Plymouth Argyle

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Tom Cleverley is the "right person" to lead Plymouth Argyle, says the club's chief executive Paul Berne.

The Pilgrims dropped into the League One relegation zone on Tuesday after a 2-0 defeat to Mansfield, their third consecutive loss.

The former Manchester United and Everton midfielder was appointed in June on a three-year deal after the team were relegated from the Championship to the third tier.

"We are a quarter of the way into Tom's first season with us. Whilst results have been disappointing, nothing has changed in terms of Tom being the right person for this club," Berne said in a statement., external

"We need to bring that stability throughout the club and this comes from head coach downwards."

Plymouth have won four of 14 league games under Cleverley so far and the 36-year old said after defeat to the Stags he did not have "nine lives" and had to turn results around "really quickly".

Berne was appointed just over three weeks ago having been a director at the club since 2019.

He pointed to injuries in the first-team squad - against Mansfield, Plymouth could only put six substitutes on the bench - as a factor in the team's current form but said they were "not excuses".

"I feel that the club has been through an enormous period of instability, both on and off the pitch," Berne added.

"We have seen too many changes of personnel and this has made it difficult to find consistency in what we do.

"I believe strongly that we need to return to a state where we regain that consistency and therefore success. That will take time, but this is the right thing for our club and our future."

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Plymouth Argyle could be without five of the squad that lost to Exeter City last week for the trip to Mansfield on Tuesday night.

Argyle will be without suspended Matthew Sorinola and Alex Mitchell is absent on compassionate grounds.

Joe Edwards and Bradley Ibrahim face late fitness tests while Ayman Benarous will be missing for up to six weeks after sustaining what head coach Tom Cleverley described as a '"freak training injury" to his knee.

"It's an action that he would have done tens of thousands of times opening his knee out a little bit to receive the ball and something's clicked in there which has caused a little bit of ligament damage," Cleverley said.

"It's disappointing for him because after the last couple of performances and the way he's been training he would have featured a lot in a few games."

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Plymouth Argyle boss Tom Cleverley says his side have to be more defensively solid after their 2-1 loss at home to AFC Wimbledon.

The Pilgrims took an early lead through Lorent Tolaj, but goals either side of half-time saw the Dons leave Devon with three points.

It was the second successive game that Argyle have given up a lead at home after the 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic.

The defeat - Argyle's seventh in 12 League One games - sees the Pilgrims slip to one place above the relegation zone.

"We need to learn how to be able to keep clean sheets the dirty way," Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon.

"You look at the last two games, Wigan and Wimbledon, taking the lead in both games at home and even if you're not at your best, you should find a way.

"I don't feel like either team have opened us up, I don't think either team has done enough to score a combined three goals against, but we find ourselves losing a game.

"After the goal I expected us to kick on a lot more and we didn't, so we need to tap into the mentality of when you've got the foot on somebody's neck you need to go for the kill and we didn't do that well enough.

"We're a little bit too easy not to crack at the minute and we've suffered from it again."

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Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper Conor Hazard is relishing the chance to try and reach the World Cup with Northern Ireland.

The 27-year-old was part of the squad for their win over Slovakia and narrow loss to Germany over the past international break.

It leaves Northern Ireland knowing wins over Slovakia and Luxembourg next month would secure at least a play-off place for next year's tournament in the United States.

"We know we have a big opportunity coming up next month now," he told BBC Radio Devon.

"I think we need a win, and four points would be ideal to try and get ourselves secure.

"Going to the World Cup or a major tournament like that, not many people get to experience that, so I'm sure everyone's in the same boat where we'll be trying everything we can."

Hazard has returned to fitness after missing four months with a knee injury suffered while playing for his country against Denmark in June.

It was the goalkeeper's second major injury in two campaigns at Home Park, having missed three months last season after undergoing ankle surgery.

"I haven't been very lucky with the injury front, obviously two contact injuries which were unavoidable," he said.

"It was a tough time in my career trying to get back from that, especially after getting a good run of games.

"But I'm back fit and ready to go."

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Plymouth Argyle have added Mike Stowell to Tom Cleverley's coaching staff.

The former Leicester City caretaker manager has joined the Pilgrims as goalkeeper coach.

Stowell, 60, coached the Foxes' goalkeepers during their historic Premier League title-winning campaign in 2015-16 under Claudio Ranieri.

He also spent time at Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel and was most recently with Bristol City Women.

Plymouth are 18th in League One with 13 points from their opening 11 games.

"Mike impressed us all greatly with his knowledge and experience during the recruitment process," Cleverley told Argyle's website., external

"He is someone I know following my loan spell with Leicester City as a player, and he will add real expertise to my technical staff, both from a goalkeeping and wider coaching perspective.

"I was insistent in the summer on bringing the right players to Argyle, and it is no different with staff members. I am really pleased we have managed to bring a coach of Mike's calibre to the club."

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Plymouth Argyle manager Tom Cleverley says he was relieved to see Lorent Tolaj's 'Panenka' penalty go in during the 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic.

The 23-year-old Swiss striker dinked the ball into the net from 12 yards to give the Pilgrims a 1-0 lead at Home Park.

The risky manoeuvre with 20 minutes to go gave the summer signing his sixth goal in as many games for Argyle - to the delight of the home crowd - although Fraser Murray's equaliser meant the hosts had to share the points.

"He's got a great goalscoring record," Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon.

"I think that makes him unpredictable, certainly as a penalty taker.

"Would I have done that on the windiest day of the year? I'm not sure I would, but it was executed very well, I must say."