Pleguezuelo taking his chance among Argyle's starters
Minutes on the pitch had been scarce for Julio Pleguezuelo before he was brought into the starting line-up at Leeds United last weekend.
He was part of an ultra-defensive unit at Elland Road, and with the continued absence of central defenders Lewis Gibson and Brendan Galloway, retained his spot, alongside Kornel Szucs, as Argyle won 1-0 at home to Portsmouth on Tuesday.
It was the first time the Greens had not conceded a goal, 14 games in, and the man universally known as ‘Pleggy’ was delighted to play his part in the win and get the clean sheet.
Pleguezuelo has had to be patient, as Gibson and Szucs in particular have established a strong partnership, but it is testament to the professionalism of the 27-year-old Spaniard that, after biding his time, he has slotted in so admirably.
“It feels really good. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be back in the starting 11,” he said.
“[Being out of the team is] obviously not what you want as a player, but sometimes you have to play that role. I’ve been on the sidelines for a bit, but now it is my moment, I have to make the most of it.
“You can’t fault how well [Szucs and Gibson] have been doing. I’ve been on the side waiting for my chance. You never wish one of your team-mates to get injured, but football changes very quickly, injuries are a part of our game, and you have to be ready for when your time comes. That’s what I’m trying to do.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s not an easy situation, but it’s part of the game. Sometimes you have to accept your role within the team. If you have to be patient and wait for your minutes, that’s what you do. It’s not a big deal.
“Sometimes it is frustrating, but all you want is for the team to do well and win games. If the partnership that is playing front of you is playing well, it’s good for the team. It’s not as good as I would wish for myself, but if the team is doing well, that’s the most important thing.
“[With Kornel], you can see the talent that’s there. He’s a great kid, and a great player. It’s not easy to come to England and do as well as he has been doing. I’ve been in that situation when I first came to England, adapting to the game and the culture, but I think we’ve made him feel welcome, he’s happy and doing great, so I’m really pleased for him.”
Argyle’s win over Portsmouth followed a run of four games that yielded just one point, and now the Pilgrims’ task is trying to get something on the road. They head to Derby County on Saturday, newly promoted but performing well in 13th, with Argyle having attained just one point and scored one goal on their travels so far this season.
Pleguezuelo is hoping that the backing of the Green Army, expected to number close to 2,000 at Pride Park, as well as continued belief within the squad, will bring a first away victory sooner rather than later.
“[Beating Portmsouth] gives us a lot of confidence going into the game on Saturday,” said Julio. “We expect a very tough game. We could see Derby being a similar team to ourselves, similar objectives.
“It is really important to go there and try to get the three points.
“We talk a lot about the fact that we haven’t won away yet, but we will try to go with the right plan to take the three points. We have to keep building confidence – we’re going to get there.
“We don’t prepare for games any differently to when we play at home. This is a very competitive league. Every team that comes down to Plymouth finds it hard. We don’t give many points away at home. It’s not easy playing here in front of our fans.
“It’s a similar scenario for us. Every team that plays at home has the advantage, and we have to try to make that advantage as small as possible. We travel with many away fans, and the support never goes unnoticed.”
