Plymouth Argyle will once again be without their second-leading scorer, Ryan Hardie, for tomorrow night’s trip to Coventry City.
The 26-year-old, who has scored six league goals so far this term, is nearing a return to action after missing the last three Championship matches due to a hamstring injury. He could be ready to face Stoke City this weekend and may even make the journey up to the CBS Arena.
But Greens boss Steven Schumacher thinks that will be as far as it goes: “Ryan Hardie is running. He will probably travel with the squad (to Coventry) but is unlikely to be involved. Maybe he might be available for the weekend, hopefully,” Schumacher told PlymouthLive.
Felow striker and hamstring casualty Mustapha Bundu made his return to action off the bench in the second half of Argyle’s 2-0 home win against Sunderland at the weekend.
Schumacher was pleased with the performance of goalkeeper Michael Cooper against the Black Cats. The young stopper is working his way back from a serious knee injury and turned in a good performance at Home Park.
“He made a few good saves; I’m pleased for Michael to do that. As always, you need your goalkeeper to make big saves at big times. I think his kicking could have been better. That’s probably just a bit of rustiness. It’s only early into his comeback; that’s the sixth game that he has played. We can’t really expect much more at this moment.”
Argyle will have three players on four yellow cards on Tuesday evening, and they are looking to avoid a fifth that would trigger a one-match suspension. Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Bali Mumba were both booked for the fourth time against Sunderland, while center-back Dan Scarr is also on four.
Schumacher has been impressed with what he’s seen of the Sky Blues and told the club website: “It’s going to be a really tough game. They had a really good win away from home on Saturday, and I don’t think they’re in the right position on the table either.
“I’ve seen some of their data and some of their stats about how they’ve been playing well and not getting the results that they needed for the chances that they’ve gotten. We’re under no illusions. It’s going to be a hard game, but we’re looking forward to it.
“I’ve watched them a couple of times this season already, and they work really hard. They’ve got the longest-serving manager in the championship, Mark. They’re on the good side. They’re probably in a false position at the moment. We need to make sure that we’re ready for it.”
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