‘Outstanding’ Edwards impresses in big Argyle win.

Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley believes captain Joe Edwards was “outstanding” in his team’s 5-2 victory over League One leaders Cardiff City.

While forwards Lorent Tolaj and Bim Pepple both scored twice, Cleverley emphasised the importance of the club’s longest-serving player, who assisted in the Pilgrims’ first two goals.

“When you want to deliver a gameplan that’s front foot, aggressive, risk taking and then quality in transition and managing periods of the game that needed managing, he delivered it to a tee,” Cleverley praised the 35-year-old, saying, “It’s one of those performances, you’re not comfortable picking out an individual, but if you had to pick one today, it’d be the captain.”He repeats it week after week.

“The first goal came from a Joe turnover, and it’s one of the best goals we’ve scored this season. “It’s everything we are at the moment, we’re aggressive in wide areas, we turn the ball over a lot, and we’re clinical in transition.

“We didn’t quite show it against Leyton Orient, but today we were clinical in transition against a really good side.” Pepple and Tolaj have both had remarkable performances.

Pepple has eight goals in his last nine games, including five in his last four outings, as he thrived when Tolaj was injured. However, the Swiss forward’s two goals against Cardiff brought his total for Argyle this season to 17.

Pepple, who had a rough start to life at Argyle after his summer move from Luton Town, has impressed since the club switched to a 4-4-2 formation in recent weeks following the signing of winger Ronan Curtis.

“The system change, the introduction of Ronan and how many crosses he puts in the box are all factors, but we’re high in confidence at the minute and that partnership’s flourishing,” Cleverley told the BBC’s Devon affiliate.

“The work that they do out of possession for this team, probably the work that the crowd don’t see, is incredibly important and they have to keep believing that.”

Tolaj earned his first start in nearly a month, having suffering a dead leg in January’s win against Luton Town, as Caleb Watts returned to midfield and Owen Dale was dropped to the bench.

Cleverley called it a justifiable move after Tolaj scored in the 28th minute. “It was a tough decision leaving out someone who’s started in the last two wins,” the coach said.

“But I think these real big occasions are made for your biggest players, and Tolly’s our top goalscorer, he’s our number nine. I had to get him in the team somehow, and he rewarded that decision with two great goals.”

I thought he got into the game; he started a little rusty, but the first goal settled him down, and they [Tolaj and Pepple] were a real pain for their defenders.

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