Tom Cleverley vows to work harder than ever to turn Plymouth Argyle around

Tom Cleverley is ready to adapt Plymouth Argyle's style of play as they continue to struggle for form, consistency and confidence in League One.

The Pilgrims' boss will look to add a defensive solidity to his team, who suffered a morale-sapping 2-0 Devon derby defeat against Exeter City at St James Park on Thursday night.

It was a result which left Argyle in the bottom four of the table and even though that is after only 13 of 46 league games it is still an uncomfortable position for them to be in after dropping out of the Championship last term.

Cleverley said: It's something that seems pretty consistent over all the relegated clubs this season, barring Cardiff, and I'm talking Championship, League One, League Two.

"A lot of relegated clubs are struggling, whether that's having to do a brand new turnover of squad, whether that's hangover. We don't take comfort in that, that there's others suffering from it. We need to get to the bottom of it.

"I never thought it was going to be easy with a club who is going through so much change, but mentally and character-wise I'm made for these tough situations and I'm ready to work harder than ever to get it right."

Asked what style of play he wanted to see from Argyle, Cleverley said: "You would like a bit more character with the football, but the style of play you need to adapt when confidence levels are low, so that is exactly what I will do.

"Everyone wants to think of this nice brand of football, and that's what will get everyone to higher levels, but Burnley got promoted (to the Premier League) from having a solid style of play.

"Now, for me, I see us as one of the best pressing teams in the division but if you are going to press at the top end you have to be solid on the bottom end and right now we are not.

"I have not got the luxury of a Bolton that has four top class wingers so when my best winger (Xavier Amaechi) gets injured I have to change my style of play to maybe be more gritty, less creative

"I'm sorry that's not a very sexy answer. For me, we have got one of the best strikers in the league (Lorent Tolaj). For me, we have got one of the most promising young midfielders in the league (Bradley Ibrahim).

"Certainly with Bali (Mumba) and Matty Sorinola I feel like we have got some creative wing-backs, but the priority is a solidity because that can also be a style of play that gives us some more consistency at the minute.

Argyle had seemed to be on the up after winning back-to-back away wins against Luton Town and Burton Albion, but have picked up just a point from their last three games, with the defeat by Exeter a very painful one.

Cleverley said: "There was nothing to cling onto in that performance. In every phase not good enough apart from a 10-minute spell before half-time.

"It will be a very thorough analysis of the game to ensure we improve. We looked like we turned the corner after Burton and the three performances after that have been very, very sub-standard."

Sorinola received a fifth League One yellow card of the season in the second half against Exeter and will therefore be suspended for the rearranged game away to Mansfield Town next Tuesday (August 28). It was originally scheduled for October 11 but was postponed due to a trio of Pilgrims' players getting international call-ups.

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