Western Morning News (Saturday)
Home advantage must count
IF Plymouth Argyle are to make a successful push for the League One play-offs it will be heavily dependent on their results at Home Park.
Steven Schumacher’s Pilgrims are in eighth position after picking up seven points from three consecutive away games.
Ten of their remaining 17 league fixtures will be played at the Theatre of Greens, starting against Steve Cotterill’s Shrewsbury Town today.
That includes a period of seven home matches in only 36 days from February 26 to April 2.
Four of the teams currently above Argyle in the table still have to come to Home Park - leaders Rotherham United (February 26), MK Dons (April 30), Sunderland (April 18) and Oxford United (April 2).
So it is clear just how important picking up points at the Theatre of Greens is going to be for the Pilgrims if they are to secure a top six finish.
The visit of 18th-placed Shrewsbury, who have drawn their last four games, is only Schumacher’s third home match as Argyle manager, and he was appointed on December 7.
Schumacher said: “I can’t wait. It has been a long time, again, but we have done okay on the away games of late and picked up some good points so we are in decent form, going into this one.
“When you are at home the emphasis is always on you to try and play at a good tempo, which is what we try and do away from home as well, to be honest.
“We are going to have the backing of our fans, we are going to have to try and get off to a good start and get them behind us, and cause Shrewsbury some problems.”
He added: “Even on Tuesday night away to Crewe after there were 6,000 at Stamford Bridge, the support just never ceases to amaze us. It’s great.
“The fans can see the players are giving absolutely everything. They are putting their bodies on the line, and putting in some good performances for them.
“You have got to have good home form if you want to push for the playoff places or have a successful season. Your home patch needs to be a little bit of a fortress.
“Our record this season has been good at Home Park and we want that to continue. We have got more games at home now than we have away from home.
“So if we can get some momentum and build a good atmosphere, and make it hard for people to come and play here, then we should be okay.”
Shrewsbury proved how difficult they can be to beat when they put in a determined backs-against-the-wall performance to draw 0-0 at Wycombe Wanderers.
One of Cotterill’s January transfer window signings was midfielder
Tyrese Fornah, who joined on loan from Nottingham Forest.
The 22-year-old spent the whole of last season with Argyle from Forest, making a total of 39 starts and five substitute appearances.
Cotterill rested strikers Ryan Bowman and Daniel Udoh against Wycombe and they are expected to both start at Home Park.
However, the Shrews will be without midfielder Luke Leahy, a set piece specialist, because he is serving the second of a two-match ban following 10 yellow cards.
Schumacher said: “It will be a tough game, they are really well organised and hard to beat. They have got strong players, defend their box really well and don’t concede loads of goals.
“They had a good game plan on Tuesday and got a point. I’m sure they will come here with a similar idea. No game in League One is easy so we will have to be at it, we will have to compete with them and try and do our best.”