Argyle 'look like a team scared of losing' - Cleverley

Tom Cleverley has presided over three straight league defeats after joining Plymouth Argyle this summer

Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley says his side must build a better mentality after their 3-2 loss at Lincoln City.

The Pilgrims were poor for the opening 70 minutes and found themselves 3-0 down before Owen Oseni and Xavier Amaechi scored in quick succession late in the game.

It was a third successive league defeat to start the season for Argyle, who have conceded eight goals in those three games - the second highest in the division.

"I've been a player myself, it's fairly easy when the shackles are off at 3-0 down to start showing that you're a good player, so I expect more in the initial 70 minutes," Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon.

"We have to work on that mentality because you can tell we're a little bit fragile at the minute mentally, because we're just waiting for something to happen in the game to maybe spark us into life or waiting for the moment where we feel there's nothing to lose.

"You wait at any level of football, you'll give yourself a mountain to climb.

"We have to really try and build confidence, build mentality and try and shift that into one of a team who's trying to land the first blow to win games."

Despite looking good going forward, Cleverley's side have shown a defensive fragility since the season began.

Including the Pilgrims' 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Queens Park Rangers last week, Cleverley has seen his side concede 10 goals in his four games in charge.

The former Watford boss, who was appointed over the summer, has taken over an Argyle side which has seen a big churn in the squad following their relegation from the Championship last season.

But he says it is difficult to recreate the pressure that his side are under in a game on the training ground.

"It's really hard to recreate unless you train in front of 10,000 or 15,000 people because training grounds can lure you into a false sense of security where people are thinking 'this is nice, I can get on the ball, we can dominate possession' and there's no real consequence to giving the ball away or making a mistake.

"Then you put 10,000 or 15,000 people and points on the line and that mentality is tougher to keep, so that's what we need to work on.

"It's a difficult thing to sense. What I might need to start taking note of in my team selections are either experience or a fearlessness of youth, because right now we look like a team who is scared of losing."

Cleverley unhappy with Wiredu red card

Brendan Wiredu will miss Tuesday's game with Leyton Orient after being sent off on Saturday

Meanwhile Cleverley said he was unhappy with the second yellow card handed out to Brendan Wiredu against Lincoln.

Wiredu, who has had a tough start to his Argyle career after joining from Fleetwood Town in the summer, was sent off late on after being booked for simulation as he went down under a late challenge in the penalty area.

"He's had his toe clipped, he's stayed on his feet and then the one that's eventually brought him down, absolutely it's a penalty kick," he added.

"I know the referee came out and apologised for the mistake he made for Reading here at Lincoln, and I'd expect the referee would do the same for us."