Argyle teenager under consideration for crucial games
PLYMOUTH Argyle’s director of football Neil Dewsnip has not ruled out the possibility of exciting 17-year-old prospect Freddie Issaka getting game-time in the Pilgrims’ final two Championship fixtures of the season.
Wales under-19 international Issaka was an unused substitute for the 1-0 home victory over promotionchasing Leicester City on April and the 3-0 defeat away to Stoke City on Saturday, after previously making five league appearances off the bench earlier in the season.
Relegation-threatened Argyle have failed to score more than one goal in any game for the last 10 matches, with Morgan Whittaker and Ryan Hardie not hitting the same high level of form they showed earlier in the season, while their team-mates have been unable to contribute to the scoresheet very often either.
So there have been calls from some of the Green Army for Issaka, a pacy and versatile attacking threat, to be given a go at least as a substitute as the season reaches a tense conclusion, first away to Millwall on Saturday and then against Hull City on Saturday, May 4.
Asked whether Issaka could be called upon for those games given the lack of goals and scoring chances, Dewsnip replied: “It’s a consideration but the reverse of that question is, is it fair to throw a 17-year-old into a game like that (against Stoke)? So all of those emotions are being discussed. When the time is right Freddie will get his chance.”
While Issaka has been on the bench for the games against Leicester and Stoke, there has been no place in the matchday squads for Matty Sorinola, who has mainly been used as a right wing-back since signing for Argyle in January.
On the absence of Sorinola, Dewsnip said: “There is no issues. It was just a straight choice really. You are back to Freddie.”
Argyle are just two points clear of the relegation positions going into the game against Millwall, who secured their safety with a 1-0 win away to Sunderland on Saturday.
Dewsnip said: “We will presume that we need to win at least one of those last two games, and if we can do that then I think we should be okay. If results help us even better than that we would be very grateful.”