For Bristol Rovers fans who keep a close eye on Joey Barton's press conferences, it will be no secret that he and his staff like to break the season down into "blocks" – chunks of 10 matches to make the 46-game grind of League One feel a bit more manageable.
Block one was highly disappointing for the Gas as they returned to the third tier. They were promoted with huge momentum, but a series of injuries – particularly in defence – affected form and confidence and just two wins and eight points were yielded from the opening 10 games.
At that point, Rovers were in the relegation zone, but with the injury problems waning and a first-choice XI emerging, Barton and his players have quickly shifted the narrative. Just one defeat in block two with four wins and five draws have left the Gas looking upwards rather than over their shoulder.
