Wayne Rooney could look to sort striker issue at Plymouth Argyle in January | OneFootball

With Plymouth struggling for goals, manager Wayne Rooney may be forced to sign a new striker in January if he cannot identify a preferred number 9.

Plymouth Argyle have endured an up-and-down season under Wayne Rooney so far, with a lack of wins meaning that they are struggling to push themselves up the Championship table.

Despite a miniature revival of sorts, the club have slipped back into poor form, with only one win from their last seven Championship matches. A struggle for a regular supply goals and difficulty identifying a preferred starting striker may push Rooney to make a new addition to the squad in January.

With the Pilgrims having bagged only 17 times in 16 league games, it is safe to say scoring has not been their strong suit this term.

Andre Gray, Michael Obafemi and Ryan Hardie have all been deployed in the number 9 role in varying capacitites, but Rooney does not seem certain of any of them - although Gray certainly staked his claim with a brace against Watford on Friday night.

And with the January transfer window looming, there is an argument that signing a new forward could be the Plymouth manager's top priority.

Plymouth Argyle have used multiple strikers this season

Rooney's main issue on the attacking front this season has been attempting to find a first-choice striker. Hardie, Obafemi and Gray have all been utilised as a lone striker at some point, but none of them have managed to nail down the position.

As the statistics demonstrate, not only have all three strikers only contributed to just six goals between themselves, but they have also been incredibly underwhelming in terms of their xG output and xGOT per match.

3.56 expected goals (xG) amassed across the entire season so far for the three forwards combined is hardly going to set the league alight when players like West Brom's Josh Maja have accrued 8.2 xG on their own.

The spread of appearances across all three players is also another demonstration that Rooney is not certain as to who his best striker option is. Plymouth play a 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning there is only room for one number 9, although against Watford, a 3-4-2-1 system was utilised as Obafemi and Morgan Whittaker played behind and wide of Gray.

With 16 games played, Gray, Hardie and Obafemi have shared the minutes up top, with not one of them able to cement themself as Rooney's top choice just yet.

With January right around the corner and Plymouth still looking unconvincing, it may be likely that Rooney dips into the transfer market to secure a recognised starting forward.

Plymouth Argyle have struggled to create this season in general

Regardless of Rooney's striker worries, a more concerning trend has been Plymouth's difficulties with chance creation. The Pilgrims have registered a meagre total of 11.8 xG this season, which is the worst in the league.

While signing a better striker to convert opportunities should be at the forefront of Rooney's mind, a potentially more pressing matter is their lack of a creative midfielder.

Attacking midfielders Rami Al Hajj and Callum Wright are both yet to register an assist, and Plymouth are also bottom of the big chances created chart, with a measly 13.

It is all well and good replacing Rooney's current options with a new striker, but if they are never found by the players behind them, then the end result will continue to disappoint.

Wide man Morgan Whittaker has been the main outlets for the Pilgrims this season, but even he has found it hard to generate chances, registering merely 0.07 Expected Assists per 90 minutes.

A move for Ipswich Town man Ali Al-Hamadi could strengthen Plymouth Argyle attack

With Plymouth's goal-scoring problems continuing to mount, it is only a matter of time before a solution needs to be found. A potential answer to their issues could be a loan move for Ipswich Town's Ali Al-Hamadi.

The Iraqi international has had limited chances since moving to Portman Road from AFC Wimbledon, but his quality up top is undeniable.

With 27 goals in 48 appearances for the Wombles, followed by a further four in 14 for Ipswich last term, the 22-year-old is already a proven bagsman.

He is failing to secure playing time in the Premier League with Ipswich, and a move away would facilitate a continuation of his development.

Whether Al-Hamadi is Plymouth's perfect answer is another question, but something has to change in Rooney's attacking lineup, as his side simply do not create enough chances.

Potentially, a January loan move could add an extra dimension going forward and enhance the club's offensive quality.