Argyle’s injury list is of no concern to manager
RYAN Lowe has insisted he is ‘not too concerned’ about the number of injuries within his Plymouth Argyle squad.
He was without six senior players for the 2-2 draw away to Lincoln City on Saturday, a result which moved the Pilgrims up to third position in League One.
They included Danny Mayor and George Cooper, two key members of his squad who have hardly kicked a ball this season.
The pair both travelled to Lincoln but did not make the matchday squad, with five players aged 22 or under on the bench for Argyle.
When asked about Mayor and Cooper after the game, Lowe replied: “They are just not fit yet, that’s all I can say. They are here with us, they have trained with us.”
Mayor picked up a thigh injury in the second match of the season, the 4-0 Carabao Cup win at Peterborough United on August 10, and has not played since.
He was named among the substitutes for the 3-0 defeat of Sheffield Wednesday on September 11 but was not used in that game and has not been in the squad since then.
Cooper made his comeback from a knee operation off the bench in the closing stages of the 4-1 Carabao Cup defeat away to Swansea City on August 24.
He has not played since, although he was an unused substitute for the 1-1 draw at home to Crewe Alexandra last Tuesday.
Argyle’s injury list on Saturday also included defender James Bolton (ankle), striker Niall Ennis and left wing-back Conor Grant (both hamstring), while James Wilson was ruled out by concussion, which was sustained in the game against Crewe Alexandra
Bolton and Ennis have not played at all this season, while Grant had started every league game until he was injured against Crewe and was replaced by substitute Jordon Garrick, who stayed in the side at Lincoln.
Lowe said: “It is what it is, we haven’t got a thicker squad, if you like, and we haven’t got an experienced bench at the moment.
“All we can do is just pray to God that we get these lads fit and firing in the next week. They have got a few days off now, there are lads with (recovery) programmes.
“I’m not going to say we have got everyone fit for next weekend but I will be praying that we have because the bench (at Lincoln) was young.”
Lowe has faith in the ability of the likes of academy graduates Ryan Law and Adam Randell, who have been on the substitutes’ bench for most of this season, to come into the side and perform well if needed.
Law has made seven substitute appearances for Argyle in the league campaign, while Randell has come off the bench four times, but neither has started a game yet.
Lowe said: “The lads who are on the bench, the likes of Lawsy and Rands, we haven’t got any issues in putting them in.
“I contemplated playing Lawsy (at Lincoln) for that balance but I thought Jordon was fantastic in that position when he came on for Conor.
“But, look, it’s football. Everyone is going to have injuries. Lincoln had some players out.”
Argyle are set to be without defender Brendan Galloway and striker Luke Jephcott for the home league game against Burton Albion this Saturday due to international call-ups by Zimbabwe and Wales under-21s respectively.
However, Wilson should be available for selection and Jephcott’s absence could mean a first start for experienced striker Kieran Agard since his free agent signing last month.
Lowe said: “James Wilson is coming back into the fold next week. Macca (Macaulay Gillesphey) will go over the other side and James will come in.
“Then we have got Kieran who is firing a little bit now, he’s looking a little bit sharper, and we have got Jordon who can play over that side if Conor isn’t back. We are alright, we are fine.”
Lowe added: “It’s credit to them (Galloway and Jephcott) that they have been called up and they will go with our blessing. Hopefully, they do well, which I’m sure they will.
“That’s why you have a squad. We have got Lawsy, we have got Randell, we have got Kieran, we have got Rhys Shirley.
“I’m not too concerned. These are all good footballers ready to step in when the time is right.
“We have got injuries at the moment but I won’t be shy to put any of those lads in the team if I need to.”