"I think it's unfair" - Pundit delivers Wayne Rooney, Plymouth Argyle sack opinion | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer spoke exclusively to FLW about Wayne Rooney's future as Plymouth Argyle Head Coach

Pundit and former England international Carlton Palmer believes that Wayne Rooney shouldn't be under pressure at Plymouth Argyle despite their concerning drop-off in form as of late.

Plymouth took a gamble on appointing Rooney as Head Coach after narrowly surviving in the Championship last season, with Rooney's managerial stock having fallen following a brief and disastrous spell with Birmingham City.

Supporters, however, have largely got behind the former Manchester United star, who has endured a mixed start to life at Home Park.

After losing his first competitive game in charge 4-0 away at Sheffield Wednesday, Rooney had Plymouth in fair form as they claimed home victories over the likes of Sunderland, Luton Town and Blackburn.

However, Plymouth's form has recently taken a sharp turn in the wrong direction and they now find themselves in the relegation zone on goal difference, having lost three of their last four matches. They were put to the sword in a 5-0 demolition at the hands of Cardiff City last month, who had won just once in the league at the time and lost 3-0 away at Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, where they failed to register a single shot on goal.

With the goals drying up away from home and defensive frailties remaining a significant issue, Plymouth are in a precarious position at this moment in time, which won't be helped by the recently-confirmed absence of impressive winger Ibrahim Cissoko for the next couple of months through injury.

Carlton Palmer's Wayne Rooney, Plymouth Argyle verdict

Although there are undoubted question marks, Rooney currently doesn't appear to be under any pressure at Plymouth and Palmer believes it should remain that way.

"Plymouth Argyle have dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference, they've lost three of their last four games," Palmer exclusively told Football League World.

"It's a very difficult one. If Wayne Rooney keeps them in the division this season then they will have had a good season, it's tough for Plymouth.

"They're not able to push their way like other clubs are able to do in the Championship due to finances.

"The worrying thing for me is the amount of goals they're conceding. 25 goals conceded, that is not good. There's only one other team in the division who have conceded more than them, and that is Portsmouth who are bottom of the table on 26.

"That is something that Rooney has to address, important fixtures are coming up against Derby and Portsmouth. Obviously Portsmouth are bottom of the league, Derby are above mid-table and Paul Warne's squad have acquitted themselves very well in the Championship.

"Certainly the one that Rooney will need to get points out of is Portsmouth. I don't believe that Rooney should be under so much scrutiny whether he wins or loses. He should be judged at the end of the season, whether Plymouth are in the Championship - whoever was managing them this season would have a tough task to keep them in the division.

"So they were going to be down the bottom end of the table given their finances and I think it's unfair going from week to week, if they win, draw, or lose, to be saying 'should Rooney lose his job?'

"We're 13 games into the season. Like I've said before, let's see, let's develop, but certainly they need to stop conceding so many goals.

"If they carry on conceding the amount of goals that they're conceding - currently two a game - then they're going to get relegated. That has to be arrested."

Plymouth Argyle may have no other choice with Wayne Rooney depending on Portsmouth, Derby County

Palmer raises a strong argument about just how challenging the job of keeping Plymouth in the Championship is in the first place, and that's a strong reason as to why supporters have been patient with Rooney.

However, they're in a rut and desperately require remedy. Huge limitus tests are on the horizon against both Portsmouth and Derby - and Rooney will be judged more by losing them than he will be for losing at Leeds, for example.

Put simply, tomorrow's match against Pompey is a six-pointer and Rooney likely needs to come away from his former employers with a point come the weekend, too. Plymouth won't want to part ways with Rooney, but if he fails to get more points on the board from the upcoming double-header then they may have no other choice.