Danny Salman: Plymouth Argyle have to work on consistency

SOMETHING has got to be done about the consistency in Plymouth Argyle's team now, because we don't want another season struggling against relegation like we had last season.

In fact, if we don't get our home league form together and start winning games, then we're going to be stuck in the bottom third of the table and trying to get out all season.

People keep saying to me that our away form is better than our home form.

Well, it shouldn't be like that and the fact is that we have won once at home and once away in the league so far.

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What has struck me is that the team play well as a team for 20 minutes, or maybe half an hour, then they don't play very well at all.

I must be honest and say that only against Southend (a 2-2 draw) in the first half, have we really looked good.

We desperately need consistency, which brings me to another topic which I shall be expanding on in the near future.

I was delighted with the Aldershot win in the Johnstone Paint Trophy at Home Park the other night.

All right, it wasn't a league game, but it was good to get a win, because it lifts morale.

What impressed me more, though, was the performance of some the club's young players.

Joe Lennox (who made both goals) was my player of the match.

There are other youngsters who have been brought through the club who could benefit from being given a run-out when we have a lot of injured players – as we did against Aldershot.

To my mind, it's no use keeping them at the club unless you're going to use them.

People may say that they're not ready yet, but the only way they are going to get ready is if they are given a chance.

What we need to see happen is for the younger players to be given a run in the first team.

If they're not quite up to it, then you're soon going to find out.

Then you can give them a rest for another time.

The point is, the only way they're going to learn is by giving them a good run in the team, maybe five or six games.

It's difficult for a manager, I know. In these results-driven days, it's very difficult for any manager to take a risk with a young player.

But we've got some good young players, players like Lennox, and Matt Lecointe.

It's no good raving about them, then not playing them.

Give them a chance, then perhaps we wouldn't have to rely on quite so many loan players.