Wayne Rooney looking for Plymouth Argyle answers after Norwich City drubbing

Wayne Rooney admitted 'It can't carry on this way' as Plymouth Argyle's away-day woes in the Championship this season hit a new low with a 6-1 defeat by Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The Pilgrims lost 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday in Rooney's first match as head coach in August, and slumped to a 5-0 defeat by Cardiff City in October, so the demolition by Norwich, who had been winless in seven league games, certainly could not be considered a one-off.

The frustration of Rooney was evident as he declared after the match: "I could probably put the under-18 team out there tonight and they wouldn't concede six goals."

Borja Sainz, the Championship's top scorer, completed his second hat-trick of the season for Norwich, with his first goal coming in only the third minute, and the Canaries went on to create a string of chances as Argyle made mistake after mistake.

When Sainz struck again in the 17th minute it looked like a heavy defeat was on the cards for the Pilgrims but they were able to get a foothold in the game when Mustapha Bundu netted towards the end of first half.

However, Norwich went 3-1 up early in the second period with a simple Shane Duffy header from a corner and Rooney thought his side 'went under a little bit' after that. City added further goals from Sainz, Anis Slimane and Ante Crnac, and they could have had more.

Rooney said: "I don't know where to start really. I spoke to the players before the game about over the last few weeks conceding early goals, so it obviously starts there, conceding in the first few minutes.

"I thought throughout the 90 minutes we were nowhere near good enough, giving the ball away too easily, weren't aggressive enough, weren't winning duels, weren't winning tackles and it was too easy for Norwich to create chances against us. That was the theme throughout the whole game, to be honest.

"We were very fortunate to go in at 2-1 and then you hope you get a reaction coming out for the second half to try to get something out of the game. Once they scored the third goal I think we went under a little bit, and that's very disappointing for us."

Argyle have now conceded 23 goals in only nine away Championship matches this season, losing seven of them and drawing the other two, and scored just three times.

Rooney said: "It's not nice when you lose any game, whether that's by one goal or by the goals we have let in tonight. That can't keep happening. I think the Sheffield Wednesday game and the Cardiff game to a certain extent was a big surprise for me.

"If it happens for the third time then it's something I really need to address. Of course, we have got a lot of injuries to key players and that's not an excuse, but if players want to come in the team and stay in the team they need to perform better than that.

"I could probably put the under-18 team out there tonight and they wouldn't concede six goals so I'm very disappointed, angry, frustrated. The next 24-48 hours are not going to be nice for the players but I think we need to really get to the bottom of why this is happening."

Rooney continued: "I don't question the players' attitude at all but I think what you need to understand and realise as a player, we know coming here we are going to have tough moments and you have to dig in, you have to communicate.

"If one of your team-mates is having a bad game you have to help him out and dig him out of it. That's football. That's how you progress as a team.

"When it went to 3-1 I didn't feel we were ever going to get back in the game, and it looked like the players felt that on the pitch, that they didn't believe they could get back in the game.

"I have praised the players a lot this season because a lot of the performances, obviously most of them at home, have been very good, but we need to quickly figure out the away form. It can't carry on this way.

"We know it's difficult in this league for teams to win away from home but we have to be a lot better than we were tonight. I feel for the fans who came here because I know the distance they have travelled to get behind the players.

"I know for any fan, when you see your team put in that performance and get that result you are not going to be pleased about it. I'm trying to get to the bottom of why every now and again we are having these results and hopefully I can do that sooner rather than later."

On what his message had been for his team at the break, Rooney said: "I reminded the players about their responsibilities to play for the football club. I wasn't pleased at all with the first half.

"I really wanted a reaction and we actually started the second half okay in fairness, but as soon as the third goal went in it looked like the game was done." He added: "I'm a proud person and when you are stood there and your team has been well beaten the way we were tonight then it's not easy."

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