Plymouth Argyle: Defensive improvement called for by boss Steven Schumacher.

As Plymouth Argyle resumes play following the international break, manager Steven Schumacher is concentrating on defensive development.

After being promoted last season, Argyle is currently ranked 18th in the Championship.

They have been outscored by only four teams, but only four teams have also let up more goals than they have.

“We’ve created loads of chances, our attacking metrics are really high, so from that point of view we’ve been excellent,” he said on BBC Radio Devon.

“We’re at the bottom end of the division because defensively we probably haven’t been as solid as we would have liked.”

Argyle’s opening 11 games of the season has seen highs such as the 6-2 win over Norwich City and a 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers, as well as lows including a poor 4-1 loss at Bristol City and last-minute defeats by Birmingham City and Southampton.

“There are a few reasons behind that which we’ve spoken about with the players,” added Schumacher, whose side are at West Brom on Saturday.

“We all came together and said ‘we can do something about these areas’, and if we do get the defensive side of it better, and we continue to play as well as we have going forward, then we’ll be a decent team.”

Cooper plays for first time this season.

Meanwhile, highly-rated goalkeeper Michael Cooper has played a game for the first time since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament at Sheffield Wednesday in February.

The homegrown 24-year-old played in a behind-closed-doors match against Torquay United, having returned to training last month.

Schumacher said Cooper had done enough to be available for selection for Argyle and challenge Northern Ireland goalkeeper Conor Hazard.

The summer signing has been an ever-present for the Pilgrims in the league this season as Cooper rehabilitated.

“He’s at that stage now where he’s ticked that last box,” Schumacher said of Cooper.

“It was important for him to train from the last international break to this international break.

“He trained every day and we could see his performances in training improving every day.

“He was getting stronger, his reactions were better, and the game was the last box he needed to tick off, so he’s done that, and he’ll be available for selection.”