Wayne Rooney’s troubled tenure at Plymouth Argyle has hit a new low, with Tuesday night’s 2-1 home defeat to Swansea City extending their dismal run to just one win in their last 10 matches.
The Manchester United legend’s side now sits second-bottom in the Championship following their third consecutive loss.
The defeat at Home Park prompted Rooney to demand his players “show more resilience”, as pressure continues to mount on the beleaguered manager.
A body language expert has likened Rooney’s current demeanour to that of a “broken” Pep Guardiola during Manchester City’s difficult moments.
Wayne Rooney and Pep Guardiola are ‘broken men’
Reuters/PA
Darren Stanton, speaking to OLBG, said: “Wayne Rooney’s body language is reminding me of Pep Guardiola after games against Tottenham and Liverpool.
“Pep was a broken man who had no clue what to do next and I’d definitely say the same applies to Rooney.”
The expert believes Rooney appears “lost” and uncertain about how to reverse Plymouth’s declining fortunes.
Analysing Rooney’s recent press conference, Stanton highlighted several concerning signs in the Plymouth manager’s body language.
“During the press conference, you could see he was hunched over with his arms interlocked.
“This shows he feels absolutely dejected, a bit lost and has no idea what to do next,” Stanton observed.
The expert noted physical manifestations of stress, saying: “His skin tone became quite red and he even began squirming.”
Pep Guardiola has come under pressure recently at Man City
Reuters
Stanton also identified what he termed “illustrators” that revealed Rooney was “pissed off at the situation and himself.”
According to Stanton, Rooney’s body language during questions about unavailable players revealed attempts to deflect responsibility.
“Rooney raises his eyebrows after being asked about players who are unavailable for selection,” said Stanton.
“We would call this a ‘leakage signal’ and you can actually tell that he is angry with the situation.”
Wayne Rooney is having a tough time in charge of Plymouth
PA
“I believe this shows that he is trying to attribute blame elsewhere and prove that Plymouth’s underwhelming form and defensive displays are not because of him,” the expert added.
Rooney’s task of steering Plymouth away from the relegation zone looks set to become even more challenging in the coming weeks.
The Pilgrims face a daunting schedule with upcoming matches against top-six sides Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.
With mounting pressure and what Stanton describes as a manager who is “lost and has no idea how to turn Plymouth Argyle’s fortunes around,” Rooney’s position appears increasingly precarious.
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