Peterborough United manager has been stunned by his side’s shocking start to the season and he’s told the players to toughen up quickly

Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has been stunned by his side’s shocking start to the season.
Posh goalkeeper Dai Cornell makes a flying save in the game against Plymouth. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.Posh goalkeeper Dai Cornell makes a flying save in the game against Plymouth. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Posh goalkeeper Dai Cornell makes a flying save in the game against Plymouth. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Posh performed dismally when losing 3-0 at Luton Town in the first game of the Championship season on Saturday and, despite making seven changes to the starting line-up, they were even worse as they suffered a 4-0 home defeat in the first round of the Carabao Cup at the hands of League One Plymouth Argyle tonight (August 12).

“We’ve been far too soft,” Ferguson announced. “We need to toughen up quickly.

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“I didn’t expect to start the season like this and tonight we got spanked. We were embarrassing. We never got started. We never managed to play with any tempo.

Jorge Grant of Peterborough United is flattened by James Wilson of Plymouth Argyle. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.Jorge Grant of Peterborough United is flattened by James Wilson of Plymouth Argyle. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Jorge Grant of Peterborough United is flattened by James Wilson of Plymouth Argyle. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

“We’ve lost some soft goals again and that’s become a real problem already and to be honest we could have lost by even more tonight as my goalkeeper was very good.

“I’m very concerned by the manner of the performances in both matches. I’m not happy and I’ve told the players just that.

“I’m the manager and I’m responsible for the results, but these two games have told me an awful lot.

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“I didn’t rest players tonight. It might not have looked like it, but I picked a team based on what I saw at Luton. I wanted to see Josh Knight in defence and I wanted to see Joe Tomlinson and Harrison Burrows playing as wing-backs. I probably shouldn’t have started with that formation, but there were things I needed to see.

The thoughtful figure of Posh boss Darren Ferguson watching his side get dismantled by Plymouth. Photo: David Lowndes.The thoughtful figure of Posh boss Darren Ferguson watching his side get dismantled by Plymouth. Photo: David Lowndes.
The thoughtful figure of Posh boss Darren Ferguson watching his side get dismantled by Plymouth. Photo: David Lowndes.

“Up front we had a problem as Ricky Jade-Jones was the only striker we had available, but I felt playing with Joel Randall and Kwame Poku either side of him would work. Unfortunately Ricky had to come off and I felt for him and for Idris Kanu who had to play out of position up front.

“I wouldn’t blame the younger players who have just come into the squad and Joel Randall was a positive again tonight as was the performance of Jorge Grant.

“I will analyse the two games, but we were miles away from the level of performance I expect and I have become used to. We’ve let in seven goals in two games and it could have been more. First and foremost we have to find a way of keeping a clean sheet.

“We’ve let ourselves down tonight, especially as it was the first game with the fans back.”