Lewis Gibson embarrassed Plymouth Argyle have conceded most Championship goals

Lewis Gibson has admitted that Plymouth Argyle having the worst defensive record in the Championship is 'not good enough and something that we will improve on'.

The Pilgrims have conceded 40 goals in 19 games this season, which has included heavy away defeats against Sheffield Wednesday (4-0), Cardiff (5-0), Norwich (6-1) and Bristol City (4-0). That is five more goals than Luton Town have let in, while Norwich and Portsmouth are both on 30.

When asked how that made him feel as a defender, Gibson said: "Embarrassed, not nice. It's difficult to take. A bit angry really.

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"It has been difficult moments, difficult times. We have played 19 games but the majority of them goals have come all at once. I think there was four games where we have conceded a ridiculous amount of goals, which should never happen.

"I don't want to say if you take out them games then it's a totally different picture. We have conceded too many in certain games which obviously leads to that. It's not good enough and something that we will improve on."

Argyle are on runs of one win from their last 10 matches as well as three successive defeats which have dropped them to 23rd position in the Championship, but the season has yet to reach the midway point.

Gibson said: "The games are coming thick and fast, especially over the Christmas period there is going to be loads. You are going to play four or five in a couple of weeks so the table changes quickly. You are hoping you do a back-to-back (of wins) and then suddenly the skies are a little bit bluer than they are now."

Argyle face a very difficult test away to Championship leaders Sheffield United on Saturday, whose former Pilgrims' goalkeeper Michael Cooper has not conceded a goal at Bramall Lane yet in eight successive wins.

Gibson said: "He's doing really well there but hopefully we can try to put a few past him because it has been a tough place to go." He then added: "It's good to see him doing well because he's a good guy.

"I don't think we are going to go there and sit back. I don't think that's the right way to go about it. I don't think that's what we want to do as a team, and I don't think that's what the fans want to see either.

"So I don't think we will go there and just try to sit there and hope to get a 0-0, or try to hold on as long as possible before the inevitable happens. I think there will be a positive outlook on the game."

Argyle have now had a few days with Mike Phelan, who was Sir Alex Ferguson's No 2 at Manchester United, as their new assistant head coach. His appointment was announced last Sunday after the departure of Pete Shuttleworth by mutual consent.

Asked about his early impressions of Phelan, Gibson said: "Very good. He has got massive experience, he has been around the United lot for however many years so I think it will only be a positive thing for us as players.

"He has tried to implement his way and his ideas quite early on but he has been here for two or three days so it's quite difficult to get straight down to it. He has been giving us all the information that he thinks is going to be helpful for us on Saturday."

Argyle's latest defeat was a 2-1 loss to Swansea City at Home Park on Tuesday night when Gibson was their captain in the continued absence of the injured Joe Edwards while Jordan Houghton was among the substitutes.

Gibson said: "It means a lot. Every time I wear the armband I wear it with pride. It's a nice thing for me to have a little bit more ownership of a leadership role, which I think I'm taking in my stride. It shouldn't change the way you prepare for games or the way you are before games whether you have got the armband or not."

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