There are failed transfers and then there is this piece of business from Plymouth Argyle.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Macey’s time at Plymouth Argyle left fans gobsmacked, failing to meet expectations set by the impressive career background.
- Despite being first choice, Macey struggled to deliver and contributed to the team’s relegation due to his poor performances.
- The goalkeeper’s statistics reflected his disappointing tenure with minimal clean sheets and a high number of goals conceded.
A League One club bringing in a player from Arsenal is a deal that is always going to come with a certain sense of anticipation.
This was exactly the case when goalkeeper Matt Macey arrived at Plymouth Argyle on loan ahead of the 2018/19 season.
It has to be said though, that the shot-stopper’s tenure at Home Park was rather disappointing for all relevant parties so much so that some Pilgrims fans will have been left gobsmacked at how poor the loanee was.
Lofty expectations for the Arsenal man
During a busy summer transfer window in 2018, Argyle acquired players at no cost, including Freddie Ladapo and Conor Grant, who combined for 186 games and 58 goal contributions.
There was also a need for a reinforcement between the sticks as Robbert te Loeke retired and Luke McCormick moved to Swindon Town.
The people in charge at Home Park believed that Macey was the best candidate for the position.
In addition to a few appearances for the Gunners’ junior sides, the goalkeeper had previously played on short loan stints for League Two teams Luton Town and Accra Stanley. While at parent club Arsenal, Macey had made one appearance in the Europa League and one in the EFL Cup.
Although nobody had anticipated it, Plymouth would end up being his first season-long assignment.
A dismal season leaves Plymouth Argyl fans gobsmacked
First-choice goalkeeper Macey joined at Argyle, ahead of an unidentified teenage player named Michael Cooper and the seasoned Kyle Letheren.
Naturally, Cooper has gone on to become a green and white fan favorite, but the same cannot be said for the Arsenal loanee.
Even though the Pilgrims defeated bottom-of-the-league Scunthorpe United 3-2 at home, it wasn’t enough to keep them in the third division of English football. Relegation was decided on the last day of play.
Josh Morris, who had no regrets for the injured Argyle guy, intercepted Macey’s effort to throw the ball out of play after he went down hurt and found the net.
The actions of the Scunthorpe guy did not sit well with the Home Park supporters, but in many ways, they encapsulated the miserable period their on-loan goalie had to face down south.
| Matt Macey’s Plymouth Argyle statistics, as per Transfermarkt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Appearances | Goals conceded | Clean sheets | Minutes played |
| League One | 34 | 65 | 3 | 2,953 |
| FA Cup | 2 | 2 | 1 | 180 |
| EFL Cup | 2 | 3 | 1 | 180 |
Macey played 34 games in the league, totaling little under 3,000 minutes. He only managed three clean sheets in that period of time, giving up a staggering 65 goals—nearly two goals per game.
It isn’t as though the goalkeeper’s defensive shortcomings can be placed exclusively on him because Argyle were bad overall, but he did his share and several fans were shocked by his subpar performances; this was not the young Premier League player the contract with Arsenal had promised.
There were several serious red flags as well as terrible distribution in there. Generally, the impression was that the young keeper at the Theatre of Greens was engulfed by the occasion. He was statistically terrible, if not downright awful, and he clearly failed the eye test.
It’s a campaign that will never be remembered positively, and Macey left the club as a huge letdown, especially considering the expectations that were placed on him when he arrived.
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