Plymouth Argyle must build their midfield around academy graduate star: Opinion
15/04/2025 05:19
Plymouth Argyle have endured a fairly torrid campaign at the foot of the Championship, but they aren’t without reason for optimism.
Plymouth Argyle currently sit bottom of the Championship, three points from safety with by far the worst goal difference in the league. The second season back in the second tier for PAFC has been mired by poor decisions on and off the pitch.
With 82 goals conceded, Plymouth Argyle have by far the worst defensive record in the league, with the nearest club conceding just 66. Since the January reinforcements of Nikola Katic and Maksym Talovierov arrived, more scepticism around the squad has been aimed at the midfield, however.
No player seems to have split the fanbase quite like homegrown midfielder Adam Randell.
Christened the ‘Plymstock Pirlo’ by some, Randell has made the third-most appearances of any PAFC player this season, and would likely be higher if not for a ban following a 1-1 draw with Cardiff City last month.
Some of Randell’s struggles can be pinned on his midfield partners. Leeds United loanee Darko Gyabi has often flattered to deceive, whilst Adam Forshaw had a poor season prior to his January exit.
Randell’s use in a midfield two can often place an emphasis on his weakest area. His chief sin for Plymouth Argyle this term has been losses of possession in his own defensive third.
With just 0.3 touches in the opposition box per 90 (as per FotMob), little more illustrates the inability for Randell to impact games in meaningful areas. When partnered with Jordan Houghton however, Randell has more license to utilise his more risky passing repertoire.
Those questioning his impact on the team should instead look at the competency of his partners. With undying love for the club, Randell can be guilty of running himself into the ground trying to be a one-man midfield.
However, pushing him to the fore, the focus must be on building the midfield around Randell, providing him with the ideal partner in the middle to truly get the best out of his abilities.
Hometown hero
Working his way through the Plymouth Argyle academy, Randell is a self-confessed childhood Argyle fan.
Randell now sits proudly on 169 PAFC appearances, playing a key part in the 2022/23 League One promotion-winning side. 80 of these appearances have been back in the Championship.
The absence of Joe Edwards through injury for much of this season has provided Randell the opportunity to sport the armband. At 24, Randell surely has one hand on the next Plymouth Argyle captaincy.
Learnt lessons
Randell’s current contract expires in June of 2026, with jeopardy remaining as to which division Plymouth Argyle will be plying their trade in next season.
With other clubs potentially monitoring Randell, Argyle must learn lessons from last season. They have been burnt before by an academy graduate in the last year of their contract, as Mike Cooper set off for Sheffield United last summer at a cut-price.
PAFC fans will hope that Randell’s childhood support of the club can work in their favour. The midfielder certainly has the credentials to play Championship football, and only his love for Argyle should see him in League One next season.
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