“Surprised” – Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher drops Sheffield Wednesday verdict | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher has revealed that he was “surprised” by Sheffield Wednesday‘s change in system and has labelled last night’s top-of-the-table clash as “probably the toughest” and “most mentally draining game this season”.

Argyle came out on top thanks to Sam Cosgrove’s stoppage-time winner after Liam Palmer had cancelled out Ryan Hardie’s opener in the early stages.

The result ensures Plymouth stay top of League One and stretches their current unbeaten run to eight games, which has included seven victories and seen them take on promotion rivals such as Ipswich Town, Portsmouth, and, last night, Wednesday.

Darren Moore switched things up ahead of kick-off – opting for a 4-2-3-1 rather than the back three system he’s favoured this term – but the hosts were able to adapt at Home Park and claim a statement victory in the race for promotion.

Speaking to the Argyle club website, Schumacher offered his verdict on Tuesday evening’s opponents.

He said: “It was very tight. “It was probably the toughest game we’ve had this year. We knew before the game, how strong they are. We didn’t expect them to set up in the shape that they did. That surprised us, and it probably took us 20 minutes to settle into the game.

“We managed to change our shape to match them up a little bit, and got a grip of the game. Half-time, they changed shape again, so what we spoke about at half-time goes out the window. It was a hard night, and credit to the players because they kept going, kept believing and kept trying to do the right thing. We also kept the energy up, which we spoke about before the game, about keeping going in the last 20 minutes of the game.”

Plymouth host Accrington Stanley on Saturday while Sheffield Wednesday are back at Hillsborough for the visit of Cheltenham Town.

Quiz: Did Plymouth Argyle win, draw or lose the last time they played at these 18 stadiums?

1 of 18

Adams Park

Win Draw Lose

The Verdict

Last night’s game was a fantastic advert for League One football – two top teams going toe-to-toe in a game that included a real tactical battle and some late drama.

It’s a massive victory for Plymouth and Schumacher’s verdict on the Owls highlights that he’s aware of just how big it is.

To come away from a four-game stretch against Portsmouth, Ipswich, Wycombe, and Wednesday with 10 points is a fantastic achievement and highlights that they’re bonafide title contenders.

The visitors, meanwhile, will be disappointed to lose late but Home Park is going to be a very difficult place to come this term so the result itself is not too disheartening.