Plymouth Argyle

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Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslic says his side's 'defensive structure' was the key to their 2-1 home win over promotion-chasing West Bromwich Albion.

Argyle had some luck with both substitute Ryan Hardie's two late strikes - the first of them an extremely controversial penalty - but Argyle also did well to limit an Albion side who had scored five goals the week before to such few chances.

The Championship's bottom club this week broke their transfer record to sign Ukraine international defender Maksym Talovierov, who made his debut alongside fellow new Bosnian loan signing Nikola Katic in a new-look five-man back line.

Argyle's total of 63 Championship goals conceded in 30 games this season is still comfortably the worst in the EFL - but they are much improved from the side who suffered five separate league defeats by four goals or more under previous boss Wayne Rooney prior to Christmas.

"I spoke about having to change the mentality in the locker room," Muslic told BBC Radio Devon. "You can't change 15 players. It's about signing the right players.

"I was very pleased with our defensive structure. We need to stabilise the team and I think we did that.

"I am very proud and very happy for the lads. Not being able to win a game in three months does something to your mind, to your heart, to your legs. Everything becomes heavy. More difficult.

"I said last week against Sunderland was proof of life and this was another step forward. We didn't deserve to lose this game. We kept pushing and we got our rewards. It takes a lot of guts to come back from 1-0 down when you are in our position, but we did it.

"I was very pleased with Ryan Hardie. He scored two good goals. He wasn't pleased before the game because he wanted to play, and that's good. But he showed bravery to take the penalty and then he got the winner."

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West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Mowbray was dumbfounded by a sense of deja vu after seeing his side beaten 2-1 at Home Park by two late match-turning Ryan Hardie goals for Plymouth Argyle.

After taking the lead on 71 minutes, Albion were stunned three minutes later by a disputed penalty for handball - then Hardie added a second two minutes from the end with another goal that must have been very close to being chalked off too - this time for offside.

"We lost 2-1 here when I was with Sunderland - and it turned out to be one of those days again," said Mowbray.

"It was a really, really controversial decision. It was never a penalty kick, from someone who played the game for 20 years and has managed for 20 years.

"The referee's decision to give a pen I cannot understand. Even if it does hit his hand, he couldn't do anything about it. The boy is two yards away and smashes it straight at him. Is there a rule that says you have to put your hand behind your back now? But you have to take these types of decisions in your stride.

"Refs don't have to come out and talk to people after games. No doubt he would defend the decision and say it was right but I would find it difficult to understand how he would condone it.

"We found a way to lose a game we should never have lost. It is quite remarkable really. It's amazing we lost that game. We had such control. They didn't threaten that much and I couldn't see how they were going to score.

"I'm not sure how we lost that to be honest. Probably not enough shots? They played five across the back and they played a lot deeper than they normally do. We found it difficult to break them down. We have to put the ball in the back of the net when we're on top."

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Miron Muslic says he is pleased to have finally had the chance to get a run of training sessions with his Plymouth Argyle side.

Muslic, who succeeded Wayne Rooney as head coach earlier this month, has had midweek matches every week since taking over until now.

The free midweek has allowed Muslic and his coaching team time to work on his tactical systems as he tries to guide the Pilgrims out of the Championship relegation zone.

"We used every single day on the pitch, we used every single day also inside this room in terms of analysis," Muslic said before his side's game with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

"We also started with a new schedule for the players in terms of arriving, breakfast, pre-activation, meetings, after prep.

"So small steps, but important steps to make us competitive, so I'm very happy with the week so far.

"I'm very pleased also with the performance of the lads, the players are pushing and I like this a lot."

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Plymouth Argyle head coach Miron Muslic says the club could be close to signing Ukraine defender Maksym Talovierov from Austrian side LASK.

The 24-year-old has been the subject of speculation linking him with a move to the Championship side for the past week.

Argyle are in need of defensive reinforcements with Brendan Galloway out for the season and Lewis Gibson having left for Preston North End earlier this month.

"He's a nice player, he's a nice profile and that's a profile and a kind of player I like," Muslic said of Talovierov.

"So let's see, things are moving and hopefully very soon we will have some confirmation."

Argyle have also been linked with Slovenia midfielder Adrian Zeljkovic from Spartak Trnava.

The 22-year-old made his full international debut a year ago against the United States.

Muslic says he is confident he will have new faces in his squad in time for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

"I think we are very close - I think some names are already outside, some rumours already outside," he told BBC Radio Devon.

"I think the plan is to have some players arriving tonight, hopefully everything can be done so we could have them in the session tomorrow," he added on Thursday.

"It's a hectic transfer window, not only for us, for everyone involved."

