Rooney's Leeds Reaction

Wayne Rooney rued an eight-minute period away to Leeds United, where the game got away from his Argyle side. 

Setting up a defensive line-up, the Pilgrims saw out the opening third of the game in relative comfort, but when Dan James scored on the half-hour mark, it signalled a run of Leeds goals, with Joel Piroe adding the second two minutes later, and Brenden Aaronson scoring the third on 38 minutes.

From there, it was a stroll to victory for Leeds, who retained the 3-0 scoreline to the final whistle. 

Rooney said: “We went with the game plan to try to be resilient, try to defend our box, which I thought we did well for 25 minutes, then we conceded the first goal and then I think there is probably a lack of concentration for the second and third goals. 

“I think it was seven minutes, something like that, between the first and third goal - and that kills the game; it kills our plans. Then we're playing for pride to try to not let the scoreline get any bigger, hopefully we can try and nick one, which we didn't look like doing.”

Argyle’s team was hit by injuries; longer-term absentees Muhamed Tijani, Brendan Galloway and Conor Hazard have been joined in recent weeks by stalwarts Lewis Gibson and Joe Edwards, and Adam Randell was also missing with a knock picked up against Preston North End. Add in Ibrahim Cissoko, serving the final game of a suspension, and Darko Gyabi, ineligible to play against his parent club, Leeds, and Rooney’s options were lessened. 

Therefore, Matty Sorinola, Julio Pleguezuelo and Caleb Roberts all made their first starts of the season – Roberts his first league start, full stop - with Nathanael Ogbeta starting for just the third time, and Victor Palsson a fourth. 

Argyle’s bench was full of attacking options, but with the game beyond their grasp, Rooney opted not to introduce the likes of Morgan Whittaker, Rami Al Hajj, Freddie Issaka, Callum Wright and Michael Obafemi, perhaps with a view to Tuesday night’s home game against Portsmouth. 

However, Tegan Finn, a 16-year-old first-year apprentice, got his Argyle debut as a substitute, becoming the sixth-youngest Pilgrim of all time in the process. 

“We came here knowing Leeds are a very good team, and we knew it was going to be a difficult game,” said Rooney. 

“We were missing some key players as well, so we've got players playing - Matty, Nat, Victor, Pleggy - who haven’t played a lot of games. We knew it was going to be a difficult game for us today, but we set up with a game plan to try to stay in the game as long as we could, and then we had a lot of attacking options on the bench to come on and help us get something out of the game.

“We didn't get to that point in the game, so really disappointed, but we've got another game on Tuesday, which we have to prepare right for, and get ready for, because it's a big game, and another game at Home Park, which we’re looking forward to.

“We're expecting a tough game. Every game in this league is tough, but it’s something we're looking forward to. Of course, we had one eye on the game on Tuesday, today. 

“[Adam Randell] picked up a knock at the end of the last game, he should be okay for Tuesday, we’ll monitor him. 

“It's a difficult game to bring [Caleb and Tegan] into, we know that. Caleb showed really good signs in training. We lost Rands, so Caleb comes into the starting line-up.  

“For Tegan, 3-0 down at Leeds is a difficult moment for him to come into the game, but I felt, let's just get him out there. Hopefully he can give us something. I’m delighted he's got his debut and they’ll be plenty more to come.”