'Flat' Plymouth display frustrates boss Cleverley

Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley says he is frustrated by his side's "flat" performance in their 1-0 loss to Burton Albion.

With Bradford City and Sheffield Wednesday not playing due to international call-ups, Argyle knew they would have gone top of League One with a win.

But they succumbed to a 70th-minute Jack Armer strike that ended a three-game winning run in the league.

"I can accept missed chances, I can accept balls given away, I can't accept the lack of intensity, especially not here, so it will be addressed," Cleverley told BBC Radio Devon.

"There's a group of players who've had a really good spell and deserve a chance to prove, or to react from this.

"But when we take our foot off the gas or we come off our intensity, then we're a lot less effective for sure."

Argyle slipped to fourth place after the loss, while Burton moved up to seventh as they won for the first time in four matches.

Cleverley felt Burton were the first side Plymouth have faced this season who have played with a mid to low block, something Argyle struggled to break down.

"They take a bit more time, a couple more touches, not as engaged mentally, and today I thought we were not focused enough, not concentrating enough away from the ball," he added.

"We were ball-watching a lot of times and the intensity is in your legs but it's more important to be intense in your mind and today we were not at our usual level.

"Maybe the lack of intensity in our play was because it's the first time we've had to try to break down a mid to low block and and they made it difficult for us."