Schumacher's Wembley Reaction

In the of a 4-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers in the Papa Johns Trophy final at Wembley Stadium, Argyle boss Steven Schumacher called on his team to not let that defeat define the Pilgrims’ season.

In front of a crowd of nearly 80,000, half of them the incredible Green Army, Argyle started slowly and were 2-0 down inside 10 minutes. Another early goal, in the second half, had essentially finished the game as a contest long before former loan Green Gethin Jones made it four and wrapped things up.

There will no time to dwell, though. Just five days after the final, Argyle will find themselves in Morecambe, as the finale to the Sky Bet League One season draws ever closer.

The position Schumacher’s side are in is an enviable one. Only Sheffield Wednesday sit above Argyle in the table, and the Owls have played a game more.

Things are still very much all to play for, with Schumacher looking for his team to show the resilience following defeats that they have done previously in this campaign.  

“Before we left the hotel, we said that no matter what happens today, no matter what the outcome is, we come back with heads held high, because it's a brilliant achievement to get here,” said Schumacher. “We're on 80 points in the league, joint top, behind on goal difference to Sheffield Wednesday.

“Even if we'd won the game today, we'd have said exactly the same.

“We don't let it define the season; the season's not over. We've got eight games to go and we have to have that focus, that look in our eyes that we're ready for the challenge.”

Despite that pragmatic approach to the current situation this season, Schumacher was justifiably frustrated by the performance as Argyle were second best throughout to an admittedly very good Bolton side.

The manager pointed to his own side’s inability to retain the ball, as well as making mistakes to allow Bolton the chances from which they capitalised.

“I’m hugely disappointed,” he said. “It wasn't good enough to start. We gave two goals away early, in the first 10 minutes, and it's a back to the wall job then. After the first two goals, we actually passed the ball okay, but defended poorly and could have been more than 2-0 down at half time.

“I said to the players at half time: ‘somehow we're still in the game, so let's try to improve in possession, try not to make any more mistakes’ because if you do give a team like Bolton Wanderers opportunities, they've got good players can punish us.

“There was a bit of naivety early on in the game. In a cup final you have to not make those types of errors. The second goal’s a killer, again from another throw-in where we lose possession without Bolton having to really play well or open us up.

“We made another from our own throw-in again just after half time and from there on its game over.

“In a lot of cup finals, then team that get the momentum early on, can be really strong and usually have a good day. They were a better team. All credit to Bolton. Congratulations to them.”

Schumacher did take solace in the atmosphere, noise and backing generated by the Green Army, especially before kick-off. When Schumacher’s face filled the big screens inside Wembley as the teams walked out, they showed a man surveying the scene with immense pride.

After the game, disappointment pervaded, but pride still existed. Schumacher recognises that he and his team may face criticism for the result and performance, but thanked the fans for the their support, and backed his players to bounce back.

“I felt we let our fans down today,” said Schumacher. “We need to perform better than that for them to have the following that we did. I can only apologise.

“[The turnout] was absolutely amazing. To see everyone beyond the goal like that, all supporting the team was brilliant. It was a hugely proud moment but, unfortunately, we just didn't give them anything to cheer and shout about.

“I felt the players kept going. We didn’t give up, but I felt there were too many players that were below the standard that we've set. When you do that in a cup final, then it obviously, it really hurts.

“Everyone's going to have take this criticism that's going to come on the chin.

“People are going to be disappointed, but I can honestly say there's no one more disappointed than that group of players and that group of staff in there, because that wasn't us today.

“To do that on the biggest stage, it's devastating.”