Monday, December 23, 2024

Argyle’s away form must improve quickly – Rooney

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Wayne Rooney has led Plymouth Argyle to three wins and two draws in his 10 Championship games as head coach [Rex Features]

Wayne Rooney says he and his staff are striving to improve Plymouth Argyle’s away form “as quickly as we can”.

The Pilgrims have scored just one goal and taken one point in five away games this season.

Argyle have won just three of 28 away games since returning to the Championship last season and Saturday’s 5-0 loss at Cardiff City was Rooney’s heaviest as Argyle boss.

“Away from home we have to improve,” Rooney told BBC Radio Devon.

“It would be naive of myself and us as coaches to think that that it’s going to be the same as home games.

“We have to try and really figure it out as quickly as we can.”

Rooney’s side travel to Millwall on Wednesday night in the second game of a nine-match run that sees his side travel away from Home Park on five occasions.

While Argyle have had some decent away showings – a 1-1 draw with nine men at Queens Park Rangers and narrow 1-0 defeats by Burnley and West Bromwich Albion.

But they have also been on the end of big losses such as Saturday’s at Cardiff City and a 4-0 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on the opening day of the season.

“I don’t think we can rely on our home form all season, we have to improve the away form,” Rooney said.

“There’s things we’re trying to get right, starting from the time you eat, how you travel, hotels, rest, recovery.

“Everything we’re trying to improve to give the players the best opportunity to win a game of football.

“If we improved, I think we will find ourselves in a good position come the end of the season.

“If we don’t then you end up in a position where you’re relying purely on home form to get to where you want to be, and we can’t keep relying on that.”

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