Plymouth Argyle head coach Wayne Rooney says the club’s youth team could have done better than his first XI in the 6-1 defeat at Norwich City.
The Pilgrims were second best for much of the game and could have conceded more goals if Norwich had not wasted their chances so much, especially in the first half.
It was the former England captain’s heaviest defeat since taking charge at Home Park in the summer.
Argyle have yet to win an away game this season and are two points clear of the relegation places, with three of the four teams below them having games in hand.
“We weren’t good enough, we’re at a minimum with injuries, but that’s no excuse,” said Rooney, who was missing the likes of captain Joe Edwards, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Connor Hazard and forwards Ibrahim Cissoko, Morgan Whittaker and Muhammad. Tijani.
“But if players want to come to the team and stay in it, then they need to perform better than that.
“I could probably put the under-18 team in there and they wouldn’t concede six goals, so I’m very disappointed, angry, frustrated and the next 24 to 48 hours are not going to be very pleasant for the players, but we need to get to the bottom of why.” this happens.”
Rooney says he will try to understand why his team are so poor away from home, with just two draws in their nine games away to Devon this season.
“To get that win and better results away from home – we know in this league it’s difficult for teams to win away from home – but we have to be much better than we were tonight,” added the 39-year-old.
“I feel sorry for the fans who came here because I know the distance they have come to support the players and I know that any fan who sees their team put in that performance and get that result will not be satisfied.” about it.
“I’m dealing with it, I’m trying to get to the bottom of why we occasionally get these results and I hope I can do that sooner rather than later.”
