Top marks to Holloway

Terry Nutkins · Mar 15, 2007

ARGYLE Manager Ian Holloway was absolutely livid after the Pilgrims slipped to a 4-2 home defeat to Championship strugglers Barnsley.



Holloway was disgusted with the indisciplinedway his team flooded forward in the search for a way back into the game.



The Pilgrims took the lead through a Lilian Nalis strike and looked in complete control of the game. Barnsley hit back with strikes from Lewin Nyatanga and Martin Devaney before Sylvan Ebanks-Blake made it 2-2 at half time.



The visitors won the game with a wonder strike from Devaney and sealed thevictory with a last minute breakaway goal by Hungarian Peter Rajczi.



"We got beat by a better team," said Holloway.



"We had a 20 minute spell where we thought we were David Beckham playing for Real Madrid and then we scored a goal. After that we were unrecognizable.



"Barnsley showed more desire. They were more focused and caused us more problems than anyone else.



"We sent too many bodies forward and left Lil [Nalis] in a situation where he had too many people all around him in the midfield.



"They played 4-5-1 and my boys just seemed to want to run forward. We have not done that all season. They scored four and it could have been five or six. Absolute rubbish.



"I am embarrassed, absolutely embarrassed by the last 15 minutes. We lumped the ball forward and nearly every Green shirt has run past it. We lose the header and nearly every yellow shirt is streaming forward. Where is our structure?



"You have to think clearly under pressure and that is the worst I have seen. They have not let me down all season and I am glad they have not because, if that is the standard, we are miles behind Barnsley.



"We were second best all night; with their striking of the ball and their finishing."



Holloway was in no doubt to the source of the poor performance.



Argyle were knocked out in the FA Cup quarter final clash with Watford on Sunday and the manager is convinced that his team have started to believe all the praise heaped on them following that game.



Holloway said: "I have got to be honest. It looked like a group of people who have been told they are very good and were very unlucky [against Watford].



"A group of people who thought they had done something. I tried to say it after the game on the weekend 'wait a minute, we have lost'.



"We did not do a set-piece right. They [Watford] have scored a goal and we could not score, so how good were we?



"I am not relieved people saw us play quite well. I am devastated we lost. Don't tell us we did well. If your proud of your team and we were on the telly, well, lovely jubbly. I want that every week.



"We should be refocused and we should be hurt but, if they give me that, I don't want to see them and I am glad I am going to Newbury with my daughter tomorrow.



"I don't want to see them tomorrow - that is not right.



"We have got to think about the structure, we have got to refocus and we have got to put our feet on the ground because in our last four league matches, we have got three points out of 12.



"That is relegation form and, by the way, we lost the FA Cup match. Were we unlucky? We were not unlucky. They put it in our net and we did not put it in theirs.



"Well done to Barnsley - everything they hit went in the top corner. They must be practicing shooting. They were professional in everything they did, although I wish the little Hungarian [Peter Rajczi] stood up a bit more. I don't like that. The diving number 13. You stand up in England mate."



A miserable night was made even worse when assistant manager Tim Breacker was sent off after trying to retrieve the ball from the Barnsley dug-out.



Holloway said: "He [Breacker] went to get a ball. He ran out of his little technical area and got sent off.



"I can't understand it. You are not allowed to use the multi-ball system because people moan about it.



"We are down and he has run to get the ball and been sent off. I strongly think they should keep an eye on what is happening in the middle of the pitch.



"It should not be a little white line you have to stay in. It is getting the decisions right and they [fourth officials] should be helping the bloke in the middle.



"My bloke cares about it and runs to get the ball. I am not blaming the referee. He did not cost us the game - my team did."



Barnsley's first goal brought back horrible memories of Watford's goal on Sunday night. The Pilgrims fell asleep from a corner and Tykes' defender Lewin Nyatanga nodded in a free header.



Holloway was also disappointed with goalkeeper Luke McCormick for conceding the corner in the first place.



He said: "We have let in one for a corner where my goalie could have called for it. He could have picked it up, so they did not geta corner. The corner thencomes in and the bloke gets a completely free header.



"We have spoilt what we have done. I swear to you when that goal went in we were still swanning around thinking we were a great team. 



"You are not if you don't stick to the process and keep doing what you are doing, and you understand why."



Barnsley's second goal was equally depressing for Holloway. It all stemmed from Kevin Gallen conceding possession deep in the Barnsley half. The visitors broke quickly and Devaney lashed in his first of the night.



Holloway said: "Their second goal came from the fact that Kevin [Gallen] should have knocked it back in but who was there to pass it to? Nobody.



"They pressed us and he [Gallen] made a mistake, and they have outrun us and scored. They had two on one at the far post.



"Fair play to Barnsley. Their structure was fantastic and our lot were rubbish.



"I tried to remind them [the players] at half time and I saw a bit of an improvement and then their bloke has scored from goodness knows how far out.



"We had how many chances from a lot closer than that and we could not hit a barn door from a yard, so I am not very happy.



"When you get patted on the back it is sometimes as bad as a punch on the nose, particularly if you have not deserved it."



Holloway also referred to former manager Tony Pulis when assessing his team. Pulis was often criticized for his negative tactics during his time at Argyle but his current side, Stoke, are way ahead of the Pilgrims in the Championship table.



Holloway said: "It might be nice that we are creating chances and how much better we are than last year. I don't care what Tony [Pulis] did - he is a lot higher in the league than we are.



"How bad a manager is he then? I don't think so, do you?



"This lot have got to get real. I don't want to sit and hope that we get a cup run next year. I want to try and get there week in, week out.



"There is no way Liverpool can get out of playing us if we are in the Premiership, but we are not going to get there playing like that. We will be lucky to play in the Championship if we carry on with that bunch of rubbish, particularly in the last ten minutes."



Right back Paul Connolly was singled out by Holloway for criticism following Barnsley's fourth goal of a bad night at Home Park. Connolly was caught out of position and the Tykes broke to secure their win.



Holloway said: "Paul Connolly - where has he gone?



"We smack a ball forward and all you could see was Green shirts. They head the ball out and Chuck [Norris] had four blokes up his backside. Where were the Green shirts behind him?



"Why has Paul Connolly gone ahead of the ball when we might not win the header? We are only one down, so where is the structure?



"They deserved to score and that was madness. I am embarrassed. Absolute rubbish but well done to Barnsley. They went one down and we have also equalized but not once have they folded.



"We let four goals in and it could have been six. It was absolute rubbish, garbage.



"After the Lord Mayor does his show, what happens?



"He has a little ride round on his horse. A man comes round with a cart and picks up what the horse leaves.



"My Dad always said that after the Lord Mayor's show comes the mess. That was just about the worst I have seen from my lot.



"If anyone says we were unlucky because we played well in the first 25 minutes, I will kill them."



Not a happy manager.

BFCFan4Life · Mar 15, 2007

Was just coming on to post that..

http://www.pafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/OlliesOpinion/0,,10364~996974,00.html?ptvParm= -- link there for anyone who wants to see. Terrific stuff, though Rajczi's a diver apparently!

Terry Nutkins · Mar 15, 2007

The text on my post should now be readable nt

Guest · Mar 15, 2007

Slagging off your own players in public

Will do nothing for team morale.

He is being honest, but should keep it behind closed doors IMO

Top marks to Holloway

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Top marks to Holloway

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