Rochdale make the short trip to Fleetwood’s Highbury stadium on Saturday with a fully fit and refreshed squad after not having a midweek game for the first time this season.
On the back of last week’s impressive 3-0 victory over manager Keith Hill’s former side Barnsley, the Rochdale gaffer welcomed a full week’s preparation for the trip to the West coast.
“I’m pleased that we’ve got a free week,” he said.
“People will suggest that you can lose your rhythm not playing mid-week – I don’t agree.
“I think we can maintain our rhythm on the training pitch.”
Hill’s young Dale side have certainly wasted no time in finding their rhythm at the start of the campaign, with three wins from their opening five league games leaving them sitting pretty in sixth place.
The international break could also work in Rochdale’s favour, as Graham Alexander’s Fleetwood side are without Conor McLaughlin and Declan McManus, who are on international duty with Northern Ireland and Scotland respectively.
The home side will also be without club stalwart Nathan Pond (ankle) while Eggert Jonsson is also a doubt, whilst Dale have a clean bill of health heading into Saturday’s 3pm clash.
The men from Spotlands’ strong start to the season has been built on strong foundations at the back – their miserly defence has conceded just two league goals, with four clean sheets in their last five games.
As a result summer recruit Jim McNulty was shortlisted for the League One player of the month award for August, although Coventry striker Adam Armstrong beat the defender to the accolade.
Hill was full of praise for his side’s demolition of Barnsley last time out, saying: “We were absolutely superb from start to finish.
“I don’t think there’s any real need to dissect that game – I thought we were as close as you can get to a perfect performance, so I’m pleased.”
If Dale are to avenge last season’s 1-0 defeat at Highbury they will need to serve up another near perfect performance against a Fleetwood side who look set to compete in the higher echelons of the division this season.
Image courtesy of Rochdale via YouTube, with thanks.
