Bolton Wanderers kick off a busy October with a home clash against Shrewsbury Town.
Wanderers host Salop at the University of Bolton Stadium this Saturday aiming to reach the top six by the end of play.
Ian Evatt's side returned to winning ways with a midweek three points against Charlton Athletic and will be seeking to make it two victories on the spin when Salop make the journey from Shropshire.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers injury update on Bakayoko, Isgrove and Amaechi ahead of Shrewsbury Town
They will take on a Shrewsbury side currently in the drop zone and on eight points with just two wins so far this campaign.
Ahead of the match, Wanderers boss Ian Evatt spoke to the press and here's a transcript of what the Bolton manager had to say to broadcasters.
Looking for a good end to the month?
“Yeah. It’s been a tough month and a challenging month. We knew that from the start.
"The fixtures were obviously very difficult and after a good result on Tuesday, we’re looking forward to Saturday and hopefully finishing off with a win.”
Is there a different aspect and different preparation when you’re playing Shrewsbury at home to Charlton away?
“I’d like to think not. I think obviously we’ve been away to some big stadiums and some very big clubs and, no disrespect to Shrewsbury, they’re not the same size of club as some of the ones we’ve challenged and faced this month, but they’re still a very good team with a very experienced manager.
“It’ll pose a different challenge to what we’ve faced, of course, but one we have to be ready for.”
How do you switch from one to the other with that different type of challenge?
“I just think from our perspective we have to be focused on ourselves and our own game plan and what we’re good at. Yes, we’ll always respect the opposition and have a look at their strengths and weaknesses, but for me it’s about what we do and if we can perform to the level that I believe we can get to.
“As I said on Tuesday, I think we can be better than that, we have been better than that and we ended up winning 4-1 so lots to improve on, lots to still work on, and hopefully we can do that on Saturday.”
It must have been a great journey back because when you’ve gone a long way and journey back with a win and a performance as well, that’s bound to increase confidence?
“When you’re on a coach until half four in the morning, it does not matter what result you’ve got! They’re not the most comfortable of seats and the players and the staff were all shattered.
“There’s a bit of a hangover from that, not in terms of alcohol but in terms of the journey! We’re still recovering. It was a long old leg but fortunately for us we got a good win.”
How are things shaping up team wise?
“Good. Baka’s joined in today. He looked like he’s not been away which is very pleasing. Lloyd’s trained again. The cut is obviously still there and nasty but he’s available again.
“Baka has surprised me, there was no rustiness there and if you ask him if you want to be involved on Saturday and do you feel like you’re ready, obviously the answer was definitely yes.
“That’s the kind of kid he is. We’ll see how he gets on tomorrow and see if there’s any reaction, but hopefully he’ll play some part on Saturday.”
It must be a pretty happy place at the moment generally with the month that you’ve had?
“Encouraging is probably the right word to use. You’re right that I’m always miserable! But I just want to win and be the best we can be. The players understand that. I do feel like there’s some frustration with them as well.
"I feel like we’ve left some points out there this month, but we can take heart from our performances, but we know now after 10 games of the season, normally it’s the nitty gritty and games are relentless week to week and by the time you stop to think and breath, it’s after Christmas and you’re on the home run.
“After the initial start, we feel like we’ve been decent but not great. We feel there’s more to come and if we can now kick on into that top six and cement our place in that top six, we’ll be pleased.”
Of the 10 games played, eight you’ve gone behind in. You can say there’s spirit, character, recovery etc or the disappointment of conceding the first goal?
“There’s lots of things we can look at in these 10 games of what we’ve done and haven’t done. That’s one that we’ve gone behind in eight out of 10 and still managed to win and that highlights the character of the players and that’s not in question for me.
“Their attitude and character is there for all to see. We tend not to score or score four or five - that’s also another thing that I’d like us to adapt and score more regular, but the main thing is we can is we’re creating chances and we are for all types of goals and players.
“There’s lots to be happy about. We’re not comfortable with where we’re at. We want to be in that top six and we feel like we should be.”
Why do you feel as though the club should be in that top six right now?
“I’m not interested in top 10, I’m interested in top six because that’s where you get promotion. I just feel our performances have been very good. I think we’ve played the majority of the top six now, apart from Wycombe, and we feel as though we’ve more than matched all of them.
“Have we got points against all of them? No, but we feel like we’ve had moral victories, but moral victories are no good to anybody. We need points on the board, so we’re looking forward to the rest of the season.
"Obviously now there’s games coming up and some more good ones, Sheffield Wednesday away next week, but Shrewsbury at home is a real game that we have to target and win and that’s what we’re going out to do, but we know it’s going to be very difficult.”
There has been an emphasis on the players who featured on Tuesday recovering, whereas those that didn’t play had a chance to train in this glorious weather we’ve go right now?
“Yeah, lucky them! That’s always the way. Players with the journey that we had mostly require a two-day recovery now and we do that for injury prevention purposes.
“The lads that played and started on Saturday have been recovering, bar Alex and Declan who are still wanting to get up to speed and full match fitness. But other than that, the lads are ready and raring to go for Saturday and another big important game.”
It seems as though because of what happened on Tuesday night, everyone is keen to make sure that after a good end to September, October starts on the highest note possible?
“We’ve already sent a letter to the FA about playing all our fixtures on Tuesday night because our record is exceptional on Tuesdays!
"We’re happy with where we’re at. We’re in good form, there’s good spirits in camp, we’ve got players returning, we’re looking forward to playing every game at the moment and that’s how it should be when things are going well.
“But I still think there’s so much more improvement to come. We were disappointed with our first half on Tuesday and second half we were a lot better, but we have to make sure we turn in 90 minute performances.
"We keep going behind in games and we can’t keep giving teams head starts. Fortunately for us, we’ve been good enough to get ourselves out of trouble on a few occasions, but there’s been a few occasions where we haven’t as well - Sunderland, Cambridge, Rotherham - so we’re constantly looking to improve, striving for that improvement and hungry for improvement.
“While we’ve got that, we’ll keep going and hopefully turn in the three points.”
It seems as though the fitness is still the absolute most paramount thing that is being worked on in training, or is there something a little bit more than that?
“Everything we do has a purpose and yes, at times, it can look like we’re being over patient, but we’re doing it because not only their forward players will be tired out, but the rest of their team has to move and be tired out as well and I think there isn’t a game this season where we haven’t finished more strongly than the opposition and that isn’t by chance or down to our physical fitness.
“It’s down to the fact that the opposition cannot keep moving and pressing the ball for 90 minutes. They do fatigue, they do get tired, and once that happens and spaces are created, we then will take advantage of them and we did that on Tuesday.”
Steve Cotterill had a very debilitating bout of coronavirus last season and very happily he is still with us. What do you think it says about the way Shrewsbury have managed to stay so positive in spite of what happened to him?
“Steve’s a good man and I know him personally because he’s tried to sign me a couple of times which is always nice and I always like the fact he thought I was a good player.
"That helps with our relationship, but I spoke to Steve while he was ill with coronavirus and he sounded awful. Credit to him and the football club that they managed to come through it, it speaks volumes about him as a character and them as a football club.
“They’ve had a difficult start to the season but this is a really tough league and we’ve seen that every fixture is competitive, but I’m sure they’ll turn it around, but hopefully not on Saturday.
"But it’ll be a tough game, a difficult game. They are powerful and a physical team and we need to stand up to that and then play our own game, so we’re looking forward to it and we’ll welcome Steve in and wish him all the best for the future.”
