Plymouth Argyle may already be regretting Wrexham AFC deal: View | OneFootball

Dan Scarr was allowed to leave Home Park for the Racecourse Ground this summer

We may only be four games into the current campaign, but there are already signs that defensive issues could haunt Plymouth Argyle over the next eight months.

The Pilgrims have shipped seven goals already at the start of the season, with four of those coming in their opening day humiliation at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday.

Not only that, but no team has a higher xG allowed rating than Wayne Rooney’s side this season, with 1.95 goals expected to be put past them in each 90 minutes that they play.

The Greens seem to be lacking that dominant force to command the backline, and comfortably sit in the middle of a back three and repel attacks, with the man that could to that the best now sitting on the bench at Wrexham.

Dan Scarr’s Plymouth Argyle promotion legacy

Dan Scarr proved to be a popular figure during his time at Home Park, with the Green Army taking a liking to the hard-hitting, no-nonsense defender ever since he made his bow for the club in 2021.

With over 100 matches in green, the 29-year-old was a vital part of a defensive unit that took League One by storm two seasons ago, before starting the previous campaign in fine form to boot.

While he may not have always been the most comfortable with ball at his feet, the former Walsall man’s capabilities while out of possession would so often get his side out of trouble in their return to the second tier.

Alongside Lewis Gibson, Argyle had two dependable players to help thwart the best attacking talent that the EFL had to offer, with his teammates gung-ho approach at the start of the season seeing him called into action more often than he would have liked.

Nevertheless, he seemed more than up for the task, with no outfield player coming anywhere near his 68.6% aerial duel win rate at Home Park, which made his bombing out of the squad by Ian Foster all the more puzzling last season.

Ian Foster paves the way for Dan Scarr, Wrexham departure

Almost as soon as the former England youth coach was appointed, Ashley Phillips was brought in and Scarr relegated to the bench, with his last appearance in the Championship coming in mid-January before Foster was shown the boot in early April.

It spoke volumes that the first thing interim bosses Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell did was reinstate the colossal defender, who then played his part in keeping three clean sheets in the final six matches of the season to preserve his side’s second tier status.

It was a testament to Scarr’s professionalism that he carried on where he left off after over two months away from the first-team, with his imperious nature having an immediate impact on his side’s performances.

But despite that upturn in fortunes, the defender was out the door months later, with League One new boys Wrexham splashing the cash to bring the former third tier title winner to North Wales, with Argyle willing to let him depart for a club in a division below.

Since then, an insistence to play with four defenders has seen Rooney’s time at Home Park hindered somewhat, with the occasional dalliances back to a five-man defence seeing the side produce some of their most promising pieces of play.

But with that in mind, the man they would have wished to be patrolling that five-man brick wall has been allowed to leave the club, although he is yet to start a league game for his new employers.

Although Argyle still have the likes of Gibson, Brandon Galloway [pictured], Julio Pleguezuelo and new arrival Kornel Szucs to choose from, the insurance of Scarr could have been a trusted addition to the squad for the season ahead, with Icelandic international Victor Palsson yet to impress since making the move to Home Park.

Scarr himself was in attendance as Argyle capitulated at Hillsborough on the opening day, with the defender being serenaded by his former fanbase as he took his spot in the away end with the Pilgrims posse.

He would have been watching on in dismay as he saw a side lacking in confidence be dismantled in front of his eyes, knowing they were calling out for a leader of his stature to take charge of proceedings and settle the situation.