Joey Barton trusts normal approach in 'weirdest' season for Fleetwood Town

Joey Barton sees this strange season as another stage in his learning process

When goalscorers fire on all cylinders we'll be a force says Joey Barton

Town have won just two of their seven League One games and sit 15th.

Games are coming thick and fast but Barton is staying calm ahead of tomorrow’s 1pm kick-off at Gillingham.

The head coach said: “I don’t worry when I set a football team up – I do it to win the game.

“We’ll go to Gillingham with a plan and an opportunity to get three more points.

“In League One you get weird spells and this is the weirdest spell I’ve had as a coach because we’ve started other seasons very strongly.

“But this is another opportunity for me to test myself as a coach, to learn a new part of the trade.

“That’s why I’m here at Fleetwood – to learn what I can learn, hopefully do a good job for the team and the club, and progress further up the pyramid.

“Nothing changes for me – we follow our processes. They are the same processes but it’s with a slightly stronger squad, I think, than nearly got us promoted to the Championship last season.

“Barring a referee’s decision, we’d have drawn 0-0 against Accrington (on Tuesday) and we’d have been frustrated. As it was they got the opportunity to score and they defended really well, so credit to them.”

Unusually for Town, they have fired blanks in their last two games. Barton’s battle at the club has mostly been to keep the back door shut, while finding goals and a pleasing-on-the-eye style has been less difficult.

Again, though, Barton has faith in the processes he has put in place at Highbury and backs his players. He said: “You go through spells like that – usually you have one player scoring goals.

“Callum Camps and Harvey Saunders have weighed in with the lion’s share of the goals and you always know Josh Morris, Ched Evans and Paddy Madden will start to come through with goals. You just have to sit back and trust the process.

“I’m absolutely fine. I see a lot of the hard work from the boys on the training ground. If we weren’t creating opportunities I’d be worried.

“The lads are competing hard for places. We’ve had a few out with bangs and bruises, and I’ve got a good 16 or 18 to choose from. I’ve also got a load of young players champing at the bit.

“Gillingham lost to Portsmouth, so I’ll watch them and pick a team to hopefully dominate that game as well but hopefully win.”