‘Lot to give’ – Frank Lampard defends Wayne Rooney as Plymouth set unwanted 20-year record
Frank Lampard expressed his sympathy for Wayne Rooney to talkSPORT after Coventry City thrashed Plymouth Argyle 4-0. Chelsea icon Lampard enjoyed the biggest win of his Sky Blues tenure at the expense of his former England teammate on Boxing Day. Lampard’s Coventry City thrashed Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle 4-0Getty Days after Coventry were thrashed 4-1 by Portsmouth, the club dished out the same punishment by putting four past Plymouth. Just six games into his stint with the Championship outfit, Lampard piled the pressure on Rooney with a convincing victory on Thursday. It was a result that kept Plymouth at the root of the table and meant their away form is now the worst in the English Football League. Argyle have taken just two points from 12 games – scoring three goals and conceding 33 – which is the worst out of all 72 clubs in the EFL. No team in Championship history has shipped more goals after 22 games of a season than Plymouth’s 49 – which is also 10 more than any of their current rivals. It has broken Rotherham’s previous record of 48 by the same stage in their dismal 2016/17 season in which they were relegated and Argyle’s rate of 2.23 per game has the club on track to let in triple digits. However, Lampard, who played 70 games with Rooney together as England internationals, was keen to defend his old pal from criticism. “I know the challenges of each job and you only know when you’re in it,” Lampard told talkSPORT post-match. “Wayne obviously has his career behind him and now his management career as well, which he’s gone straight into. There will be challenges for him there. “It’s not for me to comment on that, I’m very happy with us today. I always wish Wayne well because he’s a proper football person. Rotherham only had 10 points by this stage but conceded less than Plymouth “Again, there’s challenges so people have to understand he’s working. I hope to see him do well because he’s a young English manager with a lot to give and that continues to be the case.” Lampard also confirmed that Rooney had been offered a drink together after their first managerial meeting of their careers. When asked by talkSPORT if there will be a post-match catch-up between the two, Lampard added: “The offer’s always there for any manager to come in and have a chat between staff, so that’s certainly there. “That’s his call. I said it to him before the game when we spoke so hopefully I’ll see him.” Argyle are now two points from safety at the bottom of the Championship with five defeats and a draw in their last six games. Their Boxing Day mauling was the fifth time the Pilgrims had shipped four or more goals in a Championship away game this season. Rooney’s Plymouth have won just five of their 22 league matches this seasonGetty Lampard showed sympathy for Rooney afterwards TalkSPORT’s Geoff Peters – who was at the CBS Arena – revealed there were chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” aimed at Rooney during the match. Argyle’s 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough is the only point the club have won in more than a month and they are without a victory in nine. Yet the club are only three points adrift of Oxford United in safety and face their fellow strugglers in a crucial six-point relegation showdown on Sunday – albeit away from home. Rooney came out fighting by saying he still feels that he is the right man to lead Argyle as the pressure continues to mount over his job. “Extremely [difficult day at the office],” Rooney told talkSPORT post-match. “The first four or five minutes there was nowhere near good enough. The goals they score is what we identified, really how Coventry score goals and where their threats come from. “I think from a defensive point of view, especially in wide areas, in full-back areas, we weren’t switched on quick enough.” Rooney added: “We’re two teams, basically. One team at home, one team away, and we’re trying everything to try and fix that, whether that’s a psychology situation, we’ve tried absolutely everything to try and fix that. It’s a concern, of course.” When asked if he has any concerns about his own position, Rooney responded: “It’s football, life. “As a manager, you need to get results and win games, so I know that, I’m not stupid from that point of view. So, yes, we have to dig in and find a way.”
Frank Lampard expressed his sympathy for Wayne Rooney to talkSPORT after Coventry City thrashed Plymouth Argyle 4-0.
Chelsea icon Lampard enjoyed the biggest win of his Sky Blues tenure at the expense of his former England teammate on Boxing Day.
Days after Coventry were thrashed 4-1 by Portsmouth, the club dished out the same punishment by putting four past Plymouth.
Just six games into his stint with the Championship outfit, Lampard piled the pressure on Rooney with a convincing victory on Thursday.
It was a result that kept Plymouth at the root of the table and meant their away form is now the worst in the English Football League.
Argyle have taken just two points from 12 games – scoring three goals and conceding 33 – which is the worst out of all 72 clubs in the EFL.
No team in Championship history has shipped more goals after 22 games of a season than Plymouth’s 49 – which is also 10 more than any of their current rivals.
It has broken Rotherham’s previous record of 48 by the same stage in their dismal 2016/17 season in which they were relegated and Argyle’s rate of 2.23 per game has the club on track to let in triple digits.
However, Lampard, who played 70 games with Rooney together as England internationals, was keen to defend his old pal from criticism.
“I know the challenges of each job and you only know when you’re in it,” Lampard told talkSPORT post-match.
“Wayne obviously has his career behind him and now his management career as well, which he’s gone straight into. There will be challenges for him there.
“It’s not for me to comment on that, I’m very happy with us today. I always wish Wayne well because he’s a proper football person.
“Again, there’s challenges so people have to understand he’s working. I hope to see him do well because he’s a young English manager with a lot to give and that continues to be the case.”
Lampard also confirmed that Rooney had been offered a drink together after their first managerial meeting of their careers.
When asked by talkSPORT if there will be a post-match catch-up between the two, Lampard added: “The offer’s always there for any manager to come in and have a chat between staff, so that’s certainly there.
“That’s his call. I said it to him before the game when we spoke so hopefully I’ll see him.”
Argyle are now two points from safety at the bottom of the Championship with five defeats and a draw in their last six games.
Their Boxing Day mauling was the fifth time the Pilgrims had shipped four or more goals in a Championship away game this season.
TalkSPORT’s Geoff Peters – who was at the CBS Arena – revealed there were chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” aimed at Rooney during the match.
Argyle’s 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough is the only point the club have won in more than a month and they are without a victory in nine.
Yet the club are only three points adrift of Oxford United in safety and face their fellow strugglers in a crucial six-point relegation showdown on Sunday – albeit away from home.
Rooney came out fighting by saying he still feels that he is the right man to lead Argyle as the pressure continues to mount over his job.
“Extremely [difficult day at the office],” Rooney told talkSPORT post-match.
“The first four or five minutes there was nowhere near good enough. The goals they score is what we identified, really how Coventry score goals and where their threats come from.
“I think from a defensive point of view, especially in wide areas, in full-back areas, we weren’t switched on quick enough.”
Rooney added: “We’re two teams, basically. One team at home, one team away, and we’re trying everything to try and fix that, whether that’s a psychology situation, we’ve tried absolutely everything to try and fix that. It’s a concern, of course.”
When asked if he has any concerns about his own position, Rooney responded: “It’s football, life.
“As a manager, you need to get results and win games, so I know that, I’m not stupid from that point of view. So, yes, we have to dig in and find a way.”
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