Giantkiller Rosler aims to cut Fleetwood's rivals down to size

Fleetwood boss Uwe Rosler is taking a leaf out of fellow German Jurgen Klopp's book ahead of tomorrow's top-of-the-table test at home to a giant Bolton side.
Uwe RoslerUwe Rosler
Uwe Rosler

Rosler was in a jovial mood as he recalled Liverpool boss Klopp’s reaction to his side’s early-season fragility at corners.

Fleetwood conceded from a set-piece in their 2-1 defeat at Bolton in August, but have found a way to cope with physical sides as their bruising recent wins over Northampton and Scunthorpe have shown.

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Those victories have stretched Town’s unbeaten run to 18 games and left them second in League One.

And ahead of fourth-placed Bolton’s visit, Rosler said of their previous encounter: “That defeat stuck a little bit in my throat because I thought we played well, not completely for 90 minutes but for good spells.

“That was the first time we went to one of the big clubs with a big stadium and I think the players coped quite well with it. But we got beaten on a b****y set-piece!

“I have seen quite a bit of Bolton and nothing surprised me. I do not mean that disrespectfully. I am respectful because they are good at what they do.

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“They do not pretend to be what they are not. They have a defined style and they are very good at it.

“That is why they are at the top with us fighting. We have to find a way we feel comfortable with and believe we can beat them.”

Asked how Town would handle Bolton’s physical presence, Rosler recalled the Anfield boss.

He said: “What do you think Jurgen Klopp said at the beginning of the season when they conceded too many goals on corners? ‘Give me bigger players and we will cope with their physicality.’

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“We have what we have and we have to cope with it. We can’t buy ourselves 6’ 4” players. I’m happy with what we have. We have to select the right players for particular games without losing our identity.

“The previous game against Scunthorpe was physical. Northampton was brutal in some parts of the pitch. It will be a challenge but I think we are better in that aspect than when we went to Bolton.”

Phil Parkinson’s Trotters are expected to play 3-5-2, just like Town, and Rosler added: “The longer we play that way and go unbeaten, the more we are meeting teams matching us up.

“I think we find ways to cope – not always a pretty way – when the opposition matches us up to stop us doing what we want to do, and we still find ways to win.”