Plymouth Argyle trounced by Cardiff City after dreadful display

Wayne Rooney's Pilgrims were beaten 5-0 on their return to Championship action after the latest international break and also had Ibrahim Cissoko sent-off

Plymouth Argyle were totally outclassed and outfought as they slumped to an embarrassing 5-0 Championship defeat away to bottom-of-the-table Cardiff City.

After recent deserved plaudits for Wayne Rooney’s Pilgrims, this was a simply unacceptable performance from them, even allowing for the fact that Ibrahim Cissoko was sent-off late in the first half when they were already 2-0 behind.

It was no wonder that many of the 3,200-strong travelling Green Army had left the Cardiff City Stadium long before the final whistle, so dreadful was what they had to witness.

Cardiff led through goals from Alex Robertson and the outstanding Ruben Colwill before Cissoko received a straight red card from referee Andrew Kitchen in the 41st minute.

Cissoko was tripped from behind when on a break and as he landed on the ground the ball was hit against him by Perry Ng. The Dutch under-21 international winger reacted by pushing over the Cardiff right-back and a red card was the only possible outcome.

Anwar El Ghazi made it 3-0 to the Bluebirds early in the second period and further goals followed from Callum Robinson and substitute Chris Willock. In truth, there could have been more.

Cissoko will now face a three-match suspension while Argyle, winless in all five of their away games in the Championship this term, face a trip to south London to play Millwall on Wednesday night.

Argyle’s starting line-up against Cardiff was the same as from their 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers at Home Park last time out.

On-loan Burnley striker Michael Obafemi continued to lead the attack after scoring his first goal for the Pilgrims in the victory over Blackburn, with Ryan Hardie and recent free agent signing Andre Gray both on the bench.

The quartet behind Obafemi were former Swansea City player Morgan Whittaker, Darko Gyabi, Rami Al Hajj and Cissoko, with Adam Randell in the deep midfield role.

Captain Joe Edwards and Bali Mumba were the two full-backs with Lewis Gibson and Kornel Szucs, fresh from making his senior international debut for Hungary in a UEFA Nations League tie away to Bosnia-Herzegovina at the start of the week, in the centre of defence.

Goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw started his sixth consecutive Championship match for Argyle after taking over from the injured Conor Hazard last month.

Wales under-19 international Freddie Issaka was among the Argyle substitutes at the Cardiff City Stadium, with midfielder Adam Forshaw returning to duty after a hamstring issue.

Rooney served a one-match touchline ban after his red card against Blackburn so he watched from the stand behind the dug-outs but he was in constant communication with assistant head coach Pete Shuttleworth.

Cardiff forced an early corner after a low cross from Ollie Tanner was put behind by Szucs. From it there was a goalmouth scramble as Argyle struggled to clear the ball before they were awarded a free-kick after a push on Gyabi,

There was a great chance for Argyle to take the lead in the 10th minute when the Cardiff defence was carved open by precise passes from Al Hajj and Whittaker but Obafemi shot just wide of the far post as keeper Jak Alnwick rushed out and spread himself as large as possible.

Szucs then made an important block for the Pilgrims when Coilwill threaded the ball through for El Ghazi and he got in an immediate attempt on goal.

However, City did take the lead in the 16th minute when Colwill played the ball inside to Robertson, who was unmarked around 20 yards out and sent a curling shot into the far corner of the net beyond the reach of Grimshaw as he dived to his right.

The Argyle ‘keeper had to make a good save soon afterwards when Tanner surged forward and his powerful drive was beaten away by Grimshaw before Colwill, who was pulling all the strings for City in a number 10 role, fired wide from distance.

Cardiff then extended their lead in the 23rd minute. A cross from the left was headed away by Szucs but not very far from goal and Colwill took a touch before cutting inside Randell and shooting into the net, giving Grimshaw no chance.

Argyle were finding it really difficult to contain Cardiff and from a cross by Calum Chambers a header was sent high over the bar Dimitrios Goutas as the Bluebirds went in search of a third goal.

