'Psychologically we're in a better place' - Richie Wellens on Doncaster Rovers' trip to Charlton Athletic
Doncaster Rovers might still be pointless on the road but Richie Wellens insists his players will not be short of confidence at Charlton Athletic tomorrow.
Rovers appear to be travelling to the Valley at an inopportune moment with the Addicks seemingly buoyed by new manager bounce.
Caretaker boss Johnnie Jackson oversaw an eyecatching 1-0 win at Sunderland last weekend in his first game in charge following the departure of Nigel Adkins.
But the timing does not concern Wellens.
"Psychologically we’re in a better place,” he said.
"Psychologically we’re better on the ball, we look a team, we look really fluent - so it works both ways.
“I think Sunderland could have definitely won that game. Sunderland had a lot of chances but Charlton are very good on the counter attack.
“We’ll have to be wary. We can’t give the ball away in bad areas.
“Yes, they’ve had a big boost in confidence but I do believe over the last four or fives games that our confidence is rising as well.”
Rovers’ 11 points – one point fewer than Charlton’s total – have all been won on home soil.
Their seven straight defeats on the road this season have come at Sheffield Wednesday, Accrington, Rotherham, Wigan, Plymouth, Ipswich and Gillingham.
“It’s probably play-off form at home but we do need to tidy things up away,” said Wellens.
“But there has been external factors which have been huge and contributed to that, obviously the team selection and the tough games we have had away from home.
“We now look like a more fluent team with round pegs in round holes. A lot of our players are playing with a high level of confidence.”
Dan Gardner (calf) is definitely ruled out so Kyle Knoyle is set to continue at right back with in-form Ethan Galbraith back in midfield.
Matt Smith will keep his place if Tommy Rowe fails to recover in time from a back spasm.
Amid Rovers’ ongoing injury problems, Wellens said: “The best team talk any manager can give is ‘lads, same team and same subs’.
“Everybody then knows what they’re doing and the relationships are starting to bond and you get more fluent performances at whatever level it is.
“We haven’t picked the same team twice for the whole season which has been a problem but we are getting players in certain positions fit now.
“For the first six or seven games of the season we were worried about our front three because at the start we didn’t have any but now we’ve got them and they’re striding for fitness.
“I do think that Joe Dodoo, Jordy Hiwula and Rodrigo Vilca are starting to look like good players and they’re getting stronger with every game.”