Bolton Wanderers can make it three wins out of three in League One in September if they beat Peterborough United this weekend.
Wanderers have six points from the two matches played so far this month. A 3-1 triumph over Charlton Athletic was followed up in midweek with a 2-0 win over MK Dons on the road.
Saturday's opponents in the form of Posh are below Bolton in the table at present but are expected to be among the sides challenging for promotion this season. The London Road side were relegated from the Championship last season.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers injury update ahead of Peterborough United & latest on Lloyd Isgrove's comeback
Ahead of the game, Wanderers boss Ian Evatt spoke to the media as a pre-match press conference. Here's a transcript of what he had to say to broadcasters.
How big a week is this turning out to be for you?
“I said before I think it was important to have a good week because it would define if it was a decent start or a very good one. I think we’ve had some pretty tough fixtures.
“I think the way the league table is shaping up suggests that, but we have to concentrate on ourselves and our own performances and I thought our performance on Tuesday was excellent. Having said that, that’s done and finished, three points and onto the next one and we’ve got a really difficult game on Saturday.”
Peterborough were beaten at home in midweek…
“Yeah but they’re a dangerous team. I think the results suggest that. I think they’ve won four and lost four and I don’t think they’re in it to draw. They’re capable of walloping you or capable of throwing the game open and losing games as well. They’re a really dangerous team, very good in transition, strong going forwards, commits loads of bodies going forwards so it’s going to be a challenging game.”
What will be your team selection?
“It is difficult. We have got players leaving us for international duty after Saturday and then a game Tuesday before a mini-break.
“I had an idea in my head prior to this week, then the game on Saturday was cancelled, and I stuck to it Tuesday and then again on Saturday.”
It was a good performance vs MK Dons. Even if you’ve made a plan for the next opposition, do performances change your thought process?
“Each game is different and some personnel are suited to certain types of game. It bodes well for the rest of the season that we have the right players for most types of games.
“Just because we won 2-0 on Tuesday does not mean that the game on Saturday will be identical and we get the same performance level. You have to remember that a long journey and the physical demand to play the way we are playing takes it out of you as well.
“It doesn’t mean I will make wholesale changes – five, six, seven – but it means certain personnel will be rotated and better suited to Saturday.”
Is the international break a frustration when you’re playing so well?
“It is not a frustration. Two years ago we had no internationals and now we have got a squad full of them so I suppose we are doing something right.”
Any unavailability?
“Jon is back, so another headache. We have a fully fit squad other than Lloyd, who is edging closer but not really ready yet.”
How are things after the MK Dons game?
“Everyone’s happy and in a good place, it was an awfully long trip on Tuesday night but really happy with the result and grateful to the fans that made the journey. From that point on after the final whistle was to regroup, refocus, reenergise and go again for Saturday because this is a tough game.”
It’s been a fantastic month so far, you must be excited to see what your side can do against Peterborough?
“I thought this week really was going to define the start of the season that we’ve made. Always after 10 games the league starts to take shape, that’s historically how it’s always been. I know it’ll only be nine after Saturday but with the Cheltenham postponement it would have been 10 and it gives us a good guide as to where we’re at and the guide for me is that we’ve made improvements but I still think there’s loads more to come.
"I’m happy with where we’re at but I do believe in this group of players, I do think there’s some serious amounts of improvements to be had with this group and Saturday is another test and another challenge which we’re looking forward to.”
Are you happy with how your team are defending this season?
“That isn’t just down to the goalkeeper and the defenders. It’s down to the team as a unit, I think we defend as a team and I’ve said this many times that our strikers not just are required to score goals, but they’re required to press aggressively from the front which keeps the pressure off the back lads as well.
"The law of averages says the higher you regain the ball, the less likely and the less chances the opposition is going to create anything because our goal is miles away back there, so that’s what we’re trying to do and it’s a team effort and they should all take credit from that. Not just the defenders and the back lads, and likewise when we’re scoring goals the other end.
“I don’t see us scoring scrappy goals, everything is built, created, worked on, so whatever we do we need to celebrate as a team, defensively and offensively. We do things together.”
Joe Ward is Peterborough’s highest assister this season - do you expect to nullify him in this game?
“We look at all of the opposition players, we look at their patterns of play, how they hurt you. Peterborough are a really dangerous team, they’re capable of scoring goals from anywhere at any given time regardless of the scoreline, so we’re going to have to make sure we keep our concentration and keep our guard up.
"We respect the opposition always, but we’re very much of the mindset that if we take care of our own performance and our own selves, then we’re going to be a really difficult team to beat and the opposition can’t score if we’ve got the ball and we need to take care of that ball as much as we possibly can and when we’re without it, carry on the work we’ve been doing out of possession with our counterpress, our front foot press, our high press and keep the ball as far away from our goal as we possibly can.”
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