Plymouth Argyle: Brentford positive could make or save Greens millions in future | OneFootball

The Pilgrims had a lot to celebrate on Saturday, but it was the performance of an academy graduate that really caught the eye

It’s a day that will be remembered at Plymouth Argyle for years to come, that Brentford win, with so many aspects of the day in West London already painting itself into Green folklore.

They were brilliant, weren’t they? It’s hard to believe it was basically the same team that had huffed and puffed away from home all season to no avail, and find themselves plugged to the bottom of the second tier as we head into 2025, for at the Gtech, they had an inner hunger not seen for some time.

While the Green Army roared them on in the far corner, and new boss Miron Muslic watched on in the stands - no doubt impressed by what he was about to inherit - the Pilgrims played with a belief, a sense of togetherness and a sense of pride that some may have forgotten even existed at times this season.

Those jubilant Janners will have been there at Hillsborough, the Cardiff City Stadium, the Coventry Building Society Arena, even Elland Road, as the spirit continued to be exhumed from their bodies, with each chastening defeat leaving them heading back to the South West with tail firmly between their legs.

Plymouth Argyle defy the odds to achieve Brentford FA Cup upset

But on this day in the capital, things were different; firstly, in a more obvious physical sense, with Joe Edwards and Kevin Nancekivell in the dugout. This pair, both Argyle legends in their own right, galvanised a team down on their haunches after the departure of Wayne Rooney on New Year’s Eve, with the duo ready to bleed gallons of green blood for the cause, with that Pilgrim passion emanating throughout the players on the pitch since 2025 began.

A goalless draw at Stoke City saw the tide start to turn, with players and fans coming together to celebrate a stalemate in the Potteries, something that could seem irrelevant after such an occasion, but that bond that had been pushed to its limits in the past few months was back again, everyone was in the same boat, and ready to fight with all they have got.

That was evident once again on Saturday, with every player giving every sinew to match the Premier League side, whether it was Conor Hazard’s reactions in goal, Michael Baidoo’s determination on debut, or Victor Palsson, a man whom the Green Army had already made their mind up as being below-par after his summer arrival, commandeering a defensive line that stood firm against one of the most potent attacks in the top flight, especially in their own back yard.

Just down the road in Kew Gardens, there lies one of the World’s largest selections of wild and tropical plants, with its diversity celebrated and meshed together to produce a stunning exhibit for all to see. Every flower and plant has its own wants and needs, and together they form a fine display, which can be akin to a football field, with people from all ages and backgrounds coming together to coalesce a unit which can be beautiful to view when in full motion.

That is exactly what the Green Army, as well as Muslic, got to see on Saturday, as 33-year-old Icelandic international Palsson lined up alongside Zimbabwean Brendan Galloway and Spaniard Julio Pleguezuelo - a trio who have all had ups and down in their Argyle careers - to restrict their hosts to just two shots on target throughout the 90 minutes.

Baidoo of Ghana ploughed a furrow up top, while Sierra Leone’s Mustapha Bundu and new Polish arrival Tymoteusz Puchacz came off the bench to offer assistance, with everything being pinned together by two players who have learned their trade on the green, green grass of home.

Plymouth Argyle will take great heart from academy graduates' performances

Everyone with a green twinkle in their eye is well aware to what Adam Randell can do in the middle of the park, as he matures into a fine Championship player with his spacial awareness improving week on week, an elegance on the ball and passing range that adds another dimension to the Greens in possession, as well as being prepared to stick a boot in when the ball needs to be won back.

The ‘Plymstock Pirlo' [pictured] has regularly been flanked by Leeds United loanee Darko Gyabi in the engine room this season, with the pair showing glimpses of excellence when allowed to do so, although those chances have been few and far between with the Devon outfit up against it during the first-half of the campaign.

But at Brentford it was a different story, with Caleb Roberts the man to be thrown into the mix alongside Randell, with a proud Pilgrim performance underlined by the beating heart of the Barbican right there in Brentford.

Two players who have progressed through the club from their formative years, battling it out with the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Mikkel Damsgaard and Mathias Jensen - a trio of Premier League regulars - and more than holding their own in the middle of the park, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to state that many Argyle fans would never have thought they would ever see the day.

Caleb Roberts' Brentford display will leave Plymouth Argyle excited for what the future holds

In fact, despite dominating possession, the hosts were restricted to efforts from distance for the most part on Saturday, with Roberts outlining his quality with a disciplined display; hounding all and sundry when out of possession, and trying to protect the ball when in it.

In a side that has been losing games on a regular basis, it has been hard to judge the quality of the Welsh youth international, with his last four outings before the weekend coming in defeats on the road, including a first league start of his career in a 3-0 reverse at Leeds United - a match where Argyle failed to muster a single shot on goal.

While there had always been whispers about his talents, Freddie Issaka was always the one to grab the headlines as the pair made the way into the first-team almost simultaneously, with the more attacking-minded of the two being thrown into the limelight right from the off in the current campaign, but has struggled to prove himself in the second tier.

Minutes on the pitch have been fewer and farther between for Roberts, but an enthusiasm and energy whenever he has been thrown into the mix has never gone unnoticed, and finally on Saturday, he got his chance to demonstrate just what he can do when playing in a Pilgrims side with their own point to prove, and boy did he deliver.

Muslic would have been rubbing his hands together at the sight of the homegrown pair working in tandem and keeping compact while sitting in the stands, for that defensive solidity has been something lacking under Rooney, with an emphasis on a tight shape and high press exactly what the Austrian will demand as he takes charge at Home Park.

While Gyabi may offer more from a creative point of view, a player who can stick to their task cannot be underestimated in any side, and with Adam Forshaw departing the club and Jordan Houghton falling out of favour, Roberts is suddenly right in the conversation in terms of midfield options this season, when a loan move away may well have seemed a likelier option just a matter of weeks ago.

When a side is battling at the bottom, you need players who know just how much it means to those in the stands; players who have been brought up within a stone’s throw of the Hoe, stood next to Smeaton’s Tower in the rain, or even been dragged round Drake’s Circus. Players who have green in their heart, and always will.

Caleb Roberts is that player, and while he can have a major impact in the short-term as Championship survival hangs in the balance, Argyle could well have another midfield general on their hands, with Randell firmly lighting the way for the footpath between the academy and first-team at Home Park.

While that occasion at Brentford brought out plenty of joy both on the pitch and in the stands, it could well have given the Pilgrims a first glimpse of their long-term future, with a dynamic duo in the middle of the pitch knowing nothing but Argyle, and showcasing their talents on the highest stage.

It is still early days for Roberts, but he could well be on the way to stardom, just like Randell, and after keeping the Bees at arms’ length in his most recent outing, big things will be expected in the future, and in a month where Championship sides will be scouring the planet for high calibre additions to their squad, Argyle may well have one blossoming right in front of their eyes.