Walsall offer reminder of what Plymouth Argyle need before January window closes | OneFootball

Jamille Matt helped fire the Pilgrims to the play-off final after joining on loan late in the 2015/16 season

One thing Plymouth Argyle need right now is goals, with the Greens among the lowest scorers in the division as they battle against the drop in the Championship.

With Wayne Rooney departing and Miron Muslic through the door, the Pilgrims will be looking to turn things around between now and the end of the season, as they find themselves propping up the second tier heading into the final three months of the season.

A porousness at the back and inability to put the ball in the back of the net at the other end has cost them dear so far, with creativity and a clinical marksman having been lacking throughout much of the campaign.

What the Devon outfit need right now is someone who can make their presence known in the final third, bring others in to play, and rifle a few strikes in themselves, and in Jamille Matt they have the perfect example of such a player from yesteryear.

Jamille Matt helps Plymouth Argyle get firing up top

While Matt is still plying his trade in League Two with table-toppers Walsall right now, the 35-year-old was briefly on the books at Home Park nine years ago, with a three-month stint as a green seeing him play a major part in their run to the fourth tier play-off final.

With Argyle’s form taking a turn for the worse in their bid for promotion from League Two, the striker was brought in on loan from Fleetwood Town on loan in March, with the Greens picking up just one win in seven league games, and seeing their position within the automatic promotion spots slip from their grasp.

As soon as he got to grips with what was expected of him by Derek Adams, Matt proved to be an inspired addition to the Pilgrims’ party, with three goals in as many games announcing himself to the Green Army in style.

Not only was he finding the back of the net with regularity, but the frontman was offering a focal point in attack, with everything going through him as Argyle pushed forward, leaving them with the simple choice of extending his 28-day loan from the Cod Army until the end of the season.

In that time, the attacker continued to wreak havoc up top, with a dramatic winner in a late turnaround against Portsmouth only increasing his popularity within Jannerland, before returning to Fratton Park in the play-offs just a month later, and putting on something of a clinic up top to grab a brace in a 2-2 draw.

Boy, was he up for it that day; with the Green Army packed in behind the goal and the atmosphere oozing out of every crevice on the south coast, the forward beat goalkeeper Ryan Allsop to a cross to notch his first, and draw Argyle level after a frenetic opening.

There was no way in the world that he was getting beaten to that aerial duel, and ten minutes later he was at it again, as he controlled a long throw with his first touch, before looping an overhead kick into the hosts’ net with his second, and firing the travelling fans into a frenzy.

In between all of that, he also had time to get wrapped up in a scrap with Danny Hollands and Michael Doyle; shoving a forehead onto the latter, but escaping without any punishment.

This was a man who was up for the battle and willing to do all he could to win. For that, the Green Army adored him during his short time as a Pilgrim, as he gave his all from his first appearance to his last.

Miron Muslic would love Jamille Matt reincarnation for Plymouth Argyle

That sort of aggression (within reason) and physical ability is exactly what Muslic wants from his side between now and the end of the season, with a real presence up top needed to cause the opposition all sorts of problems.

With Muhamed Tijani slowly returning from a lengthy injury layoff, the Austrian may already have that player on the books, but another sharpshooter could be a useful addition for the Pilgrims, with goals a priority right now.

A reported bid for Alasanna Jatta of Notts County is evidence of Argyle looking for that sort of profile of striker, with the Gambian scoring goals for fun in the second tier since his arrival at Meadow Lane this time last year.

Matt is the perfect example of what an addition in the second half of the season can bring to a side, and although it is in very different circumstances to that of nine years ago, the Greens would love that aggression and commitment in the final third between now and May.