Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney sees positives despite losing away to West Brom

Posted Sunday, September 22, 2024 by PA

Wayne Rooney saw positives despite losing 1-0 away to West Brom as he hailed the continued brilliance of Plymouth’s supporters.

Albion were thrice denied by the post in the first half and saw a goal chalked off on the stroke of half-time – resulting in a cauldron of frustration at a sodden Hawthorns.

Argyle’s luck could only last so long, however, and a Josh Maja tap-in in the 62nd minute undid the hard work of Rooney’s side, who had defended with heart up to that point.

Despite coming out on the losing side, Rooney spoke defiantly of the positives that he saw in the game, saying: “I think it was a close game.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game. West Brom are a very experienced team, so we had to, firstly, make sure we stayed in the game.

“I thought we did that well, and then I think confidence grew, and we started taking the ball away from West Brom at good times.”

He continued: “I felt we started really well [in the] second half and probably conceded a little bit against the run of play. And then for five, 10 minutes, we struggled to get back in the game.

“So [I am] disappointed with the result, but there were a lot of positives for us.”

Neither the defeat nor occasional downpour could drown the spirits of the Argyle faithful, and Rooney was quick to praise the travelling fans following the game.

He added: “The fans have been great all season. We know it’s a long way to travel in most games.

“The numbers we’re producing at these stadiums are fantastic. So the lads know the fans are right behind them, and you see a reaction at the end when you lose a game and the fans appreciate the efforts from the players, which I think is important.”

Carlos Corberan was the more jubilant of the two managers, as his side maintained their unbeaten start to the Championship season – while also preserving their perfect home form.

The Spaniard hailed his side’s resilience after such a disappointing and unfortunate opening 45 minutes.

He said: “[It was] one win based on a massive level of commitment and desire. At the end of the game the resilience of this group of players, they deserved to win in a very challenging game.”

He also recognised the importance of maintaining desire and mental fortitude, saying: “If we don’t fight a lot, giving our best, it’s impossible to achieve what you want to achieve.”

Although his side emerged victorious, Corberan freely admitted that it was not the most eye-catching win, but that being able to win in such fashion is incredibly important.

He said: “Sometimes you need to insist, insist, insist, and insist until you achieve what you want to achieve. We would like to be winning three or four nil in 10 minutes, but this is not football and this is not the Champions League. So you need to be ready to compete in the level of the Championship, [and meet] the demands of the Champions League.”