Bim Pepple says mental training and work with a sports psychologist have transformed him into one of League One's most dangerous strikers, with the Plymouth Argyle forward netting in each of his last four appearances.

From three goals to twenty

The 23-year-old managed just three goals in the first half of last season. Since the start of 2026 he has scored 20, a turnaround he puts down to a deliberate shift in mindset rather than any change in technique.

"If you were to watch training, everyone can finish," Pepple said. "But the difference is when you get in front of a bunch of people, you're about to score, it's about keeping your composure to pass it in the net."

He acknowledged that composure had long been a weakness. "That's probably one thing I really struggled with at the beginning of last season, and just throughout my career. So a lot of it's mental work that I work on: stay calm, score the goal first and then celebrate."

Visualisation on the eve of matches

Pepple now runs through guided visualisation sessions the day before games, working through scenarios he is likely to encounter on the pitch.

"We'll just go through guided visualisation on scenarios I might see, so a ball across the box or going through one-on-one," he explained. "It's just practising to almost be in that scenario so that when you are in that position on the pitch it feels like you've been there before."

The results have been striking. "You'd be surprised at how many goals that you visualise and come exactly the same way," he added. "So it's a huge part of preparation and I think a lot of top strikers do it."

Tap-ins the real target

Despite scoring some eye-catching efforts this month, Pepple insists the bread-and-butter finish remains his priority. "I've scored a couple of good goals, but I want to get back to my tap-ins," he said. "That's what you want to make a living off. So you do a lot of work on the technique, but a lot of it is mental."

His goals have coincided with four consecutive wins for Plymouth, lifting the Pilgrims into a strong position in the third-tier table. Pepple stepped up as the club's main goalscorer after Lorent Tolaj departed for Bristol City in the summer, and he has met that challenge with a consistency that drew transfer interest last summer.

International ambitions driving him on

Pepple also received a call-up to Canada's squad ahead of the World Cup, though he is yet to earn his first senior cap and has so far been unable to force his way back into Jesse Marsch's plans.

"I've got a taste of it, I want to get back there," he said. "I want to not just get called in; I want to play games and I want to score goals at that level."

For now, his focus remains on helping Plymouth make the most of their momentum in League One. "I just want to play as high as possible and feel like, at the end of the day, when my career is done, that I maximised my potential," he added. "Football's a weird game, it's already taken me to all parts of the country and I'm enjoying it."

With 20 goals since January and his confidence clearly growing, Pepple looks every inch the focal point Plymouth need as the season moves into its decisive phase.

Frequently asked

How many goals has Bim Pepple scored for Plymouth this season?
Pepple has scored 20 goals since the start of 2026, having found the net just three times in the first half of last season.
Why has Bim Pepple improved so much at Plymouth Argyle?
Pepple credits work with a sports psychologist and pre-match visualisation exercises for improving his composure in front of goal.
Has Bim Pepple been called up for Canada?
Yes, Pepple received a call-up to Canada's squad ahead of the World Cup but is yet to earn his first senior cap and wants to force his way back into Jesse Marsch's plans.