Potentially cagey top of the table clash
Plymouth Argyle welcome Ipswich Town to Home Park on Sunday lunchtime, as the Sky Sports cameras set the stage for League One action during the international break.
Argyle have started the season in mightily impressive form and Steven Schumacher has been attracting interest from Championship clubs as a result.
However, the Pilgrims’ manager remains committed to the project in Devon and coming up against high flying Ipswich Town will be a great test of the team’s credentials at the top end of the table.
The visitors have assembled a deep and intimidating squad for the level over the last three transfer windows and they are as safe a bet as any in the EFL to gain promotion this season.
Panutche Camara’s return to Home Park would add an extra layer of context to the fixture, but the Bissau-Guinean has not played a single minute yet this season due to injury.
Process
Argyle’s defensive numbers are skewed a little by a 5-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic, when they went down to ten men early on and were ripped apart at times in the capital.
That said, they are yet to concede a goal at home in the league, and that will provide additional motivation for Ipswich to be the first team to breach them.
Argyle rank fourth for attacking process in the third division, scoring 16 from 14.5 expected goals (xG) for in nine matches, creating chances at an average of 1.61 xGF per game.
Ipswich have been even more impressive and their frontline has only been bettered by the other unbeaten side in the division, Danny Cowley’s Portsmouth, scoring 18 from 15.1 xGF so far, at an average of 1.68 xGF per game.
This game may take a different path though, with both sides potentially seeing a point as a good result and Kieran McKenna’s men certainly in a strong position to defend in the league table.
Goals?
Unders looks an appealing angle into this one, the Tractor Boys have produced remarkable defensive numbers since McKenna’s arrival and they have one of the best goalkeepers outside of the Premier League, let alone the Championship, in former Brighton and Hove Albion man Christian Walton.
Plymouth have scored in nine of ten.
Plymouth have conceded in six of ten.
Plymouth have seen both teams score in five of ten.
Plymouth have seen over 2.5 goals in five of ten.
Ipswich have scored in nine of ten.
Ipswich have conceded in three of ten.
Ipswich have seen both teams score in two of ten.
Ipswich have seen over 2.5 goals in five of ten.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
2-1 Plymouth, we lose out again.