It's a first ever competitive meeting with Fleetwood Town for QPR in this weekend's FA Cup, and according to @CodsChat and @FTFCKnappers we find a team that is drawing its way to steady improvement after last season's near miss with relegation from League One.
How's the season gone so far for Fleetwood?
Knappers: The season so far has been up and down. We’ve had a lot of draws which gives the feeling we aren’t good enough to challenge the top ten of League One, but good enough to stay up and get to the 50 point marker. It’s a improvement on last season when we only collected 40 points and stayed up on the last day, winning only one of our last 20 matches.
CC: It’s been a real mixed bag. After surviving relegation last season on goal difference we made some key investments throughout the squad and seem to have steadied the defence but we just can’t find enough goals to turn draws into wins.
Fleetwood league results so far…
Port Vale 2-1 Fleetwood Smith 30, Hall 32 — Batty 6
Fleetwood 2-1 Plymouth Batty 28, Garner 88 — Hardie pen 23
Morecambe 1-1 Fleetwood Gnahoua 32 — Andrew 83
Fleetwood 0-0 Cheltenham
Fleetwood 0-0 Derby
Lincoln 2-2 Fleetwood Bishop 6, 14 — Lane 32, Garner 90
Fleetwood 1-1 Wycombe Muskwe 67 — Mehmeti 39
Peterborough 0-1 Fleetwood Vela 23
Fleetwood 1-1 Charlton Morton 30 — Leaburn 77
Fleetwood 0-1 Barnsley Aitchison 90
Burton 0-1 Fleetwood Macadam 34
Portsmouth 1-1 Fleetwood Koroma 7 — Gomes 15
Fleetwood 0-1 Shrewsbury Bayliss 30
Exeter 2-1 Fleetwood Stansfield 30, Nombe 90 — Gomes 28
Fleetwood 1-1 Forest Green Morton 70 — Bunker 23
Fleetwood 3-0 Accrington Gomes 50, Rooney 54, Earl 59
Oxford 1-1 Fleetwood O’Donkor 50 — Gomes 2
Bristol Rovers 2-2 Fleetwood Coburn 57, Collins 80 — Rooney 14, 90
Fleetwood 1-2 Bolton Gomes 16 — Bradley 85, Ofolayan 90
Ipswich 1-1 Fleetwood Woolfenden 2 — Hayes 90
MK Dons 1-2 Fleetwood O’Hara 52 — Johnston 72, Batty 90
Fleetwood 1-2 Sheff Wed Rooney 8 — Byers 16, Johnson 73
Barnsley 2-1 Fleetwood Norwood 64, Cundy 86 — Muskwe pen 77
Shrewsbury 0-3 Fleetwood Muskwe pen 25, Omochere 28, Dunkley og 89
How's your form coming into this game? I guess Barnsley and Sheff Wed was a tough pair of fixtures but a big result at Shrewsbury...
Knappers: The form is exactly what I thought we would get: wins over MK Dons and Shrewsbury away, and defeats away at Barnsley and at home to title challengers Sheffield Wednesday. It’s massive that we beat teams around us and try and nick something against a bigger club.
CC: It’s not been the worst. I don’t think we’ve been beaten by more than one goal all season, so we’re tough to beat but as I mentioned above we just lack that killer instinct.
Scott Brown, eye-catching appointment, first job, how's he done so far? A lot of draws!
Knappers: He’s improving. I felt for the first part of the season he was stubborn and it was the same in every game. He is now changing it up, tweaking with formations and putting players higher up the pitch, and that got its reward against Shrewsbury
CC: Most draws in the football league. His honeymoon period is over and fans are beginning to question his ability. He seems happy with draws and doesn’t take enough risks, so there’s certainly a small question mark over his head.
Last time I came to Fleetwood was for a Conference North game, clearly the club and ground has been transformed since then, is the ambition to go further and higher still? Is League One Fleetwood's natural level now? Or are you punching?
Knappers: I still believe Fleetwood are punching above their weight. Investment has helped along the way there is no denying that. The club’s chairman Andy Pilley still wants this club in the Championship and I do still believe one day we may be able to get there. However, for now, I can’t see it.
CC: There’s no doubt about it, Fleetwood Town should not be in League One, we are punching. Our natural level would be Conference North, but the ambition is still there, our chairman Andy Pilley has stated he wants to see the club in the Championship and with two recent failed play-off campaigns, we’re hopeful of another promotion.
Ins >>> Callum Morton, 21, CF, West Brom, Undisclosed >>> Promise Omochere, 21, RW, Bohemians, Undisclosed >>> David Harrington, 22, GK, Cork City, Undisclosed >>> Phoenix Patterson, 22, LW, Watford, Undisclosed >>> Brendan Wiredu, 22, CM, Colchester, Undisclosed >>> Josh Vela, 28, CM, Shrewsbury, Free >>> Josh Earl, 23, LB, Preston, Free >>> Shaun Rooney, 25, RB, St Johnstone, Free Michael Devlin, 28, CB, Aberdeen, Free >>> Jay Lynch, 29, GK, Rochdale, Free >>> Admiral Muskwe, 22, CF, Shore Leave, Loan >>> Carlos Mendes Gomes, 23, AM, Luton, Loan >>> Jakob Stolarczyk, 21, GK, Leicester, Loan >>> Lewis Warrington, 19, CM, Everton, Loan
Outs >>> Ellis Harrison, 28, CF, Port Vale, Undisclosed >>> Jordan Rossiter, 25, CM, Bristol Rovers, Undisclosed >>> Tom Clarke, 34, CD, Halifax, Undisclosed >>> Shayden Morris, 20, RW, Aberdeen, Undisclosed >>> Callum Camps, 26, CM, Stockport, Free >>> Harry Wright, 23, GK, Hibs, Free >>> Brad Halliday, 27, RB, Bradford, Free >>> Kieran O’Hara, 26, GK, Colchester, Free >>> Harrison Biggins, 26, CM, Doncaster, Free >>> Anthony Pilkington, 34, AM, Retired >>> Alex Cairns, 30, GK, Salford, Loan >>> Dylan Boyle, 20, DM, Spennymore, Loan
Who are the stand out players we should be watching for?
Knappers: Josh Earl, plenty of experience higher up the pyramid, still only young, good defender and good on the ball. Also Cian Hayes, a bright talent that has emerged through the club’s academy.
CC: Carlos Gomes Mendes, formerly of Morecambe, is now our key player but I believe he’ll be cup tied as part of his loan from Luton. Josh Earl at the back is a Rolls Royce and should be playing in the Championship. Watch out for Super Shaun Rooney, the lad is an expert in shithousery and loves a goal from right back, expect him to wind up your fans, players and coaching team.
And where are the weak links in the team?
Knappers: Midfield, although we have talent there I think sometimes we don’t look like creating much, however this may change now Josh Vela has been pushed to a more advanced role.
CC: In attack, despite having various options, they all flatter to deceive.
What are your expectations for the rest of the season?
Knappers: To get to 50 points, stay up and maybe try and challenge for the half if we can put a mini run together. Let’s get to that 50 points first and then we can set the next challenge.
CC: At best we’ll reach mid table, however I believe there’s four worse teams than us in this division, which will leave us where we are now, unless we sign a goalscorer this transfer window.
Links >>> Fleetwood Official Website >>> Blackpool Gazette — Local Press >>> Cod Army — Facebook forum >>> Cods Vlogs — YouTube channel
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