Graeson looks ahead to Tuesday night's long trip down to devon to take on play-off chasing Plymouth Argyle.

I was contemplating quite where the U's go after their disastrous performance against Wolves on Saturday when it occurred to me that the beauty of the game is that we've got a chance to right the wrong almost immediately.  United now take the long trip down to Plymouth Argyle on Tuesday evening knowing that they really need to get something from the fixture.

That they will have to play a lot better in Devon is a given but even then it’s not exactly the easiest game in the U's calendar. Indeed, they've only won once at Home Park (and that in extra time!), and have failed to score in their last three visits their - though one was admittedly a goalless draw.

Argyle, who are now managed by Paul Sturrock again after Ian Holloway left to take over at Leicester City, are now on the verge of play-off race. Currently tied with Ipswich Town on points and Goal Difference, they are only outside the play-off places by virtue of having scored fewer goals than Town.

Their home record shows seven wins, seven draws and just three defeats with twenty-six goals scored and fifteen conceded at Home Park. Their last home defeat came in February when Dean Windass scored the only goal of the game for Hull City just before the break.

However, they have recently just hit form - and perhaps at the right time too with one defeat in their last five games. Following that home defeat to Hull they then beat Holloway's new charges by a single goal at The Walkers' Stadium. Barnsley were put to the sword with a 3-0 victory with Jamie Mackie - Argyle's transfer window signing from Exeter City - grabbing a brace. The Tykes did play most of the game with just ten minutes after Lewin Nyantanga was sent off after just four minutes.

The battle of the South Coast turned the way of the Green Army thanks to two goals in a three minute spell with Peter Halmosi opening the scoring. The Hungarian midfielder has been grabbing some rave reviews recently and will need to be closely watched by the U's defenders as he breaks in to the box late. The International with twelve caps also scored twice in Argyle' 3-1 home win over Burnley in their last home game. Their last away trip saw them beaten 3-0 at West Brom.

Paul Sturrock has certainly made changes to the team during the transfer window with nine new signings, and nine going the other way including Sylvain Ebanks-Blake who scored the winner for Wolves on Saturday. Another goal scorer against the U's this season, QPR's Akos Buzsaky also started the season off in Green before moving to Loftus Road initially on loan in October.

Of course, it helped that Sturrock was able to bring £4.5 million worth of transfer funds to the club with Ebanks-Blake the two £2 million men Dan Gosling (who went to Everton) and David Norris who eventually moved to Portman Road.

In their place Sturrock has brought spent just under £900,000 on Aberdeen's Chris Clarke, Steven MacLean (who at half a million pounds was the largest expense) and Jamie Mackie of Exeter. They joined former Wycombe striker Jermaine Easter, Sheffield Wednesday midfield Yoann Folly and Jim Paterson among the permanent signings in January. Arriving on loan was Lucas Jutkiewicz from Everton, Scottish International defender Russell Anderson and Derby's flying winger Gary Teale.

As I mentioned earlier, wins at Home Park have been few and far between. In fact, our first ever visit to Home Park to face their Argyle first team - we had previously played their reserves in the Southern League - saw one of our biggest ever defeats when we lost 7-1 in front of 20,000!

Sixty-nine years ago though, the U's did record their biggest ever fixture against Argyle - albeit their reserves - as the U's went on to win the Southern League Championship under Ted Davies. The young goalkeeper in the Plymouth side that day was George Wright who would go on to keep goal for United as they entered the Football League and was the regular custodian for some seven seasons at Layer Road. Arthur Pritchard put the U's ahead after eighteen minutes with Bob Murray grabbing a second on the half-hour mark. It was left to another former Argyle old-boy Jack Hodge to apply the coup de grace midway through the second half. Three goals for the U's but not as many as they had scored the previous season and still lost! A remarkable game ended 5-4 to Argyle with McHarg scoring four for the home side.

However, the U's side that beat Argyle Reserves 3-0 was Don Youngs in goal, Joe Birch, Alf Worton, Bob Morris, George Leslie, Geo Wallis, Jack Hodge, Bob Murray, Arthur Pritchard, James Baker and George Crisp. Argyle's side was George Wright in goal, George Silk, Tommy Black and Jim McColgan, Johnny McNeil, Jack Dugnolle, Jackie Wharton, Bill Hullett, Ernie smith and Wilf Chitty. The more observant of you will have noticed that's only ten Argyle players so if anyone knows the name of the missing player, please let me know via this website!

Graeson's Team
I would find it incredible if changes weren't made to the side that was beaten so comprehensively on Saturday. The comments from the manager in the media after the game certainly don't concur with my viewing of a putrid ninety minutes of football. To say that we as good as them apart from the two boxes is certainly a blinkered opinion. Perhaps he was protecting his players - but if Williams wants to watch the DVD back with me I'm sure it would be a very useful exercise for both of us!

What he must do is get the best players in the right positions and that must mean the return of Johnnie Jackson to the heart of the U's midfield. Okay - he was handicapped by the injury to John White which meant he had to find a fullback but I can't think of any other manager who, in such a vital game, would move the beating heart of the side to fullback. Even now it defies logic.

Hopefully, John White will be fit enough to get back in to the team and make the selection much, much easier for Williams. He now only has a few other positions to worry about! One of them will be what to do about Adam Virgo. The on-loan Celtic man was starting to win round the fans - me included - with some great performances and then he goes and gifts Wolves a goal. That's one of the problems with players who are defenders/utility players. Because they are not used to playing in a certain position, they inevitable get caught out. Given that, Saturday's mistake aside, he was actually one of our better players on Saturday, then I think I'll stick with him for the time being.

Now to midfield where the U's were totally ineffective. Duguid's injury is not as bad as expected but I doubt he'll make the game tomorrow. The one certainty in my side is that Jackson returns to the midfield with Izzet. However, given the U's need to start winning games (and the current ineffectiveness of Kevin McLeod); I'm changing formation as well by going to 4-3-3.

Okay, it makes us much narrower but with more aerial threat up front we should actually benefit from that. So I'm going to bring in Dean Hammond for his full debut as we'll need competitive midfielder like him to get around the park and get stuck in.
Upfront I'm going to bring back Scott Vernon who was unlikely to lose his place on Saturday to Kevin Lisbie. He'll play alongside Clive Platt with Kevin Lisbie just playing off the front two - and by that he can either decide to get in advance of the ball (as our midfielders won't be able to do that) or to sit back and pick up the second ball. Ideally perhaps, this could have been a job for Teddy Sheringham but he is also unlikely to play through a toe infection, while you could just as easily go with Izale McLeod and Lisbie partnering Platt up front. This formation - though not ideal - does mean that we play the players who are in form, in their right positions and hopefully, gives us a chance of the miracle we need.

So my team will be Dean Gerken, Phil Ifil and John White the fullbacks (Bela Balogh to deputise if White is still unfit) with Chris Coyne and Adam Virgo the two central defenders. The midfield trio will see Izzet protecting the back four, with Jackson and Hammond providing what width might be required to feed the front two of Platt & Vernon with Lisbie picking up the loose pieces.

Graeson's Prediction
I've always been the optimistic sort but even I have to admit that the U's now need a miracle if they are to stay in the Division. Defeat at Argyle won't be the last nail in the coffin but we'll start to get detached from the rest of the strugglers and from there, it’s a long way back.

Sadly, I think the best we can hope for at Home Park is a draw of some sort which, in any other season, would be regarded as a good result, however, it might be a case of two points we can't afford to drop.

U's to draw one apiece with Lisbie getting the equaliser in the second half.

Photo: Action Images

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