ARGYLE'S HUGE TEST

ELEVEN GAMES IN 44 DAYS LIE IN WAIT FOR ROONEY'S MEN

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

WAYNE Rooney believes it is important his Plymouth Argyle players take a rest before a 'brutal' period of Championship action.

It is now the third international break of the season and while five of Rooney's squad are away representing their countries most of them have been given some time off. That is ahead of a run of 11 Championship games in 44 days, starting with the Sky-televised game against Watford at Home Park on Friday, November 22.

Argyle, winless on their travels this term, will have away matches against Norwich City, Bristol City, Sheffield United, Coventry City, Oxford United and Stoke City during that time.

The Pilgrims picked up just five points from six games in between the end of the second international break of the season and the start of the third. They lost three out of four, including a one-sided 3-0 defeat at Leeds United, before beating Portsmouth 1-0 at home and then drawing 1-1 away to Derby County on Saturday.

Rooney said: "Of course, Leeds was a very difficult game for us but getting a win against Portsmouth and then a point away from home against a good team was really important for us to go into the international break with a little bit of momentum.