Wayne Rooney calls Plymouth Argyle defeat at Bristol City a 'big embarrassment'

Wayne Rooney criticised his Plymouth Argyle players for 'a real lack of character and lack of fight' after conceding the opening goal in their 4-0 defeat away to Bristol City.

Goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw made a number of good saves to keep out the Robins until the 58th minute of the Championship match when Scott Twine broke the deadlock and the floodgates opened. Anis Mehmeti went on to score twice before substitute Sinclaiir Armstrong struck in the 90th minute to complete the rout.

Rooney has seen his side concede 10 goals in the last two away league games, with the loss to Bristol City following the 6-1 midweek mauling at Norwich City, and he called it 'the toughest week' of his management career.

READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle player ratings as Bristol City heap more misery on them

READ MORE: Plymouth Argyle suffer yet another heavy away defeat against Bristol City

The Pilgrims' boss made six changes to his starting line-up against Bristol City but after putting up some resistance in the first half they were overwhelmed in the second period, with the anger and frustration of the 3,000-strong travelling Green Army obvious at times.

Rooney said: "My reflections from the game at the end is big embarrassment in being honest. I know the support the fans have given us. They have come here in numbers, it was the same on Tuesday and the same today. It was very difficult walking over (after the game) to show our appreciation to the fans and not feel embarrassed.

"I made the changes to try to keep us in the game and not concede. I felt we did okay with that first half. Second half I could feel Bristol were coming at us a little bit more and I was trying to get Andre (Gray) and Michael (Obafemi) onto the pitch to help us from a different tactical point of view and then, obviously, we concede the first goal.

"From there the players collapsed. Again, this is not something I haven't told the players. They completely collapsed. It was the same at Norwich away, it was the same at Leeds away.

"When you want to have a career in football you need to dig deep at times, and dig deep within yourself. It's something I have done many times as a player, and I feel the players showed a real lack of character and lack of fight after we conceded the first goal, and that is very disappointing."

Rooney continued: "Of course, we have got injuries and that's certainly not me making excuses but those players who have come in have all had the game time. I have tried different ways, different systems. I have gone at them, I have tried to encourage them. I have tried to find the right balance between both.

"Up to now, away from home, nothing is getting through to them. I think the biggest thing is when we concede a goal it looks like the game is over and you are looking at hopefully keeping it down to one goal, which is not a good place to be.

"I'm talking a lot on the players and I never like doing that but I think it is at a point now where the players need to understand that they need to give more and show more character, more fight, more desire. I have simplified the game as much as I can today for them, to not over complicate things.

"Ultimately, it's my responsibility. I take full responsibility for the result. I pick the team, pick the tactics in which we go out into the game, but I think the players are at a stage now where they need to hear it not just in the dressing room but hear from it from outside as well that they have to show more.

"We have got a duty to this football club to show a pride, a respect, a passion, a fight for this club and the last two games I feel that hasn't been there."

You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE