Plymouth Argyle: Watford evidence is warning for Wayne Rooney, Simon Hallett ahead of January | OneFootball

Andre Gray has proven he can be the difference-maker for the Pilgrims this season, but the Greens need to sort his contract out ASAP

Andre Gray stole the show for Plymouth Argyle last Friday night, as his brace against former side Watford earned the Pilgrims a point in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Home Park.

Wayne Rooney’s side struggled to create many clear-cut chances throughout the 90 minutes at the Theatre of Greens, but their frontman displayed his quality with two finishes from the top drawer to see the match finish all square.

A sumptuous volley brought his side level for the first time during the first half, before an exquisite curled effort with the last kick of the game rescued his side, and proved just what he can do when given a sniff of goal.

That sort of match-defining performance is exactly why the 33-year-old has been brought to the club, and with the forward signing a short-term deal until January, Rooney and owner Simon Hallett need to be doing all they can to keep him at Home Park for the long haul.

Andre Gray's Watford display must force Plymouth Argyle’s hand

While it had taken a while for Gray to get up to speed upon his return to England, that showing against the Hornets is proof that he still has what it takes to excel in the second tier.

Having been playing in Saudi Arabia until recently, the attacker signed a short-term deal at Home Park in October, and has recently admitted to the BBC that he didn’t think he would play in England again after stints abroad.

But after a long-term injury to Slavia Prague loanee Muhamed Tijani, Rooney and Argyle found themselves lacking up top with Michael Obafemi and Ryan Hardie the only options going forward, and opted to take a punt on the former Burnley and Luton Town man.

After regaining match fitness with a number of substitute appearances, Gray got off the mark for the Pilgrims with a header in a comeback 3-3 draw against Preston North End, before his eye-catching brace added to his tally upon the return from the international break.

With his power and physicality in the final third, Gray offers more than just a passage to goal, but his ability to test goalkeepers when given half a yard is something that the Pilgrims have missed of late, with a lack of creativity costing them dear.

It is no secret that the club’s budget is one of the smallest in the division, and an outlay on a player like Gray is not taken lightly, but given his input to the side in his short time in green, there needs to be conversations had about extending his stay in Devon until the end of the season, with his firepower likely to help his side’s cause in staying in the division.

The battle at the bottom looks set to be as tight as ever this season, and boss Rooney is well aware of the situation regarding their experienced striker, with the former Birmingham City boss commenting to the BBC recently:

Plymouth Argyle can not afford to lose Andre Gray to a Championship rival

Having grabbed a double in front of the TV cameras, there will likely have been more than one Championship chairman put on red alert about Gray’s availability come January.

While the move looked to be a short-term solution for Argyle at the time, it could well backfire within the next few weeks, as his performances could earn him a move to a fellow Championship side, who have more finances to lure the striker away.

Given the right service, there is no reason why the frontman can’t grab a hatful of goals in the second tier still, and that quality is beginning to really shine through, now he is up to speed in the second tier.

Not only financially, but the age old geographical situation could come back to haunt Argyle once again this winter, with teams nearer the capital, or his homeland of the Midlands likely to have an edge when an offer is on the table, which isn’t something new to the Greens.

Therefore, it is essential that Argyle try and get something over the line before too long, or they risk having to bed in another striker for the remainder of the season, with the chopping and changing in the forward line not conducive to a fluid brand of football that Rooney wants from his side.

Keep Gray and Argyle stay up, but lose him, and the familiar feeling of wondering where the goals are going to come from rears its head once again, and leaves the Greens back at the drawing board for the remainder of the campaign.