overseas.
In January, Wayne Rooney might try to resolve Plymouth Argyle’s striker problem.
Since Plymouth is having trouble scoring goals, manager Wayne Rooney might have to bring in a new striker in January if he is unable to decide on a suitable number nine.
However, with Michael Obafemi and Ryan Hardie as their only alternatives moving forward due to the long-term injury to Slavia Prague loanee Muhammad Tijani, Rooney and Arsenal decided to take a chance on the former Burnley and Luton Town player.
Grey scored his first goal for the Pilgrims with a header in a comeback 3-3 draw against Preston North End after regaining match fitness with several substitute appearances. His stunning brace then added to his total after the international break.
Grey provides more than just a passage to goal with his strength and physicality in the final third, but the Pilgrims have recently failed to capitalise on his ability to challenge goalkeepers when allowed half a yard, and their lack of inventiveness has cost them dearly.
It’s no secret that the team has one of the lowest budgets in the division, and spending money on a player like Grey is not taken lightly. However, considering his contributions to the team during his brief tenure in green, discussions about extending his stay in Devon until the end of the season are necessary, as his firepower is likely to help his team stay in the division.
| Andre Gray stats vs Watford 22/11/24 (FBRef) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shots | 3 | |||
| Shots on target | 2 | |||
| Goals | 2 | |||
| Touches | 33 | |||
| Carries | 24 | |||
This season, the bottom division appears to be as close as ever, and manager Rooney is fully aware of the circumstances surrounding his seasoned striker. The former Birmingham City manager recently told the BBC:
Between now and January, we have a lot of games planned, and naturally, we will sit down and discuss our next course of action. You can see how valuable he is to the team and how important he is, so I’m sure that discussions will start before January, and we’ll see where they go from there.
Plymouth Argyle can not afford to lose Andre Gray to a Championship rival
More than one Championship chairman will probably have been on high alert over Gray’s availability come January after he grabbed a double in front of the TV cameras.
At the time, the deal appeared to be a temporary fix for Argyle, but it might backfire in the coming weeks if his performances lead to a move to another Championship team, who have more money to entice the striker away.
The frontman is now up to speed in the second tier, and with the correct support, there is no reason why he can’t still score a tonne of goals. His quality is starting to truly show.
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In addition to the financial implications, Argyle may suffer another setback this winter due to the long-standing geographic circumstance. Teams closer to the capital or his native Midlands are likely to have an advantage when an offer is made, which is nothing new for the Greens.
Since the forward line’s constant switching and chopping does not support the flowing style of play that Rooney wants from his team, it is imperative that Argyle strive to get something over the finish line as soon as possible, or else they run the risk of having to bed in another striker for the rest of the season.
If you can keep Grey and Argyle up, but lose him, the old feeling of wondering where the goals will come from returns, and the Greens are left to start over for the rest of the season.