City striker Callum Robinson had a shot blocked behind for a corner off Szucs before Argyle had their first attempt on target when Al Hajj curled the ball straight at Alnwick from the edge of the box.

Argyle’s miserable first half got even worse in the 41st minute when Cissoko was shown a straight red card by referee Andrew Kitchen.

Cissoko was tripped from behind by Tanner and when he fell to the ground the ball was hit against him by City right-back Perry Ng.

The Dutch under-21 international responded by leaping to his feet and pushing over Ng, which left the referee with no other option but to send him off.

A furious Cissoko was eventually led away by Argyle coach Simon Ireland and will now be suspended for three matches, away to Millwall, at home to Preston North End and finally the trip to Leeds United on November 2.

Grimshaw saved an added time free-kick from Colwill, pushing away his strike, before a torrid first half for Argyle came to an end.

Rooney sent on Jordan Houghton as a substitute for Al Hajj after the restart to try to give Argyle some extra midfield solidity and there was an early opportunity for the visitors to reduce their deficit but Gibson, who had gone up for a free-kick, blasted a shot over the bar from 12 yards out.

It then got even worse for Argyle in the 51st minute when they fell 3-0 behind. Colwill ran in behind Gyabi and his low cross to the far post picked out El Ghazi for a simple tap-in.

Colwill continued to torment Argyle with his ability to run at them with the ball, while one clever flick from him set up Ng for a shot which was comfortably saved by Grimshaw, who also had to beat away a fierce strike from Tanner not long afterwards.

City midfielder David Turnbull then sent a shot narrowly wide of Grimshaw’s left post before a 62nd minute double Argyle substitution saw Hardie and Issaka sent on for Obafemi and Gyabi.

There must have been a sense of relief among the Pilgrims’ players when Colwill was taken off, along with Turnbull, in the 66th minute as Chris Willock and Andy Rinomhota were sent on.

A further Argyle double change followed in the 72nd minute as Randell and Whittaker made way for Forshaw and Callum Wright respectively. Whittaker, so often the Pilgrims’ talisman, had been kept extremely quiet by Cardiff.

However, City piled the misery on Argyle with a fourth goal in the 75th minute as Robinson ran into their penalty area unchallenged and sent a low shot past Grimshaw to make it 4-0.

Cardiff soon grabbed a fifth goal following a corner when the ball dropped to Willock just outside the penalty area and his shot bounced down into the ground and up into the net.

Robinson then almost came up with yet another goal for Cardiff but his right-footed shot, destined for the top corner, was flicked over the bar by Grimshaw.

Edwards was booked for a foul on Robinson before Cardiff substitute Wilfried Kanga wasted a tremendous chance to make it 6-0 by rifling a shot high over the bar from close range.

Finally, after four minutes of added time, Kitchen blew the final whistle to end the agony for Argyle’s players and supporters.

ARGYLE: Dan Grimshaw; Joe Edwards, Kornel Szucs, Lewis Gibson, Bali Mumba; Adam Randell (Adam Forshaw 72 mins); Morgan Whittaker (Callum Wright 72 mins), Darko Gyabi (Freddie Issaka 62 mins), Rami Al Hajj (Jordan Houghton h/t), Ibrahim Cissoko; Michael Obafemi (Ryan Hardie 62 mins).

Substitutes: Marko Marosi, Nathanael Ogbeta, Andre Gray, Victor Palsson.

CARDIFF: Jak Alnwick; Perry Ng, Callum Chambers, Dimitrios Goutas, Callum O’Dowda (Joel Bagan 76 mins); David Turnbull (Andy Rinomhota 66 mins), Alex Robertson; Ollie Tanner (Yakou Meite 72 mins), Rubin Colwill (Chris Willock 66 mins), Anwar El Ghazi (Wilfried Kanga 76 mins); Callum Robinson.

Substitutes: Ethan Horvath, Will Fish, Jesper Daland, Jamilu Collins.

REFEREE: Andrew Kitchen

ATTENDANCE: 20,634

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