One of those days – Steven Schumacher rues missed opportunities as Plymouth held

Posted Sunday, February 19, 2023 by PA

Manager Steven Schumacher admitted his frustration as his promotion-chasing Plymouth side were held to a goalless League One draw by Fleetwood.

Unbeaten in three games, Argyle remain level on points with new leaders Sheffield Wednesday but the Owls have a game in hand and a better goal difference.

Schumacher admitted: “It was one of those days. But if you’d said to me we would take two wins and a draw from this week’s three games? I’d have taken seven points and that’s what we got.

“I thought we played OK, especially in the first half we played some really good stuff.

“The energy and tempo we played with early on was outstanding. It was probably the best we have passed the ball for a fair while, obviously with the two number 10s receiving it so many times we created some big chances.

“If we take one of those huge chances we created in the first half then the game is different.

“In the second half Fleetwood defended their goal really well and we could have probably carried on playing on until tomorrow and we might not have scored.

“In the first half I felt the ideas were right and the moves that we created were good. We got into some real good areas that we wanted to get into, we just didn’t show enough quality today to hit the target enough.

“That’s the disappointing side of it but I can’t moan about the players’ effort. I can’t moan about the game plan because we had 65 per cent possession and numerous shots but it just wasn’t meant to be today.”

Bali Mumba and Matt Butcher went close late on but Fleetwood held on for a point.

Assistant head coach Steven Whittaker said: “We are obviously happy with the performance and taking a point against a side sitting top of the league.

“To come away from home and take something from the game was great. We have been on a good run so we came here with confidence.

“The structure has been really good and the boys worked really hard out of possession to take something from the game.

“There is a tough run of fixtures so we freshened it up with four faces that could bring us some energy and a bit of quality in possession as well.

“We had to make a change early doors (due to Scott Robertson’s injury) but everyone who is taking the shirt is doing great and doing the job that is needed.

“There is a lot of work we have done since we came to the club to try and stop conceding as many goals. It is nice to get back-to-back clean sheets as we haven’t had one for a while. At the start of the season we were picking up clean sheets so it is good to get back to that.

“We gave up a bit of possession today. We would have liked to have had more possession and try and control areas of the game but Plymouth are so good in possession that we gave that up a little bit.

“But the moments we did get up the pitch and counter-attacked we could have taken that little bit more care in the final third. But we will keep working away and it is something to improve from.”