Improving conversion rate key to rebuild

KEITH Hill reiterated the fact his Rochdale side are in the middle of a transitional period as they try and put together a new-look squad following the gradual departure of key players.

Dale saw a number of their high-profile players leave the club last summer, including the likes of Jamie Allen, Matty Lund and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Peter Vincenti’s appearances in the 2016/17 season were limited, but he too was an influential figure wholeft last year.

Those departures have affected the dynamics of the Dale squad, with the team bottom of the League One table, 11 points adrift from safety – though they do have as many as five games in hand on some of the teams above them.

Hill is well aware of how difficult a task he has ahead of him, but thinks re-building the squad to an adequate standard is just as vital a task.

“We have to win football matches, and as a manager I’m aware of that, but the process we’re going through at the moment is trying to build another side,” he said.

“We’ve lost so many players since we initially gained promotion to League One, and while we’re playing great football, our conversion rate this season is nowhere near where it should be or what our previous averages were.

“We have to make sure we’re more ruthless in front of goal.”