Tom Cleverley has revealed that Aribim Pepple failed a late injury assessment which stopped his involvement in Plymouth Argyle‘s match against Exeter City.
The Pilgrims lost ground in their playoff hopes after drawing 2-2 in the Devon Derby, with Malachi Boateng rescuing a late point in the final moments of regular time.
Pepple Fitness Revealed
Speaking following the contest at Home Park, Argyle manager Tom Cleverley gave an update on Pepple’s condition after entirely missing out on the squad that faced the Grecians.
Heading into the match, the former Watford boss stated that the striker would face a late call as to whether he would be involved against Exeter after returning to training earlier in the week.
It was the second straight game that the Canadian international missed, having also sat on the sidelines at Oakwell during his side’s convincing 3-0 victory over Barnsley with a calf issue.
When asked about the 23-year-old by Plymouth Live, Cleverley said:
“He just didn’t make that 50-50 fitness test. I’m between a rock and a hard place at the minute.
“There was an element of risk playing Bim coming back from Canada and he picks up a niggle and you get criticised, and then people are saying in such a big game why are you not risking him?
“It has been all season. We have to get better at it because we are asking too many players to play out of position or play game after game after game. It has been frustrating for sure.”
Injury issues have plagued Pepple throughout the season, missing the second half of the game against Lincoln City due to a clash of heads and was absent for the first fixture of the season, also against Barnsley.
Long-Term Fitness Key
While it is crucial that Aribim Pepple returns to keep Plymouth Argyle in with a chance of reaching the League One playoffs, recurring injury issues could spell future problems for the forward.
With Lorent Tolaj tipped for move away this summer to Celtic or the Championship, having a ready and fit striker like the 23-year-old still at the club will prove pivotal to Argyle’s chances of promotion next season, and resting him when possible will be the best way to avoid these frequent knocks.
Argyle are at a disadvantage right now with four points separating them and Stevenage in sixth, meaning that having both Pepple and Tolaj available for their remaining fixtures is the best way to try and bridge that gap.
Stockport County could also become catchable with their defensive crisis worsening after the EFL Trophy Final, giving some hope that Plymouth can put themselves over the line, but it is up to them to maximise that chance, starting with a win away at relegation-threatened AFC Wimbledon.
