A story of three breaks: What Rooney does next

Read to the end for a generational Argyle tweet

What a difference an international break makes. As the players took a rest for the round of international fixtures, I waxed lyrical here about how Argyle had all the ingredients for success they needed — and wondered how far they could go.

We then published a statistical overview of the evolving features of Rooney-ball and how Argyle were changing in terms of style and performance. Hours later, we were thrashed by a hungry Cardiff team — and one that had worked out our significant weaknesses.

Now it looks so different. Fragile confidence has been smashed, an injury crisis, and dismal performances that have looked Fosterian in their stodginess. Sitting down to watch these last few games has required mental fortitude and in the case of Leeds, mind-bending drugs.

I finished my overtly positive newsletter with the words “if we can keep players fit.” Almost immediately, a generational injury crisis exposed this squad’s soft underbelly, and while we have a good XI of Championship quality, we are now very light.

A story of three breaks

We’re heading for another international break, which means that the season so far can be broken down into three chunks. And there’s a story to each:

Part 1: Blooding in

The first section of the season was difficult. New players off the pace, and a new manager and style. It took time for Argyle to find their way of playing, but slowly, improved performances saw Rooney steady the ship.

Part 2: The surprise package

Adaptations made over the break led to some excellent performances. Aided and abetted by playing good teams who felt they could roll us over. Sunderland, Luton, and Blackburn were dispatched at home by an Argyle that played — and were allowed to play — free-flowing, attacking Wazball. But there was a storm brewing.

Part 3: Found out

The next opponents are key to what’s happened this break. Cardiff, Millwall, and Preston are all experienced Championship sides that did their homework on us. Unlike Sunderland, Burnley, and Blackburn, they were willing to adapt their play to stop us.

It’s clear that while Rooney got us playing an increasingly possession-based system and playing out from the back, we are one-dimensional. With only a handful of rotations to get the ball out from the back, Adam Randell and our midfielders have found themselves in a war zone of bodies, with Portsmouth employing a 4-1-3-2 to pack the midfield.

Each team has employed a strategy to smother the middle, and we have been unable to respond. It’s worrying to me that after Millwall, if not Cardiff, we haven’t worked out a way to play out of this style of smothering press.

Jordan Houghton alluded to this post-Portsmouth and said that the players couldn’t find a way around the press until halftime. What followed was a long-ball strategy that saw Obafemi and Wright hassle the backline with launches from deep.

It was effective, if brutal. I’m still not sure why we don’t take the option to play wider with overlapping fullbacks. In the Preston and Portsmouth games, we seemed to routinely ignore the option to find width and allowed dangerous turnovers by battering our way through the middle until Rooney signaled to go direct. Both times, that strategy was highly effective, once we’d endured long periods of turgid football.

The away day curse

The next factor is the away day curse. The numbers are stark, and it’s insane we’ve only managed to score one away goal all season and turned in horrific performances at Wednesday, Cardiff, and Leeds.

The Derby game this Saturday is massive. But for me, it’s about how Rooney sets us up.

It cannot be refuted that the current strategy is not working away from home. Carrying on regardless is unlikely to suddenly render a meaningful change.

Rooney said himself that Derby are a team that likes to press high, and they will undoubtedly set themselves up to smother our play.

But will we pre-empt that? Will we go direct from the start? Will we change our style and play with width? Will we throw out what seems to be a broken system (away from home) and go with a 3-4-3? Will we change anything at all?

Rooney has shown a willingness to adapt in the past, but not in the last few games. But I’m personally looking for answers to the questions posed in the past four games – how can we overcome teams pressing us high? Can we adapt in-game?

All eyes are on Pride Park.

Finally, let’s all appreciate this Argyle Memes tweet…