"But there is no one I can say who hasn’t come and given an arm around me and said ‘It happens, get back to your best and make sure it doesn’t carry on’. " Rovers made a flying start at Wycombe with Josh Coburn putting them ahead inside four minutes and the Gas looked likely to score a second until they shipped a soft equaliser to David Wheeler midway through the first half. From that moment, Hoole believes Rovers were guilty of being sucked into Wycombe's physical style of play, getting away from the fluid football that proved so effective in the early moments. They were made to pay early in the second half when Lewis Wing scored what proved to be the winner through a crowd of bodies. "In the first half we played well and we were the better team, " Hoole said. "It was two scrappy goals (for Wycombe) and we’re onto Exeter now and it’s about making sure we take the three points in the next game.
However, none of Argyle's tally have been credited as a set play goal, either from a corner or a free-kick, and Hughes - who this week signed a new contract with the club until the summer of 2027 - is working to rectify that. Traditionally, defenders account for a lot of those goals but none of Brendan Galloway, Macaulay Gillesphey, Nigel Lonwijk, Dan Scarr and James Wilson have got on the scoresheet this season. Hughes said: "We are trying to get better at set plays, I promise! It's not through the lack of trying.
"The gaffer tells me I am learning on the job. At the start of last season, he threw me in at the deep end and I happened to do really well. "As a young lad, you’re always going to have your ups and downs and it’s about how you come back from the downs. Hopefully, this is the start of me being back to my best. "Paul Coutts, Glenn Whelan, Sam Finley, they all have come to me and said ‘It happens to all of us’. It is part and parcel of football and you’re going to have your ups and downs.
The defender's showing against Wycombe Wanderers – which followed a hugely impressive substitute appearance at Charlton Athletic earlier this month – was mixed, with encouraging moments and a few things to work on as Rovers succumbed to a 2-1 defeat. But after his confidence was knocked by a difficult run, Hoole believes he is getting back in the groove and he wants to take his game to levels higher than he achieved last season. "I had a dip in form and a loss of confidence, so the gaffer and all the coaches have been speaking to me about getting back to my best, " Hoole said. "They have been filling me with confidence so hopefully this is the start of me not just getting back to how I was last season but being better.
Hoole getting back in the groove and eager to put Exeter frustration to bedNo player has had a seamless, linear progression from novice professional to reliable veteran. Fluctuations in form are all part of a professional footballer's journey. Many over the years have said the first dip in performance is the hardest, particularly when a youngster has made such a strong first impression.
That's one thing we are striving to get better at. " Argyle are away to 20th-placed Cambridge United on Saturday before playing four games in 16 days over the Christmas and New Year period, starting against Morecambe at Home Park on December 17. The Pilgrims will then be away to Cheltenham Town on Boxing Day before hosting Wycombe Wanderers on December 29 and MK Dons on January 1. Hughes said: "Everyone is saying 'You are doing great'. I don't want to sound boring but there is only 20 games gone, it's not even halfway. "We have got four games between Morecambe and New Year's Day and they come pretty quick. If you can stay in and around things then, that's the time where you think 'Come on, let's go and kick on'.
"At half time, we could have come in two, three or four up. They had one chance and scored it, we had multiple chances and I think we could have had a penalty as well. We definitely should have scored more goals, but we now have to take the positives and take them into the next game. "We knew what we were getting into before the game. We knew they were just going to hit the big man up top and they were going to be physical and scrap.
That was the case for Bristol Rovers defender Luca Hoole, who was an unlikely hero of Joey Barton's promotion-winning team last season. The 20-year-old right-back was thrown in at the deep end and he thrived, going on to make 32 appearances, starting 19 of the final 20 games as Rovers surged into League Two's top three with a sprint finish. The Welshman has had to endure something of a sophomore slump since stepping up into the third tier, with Barton speaking plainly about the player's struggles. The past few weeks have seen an upturn in form, though, and on Boxing Day Hoole was returned to the starting XI for a league game for the first time since struggling in a 4-2 defeat to Derby County in October.
Sheffield Wednesday's promotion rivals Plymouth Argyle suffer another big injury blow This coming weekend sees Wednesday host Oxford, Plymouth welcome Morecambe
and Ipswich travel to Wycombe. READ MORE: All the latest
Obviously, we haven't scored from a set play this year, I do know that. "We are trying everything in terms of deliveries, roles ands responsibilities. In these winter games especially, where the pitches are probably not as free-flowing, set plays and restarts are key - for and against. "The last six goals that we have conceded have all come from restarts, not from teams cutting us open. And on the flip side of that, we haven't scored enough. "If you look in recent times at Rotherham and Wigan, they were quite good at set plays and they went up so that's something I'm looking for us to get better at in the second half of the season. "It's about getting in areas, whether that be better delivery, or better runs or being more aggressive.
Believe me, we are trying every day. "That's a role for me. We have had a couple of routines that we have been unlucky with. I think, of late, we have probably had a little bit of a dip, whether that be deliveries or runs. "We have got 11 players stopping us as well. People don't realise the fact we are coming across teams that do their homework as well, so it's up to us to get better at it. "Are we the most aggressive team? Probably not, so maybe there is other ways we can work on, but we are trying to get better. " Argyle went through a period of trying short corners, which showed some promise, but that was before Finn Azaz and Danny Mayor picked up injuries. Hughes said: "We had Finn Azaz who was a big part of it, that was one of his roles, and then he went out the team.
"I think we ended up getting dragged too much into their game instead of playing our game. They wanted a fight instead of us playing it around. We started like that but we got dragged in. " The League One season is up and running for Bristol Rovers and Joey Barton and you won't miss a beat with our free newsletter. All the latest news, views, interviews, gossip and analysis concerning the Gas, delivered straight to your inbox, every day at 12:00. It's completely free and you can sign up HERE Rovers and Exeter were promoted from League Two together and have played several fiercely-contested games during Barton's tenure, although Rovers are yet to beat them in that time.
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getting in positions to score tap-ins over and over again is
Charlton Athletic release statement ahead of Bristol Rovers match after second pitch inspection "The referee decided that the game should go ahead as planned, took
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The key Argyle problem Mark Hughes is working to fixAssistant manager Mark Hughes is paying a lot of attention to promotion-chasing Plymouth Argyle getting goals for set plays, which has been a clear area of weakness for the League One leaders this season. Hughes believes it is particularly important now going into the winter period when pitches are less likely to be conducive to free-flowing football. Argyle are joint top scorers in the third tier of English football with second-placed Ipswich Town, who have both netted 39 times this term, four more than Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough United.
Joey Barton gives honest verdict despite Bristol Rovers coming close to win at Bolton Wanderers Coming to this stadium today off the back of the FA Cup defeat,
performance levels when you come here, you can't expect to win the
Danny was the same. "Danny and Finn are really good at taking people on one-v-one and when you lose that you have got to be flexible, you have got to find a way. "Believe me I'm trying to find a way. I'm sitting in here in front of laptops every day. I just want us to get better. "Set plays in any league, but specifically in League One and League Two, I think they are a massive part. Hopefully, we can start scoring some.
Bristol Rovers youngster back in the groove and eager to put Exeter City frustration to bed "It was two scrappy goals (for Wycombe) and we're onto Exeter now and it's
about making sure we take the three points in the next game. "At
Plymouth Argyle clean sheet at Cambridge massive step in right direction says Matt Butcher Matt Butcher believes that if Plymouth Argyle can get back to keeping clean
sheets regularly then they have the attacking players to