Cleverley vows to fix foundations after Devon derby defeat

Tom Cleverley has led Argyle to four wins and eight defeats in 13 League One matches

Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley says his side must work on their defensive foundations if they are to improve, after their Devon derby loss at Exeter City.

The Pilgrims were booed off by those Argyle fans who stayed until the end of the 2-0 loss at St James Park.

A disallowed goal in the opening minutes was the best chance Argyle had until a late shot by substitute Owen Dale, as Exeter dominated their first win over Plymouth in six years.

Cleverley, whose side remain in the relegation places, says until his team can be sound at the back they will not be able to be as creative going forward.

"I think we're not defensively stable enough to build anything from," he told BBC Sport.

"So when the opposition has to do very little to score, then that's a hard foundation for a football team to build from.

"The most successful teams I've ever played in build their confidence and their flair from knowing that everything is solid.

"So that's what we have to work on now - we're just giving ourselves no foundation to build in football matches, and creatively we weren't good enough today either, but my priority moving forward how to improve this team will be to make us more defensively solid."

Argyle's attacking threat has not been helped by injuries to high-profile summer signings Xavier Amaechi and Caleb Watts.

While striker Lorent Tolaj has impressed in recent weeks, he was limited to few chances at St James Park as Exeter impressively cut the supply to the Swiss striker.

Aside from the impressive 4-0 win at Burton Albion, Argyle have failed to score in two of their last five League One games, and scored once in the two others - with Tolaj getting four of those six goals.

"We haven't got the creativity at the minute to score three goals, so what we must do is not concede two," added Cleverley.

"That will be a heavy part of my work moving forward.

"I do feel like we have got players who can unlock defences, the problem is we don't do it consistently enough.

"We like to judge ourselves off the attacking output from Burton away, you must do that on a consistent basis to be a team with any substance.

"What I can do is be more consistent in how solid we are and that is a large emphasis going forward."