Bottom side Plymouth Argyle welcome West Bromwich Albion to Home Park on Saturday lunchtime looking for a first win in 16 Championship games.

The Pilgrims are seven points adrift from safety, while the fifth-placed Baggies have lost just one of their past six (W2 D3) games and are looking to strengthen their play-off bid.

• Plymouth Argyle have failed to win any of their past nine league games against West Bromwich Albion (D2 L7), failing to score in each of their past four against the Baggies.

• After winning just one of their first 13 away league games against Plymouth Argyle (D5 L7), West Bromwich Albion have since won each of their past three such matches since November 2007.

• Plymouth are winless across their past 15 league games since early November (D7 L8), conceding 2.5 goals per outing across that period. The Pilgrims have never endured a longer run without victory across their EFL history.

• West Brom have lost just three of their past 21 league games (W5 D13), though all three defeats have come away from home during that time.

• Plymouth have conceded the most goals in the Championship this season (62), while they've also shipped the most goals from open play (45) and from corners (10) of any side in the division.

Plymouth Argyle are set to sign Ukraine centre-back Maksym Taloverov from Austrian Bundesliga side LASK after the two clubs agreed a fee of £1.7m. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Tuesday's gossip column here.

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Plymouth Argyle head coach Miron Muslic believes his side are "moving slowly" forward after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Sunderland.

Nathanael Ogbeta snatched a late equaliser in the 90th minute for struggling Argyle who currently sit bottom of the Championship table seven points from safety.

The draw, on the back of a 5-0 thrashing to Burnley at home in midweek, gave Bosnian-born coach Muslic his second point in four league games since replacing Wayne Rooney.

"It's a step forward. We are moving slowly, but we are moving and that's the most important thing," Muslic told BBC Radio Devon.

"We've had challenging days behind us, if you lose the game 5-0 just a couple of days ago and then you know you have to come to Sunderland facing one of the strongest teams, especially here.

"It takes courage, and I'm very happy that we showed this reaction and we showed this character."

Plymouth's move for Sparta Rotterdam defender Mike Eerdhuizen has reportedly fallen through with the player unwilling to join Argyle's fight against relegation.(Sky Sports, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.

Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport, East Midlands

Image source, Rex Features

Will Alassana Jatta stay with Notts County, or will be be swept off during the transfer window and into a higher division?

That is the question that was put to Magpies boss Stuart Maynard on Thursday after their leading scorer was linked with Championship sides Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth, as well as League One club Bolton Wanderers.

Reports say that Plymouth have had a £750,000 bid turned down for the 26-year-old Gambian, who has scored 15 goals in all competitions for the League Two Magpies this season.

None of the transfer speculation around the striker has come as a surprise to Maynard.

"You are going to get interest from a lot of clubs, from the Championship and abroad, when a player like AJ comes in and performs to the level he has," he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"It's where we are at as a football club now. If we want success and to keep going through the leagues and keep being at the top of the division to complete, then we need to make sure that when we sign players they we will then have interest from other clubs because they will be performing that well."

But will Notts be able to hold out and keep Jatta at Meadow Lane to help in their quest for promotion?

"He is our player at the minute, but everyone does have a value," Maynard said.

"And that's the biggest thing, I can't say to you yes or no.

"He loves it at the football club, he comes in and works so hard every day and he will continue to do that."

You can listen to more from Maynard and the the interest in Jatta by clicking here.

The Championship's bottom side Plymouth Argyle visit promotion contenders Sunderland on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Argyle - five points adrift of second-bottom Luton Town and six points from safety - have not registered a single league win since their 1-0 victory over Portsmouth in November.

Hosts Sunderland are having a better time as of late, fourth in the table and winning three of their past four league games (W3 D1).

• Sunderland have lost seven of their past 10 league games against Plymouth in the second tier (W3 L7), though did win this fixture 3-1 last season.

• After winning the reverse fixture 3-2 in September, Plymouth will be looking to complete a first league double over Sunderland since the 1991-92 season.

• Sunderland are unbeaten across their past 13 home league games (W9 D4), last enjoying a longer run at the Stadium of Light between May 2018 and April 2019 (21 games).

• Plymouth have failed to win any of their past 16 away league games (D3 L13), scoring three goals in total. The Pilgrims last endured a longer winless away run between March and December 1991 (18 games).

• Eliezer Mayenda has been involved in four goals in his past four league games (2 goals, 2 assists), with these being worth seven points to Sunderland.

Notts County striker Alassana Jatta is attracting attention with Plymouth said to have seen a £750,000 bid turned down, while Portsmouth and Bolton are also interested. (The Guardian, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip page.