Scouting report: Fleetwood Town

Enjoying an unbeaten start to the 2016/17 Sky Bet League One season, Fleetwood Town recorded their first victory of the campaign at home to Oxford United in midweek.

Now under the stewardship of Uwe Rosler, the German replaced former boss Stephen Pressley who left the club after just nine months late last month.

Experiencing a solid start to life at Highbury, he oversaw an opening day draw away at Northampton Town and further stalemate against Scunthorpe United, as well as a narrow penalty shootout defeat in the EFL Cup to Leeds United, before Fleetwood clinched their first win of the season last time out.

Having seen a number of players arrive earlier in the summer under Pressley, Rosler has also looked to quickly stomp his mark on his inherited squad having brought in Chris Long and George Glendon on loan from Burnley and Manchester City last week, as well as reward young forward Ashley Hunter with a new three-year contract. 

But after narrowly avoiding relegation last year having enjoyed a fairytale rise of the Football League ladder in recent seasons, Fleetwood, backed by ambitious owner Andy Pilley, will be looking to push on again during the upcoming campaign as they look to maintain their unbeaten start at Macron Stadium. 

• W 1-3 - Southport A - (Pre-Season Friendly, 26/7/16)

• L 3-4 - Wigan Athletic H - (Pre-Season Friendly, 29/7/16)

• D 1-1 - Northampton Town A - (Sky Bet League One, 6/8/16)

• D 2-2 - Leeds United H - (EFL Cup, 10/8/16)

• D 2-2 - Scunthorpe United H - (Sky Bet League One, 13/8/16)

• W 2-0 - Oxford United H - (Sky Bet League One, 17/8/16)

Appointed Fleetwood Town manager last month, Uwe Rosler arrived at Highbury boasting ample experience in the management game. 

A striker in his playing days, the former East Germany international started his playing career with FC Lokomotive Leipzig before enjoying various stints in the top two-tiers of German football with BSG Chemie Leipzig, FC Magdenburg, Dynamo Dresden and FC Nurnberg. 

Moving to England with Manchester City in March 1994 though, he became something of a cult hero during a four year stay at Maine Road, competing in both the Premiership and Division One for the club. 

Later figuring for FC Kaiserslautern, Tennis Borussia Berlin, Southampton, West Brom, SP Vgg Unterhaching and Lillestrom SK during the remainder of his playing days, he then moved into management and enjoyed three separate spells in Norway with Lillestrom, Viking FK and Molde FK. 

Moving back to England with Brentford in June 2011, Rosler led the Bees to the 2013 Play-Off Final where they lost out to Yeovil Town before departing for Wigan Athletic later that year. Then named as Leeds manager in May 2015, he remained at Elland Road until late 2015, before returning to management with Fleetwood ten months later.

A tireless striker, David Ball recently entered his fifth season with the Cod Army and has become an important member of the first team squad at the Highbury Stadium. 

Arriving in Lancashire from Peterborough United in July 2012, the forward had initially started his career with Manchester City. However, unable to make his mark at the Etihad, he was handed his first taste of senior football six years ago when he joined Swindon Town on a six month loan. 

Linking up with the Posh on a permanent deal however in early 2011, a temporary spell in the North West followed at Rochdale in 2012 before Ball moved to Highbury in search of first team football ahead of Town’s first season in the Football League. 

Since then, he has made over 150 appearances for Fleetwood and was named as their man of the match against Burton Albion in the League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium back in May 2014.

The Cod Army's leading goalscorer so far this season, Ball has scored in each of his last two appearances against Scunthorpe United and Oxford United respectively.

Neal, McLaughlin, Bell, Eastham, Pond, Jonsson (Nirennold 63), Ryan, Ball, Grant, Long (Holloway 79), Cole (Hunter 68).