Ian Evatt believes the players Bolton Wanderers have out of action but can still put out competitive sides is a measure of how far his squad has come since the start of January.
On New Year's Day, Wanderers travelled to take on Rotherham United in their first game in three weeks after a shutdown over Christmas due to a Covid-19 outbreak at the club.
On that afternoon in Yorkshire, owing to the injury crisis Wanderers was experiencing that time which hit the club hard during November and December in particular, the midfield trio lined up of youngster George Thomason, defender George Johnston and attacker Nathan Delfouneso.
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Since then, Wanderers strengthened heavily in the January transfer window with several signings made. Marlon Fossey and James Trafford joined on loan from Fulham and Manchester City respectively, while Dion Charles, Aaron Morley, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Kieran Sadlier and Kyle Dempsey all arrived on permanent deals as the squad was strengthened.
Those additions have helped Wanderers make it into the top half of the table and the Whites are on course for a top 10 finish upon their first season back in League One after promotion from the fourth tier last campaign.
Wanderers have several notable absentees from the squad at present, including captain Ricardo Almeida Santos, midfielders Josh Sheehan, Kieran Lee, Andrew Tutte and winger Lloyd Isgrove.
But despite that, Wanderers have been able to name a team where there has been little noticeable drop-off in quality, in stark contrast to earlier on this campaign and evidence of how much things have changed since the start of 2022 with the defeat at the hands of the Millers.
Evatt said: "I can remember November and December not so fondly and we were having to name makeshift teams, young Adam Senior is having to step in and play when he still needs more development time and we had a midfield away at Rotherham of George Johnston, George Thomason and Nathan Delfouneso.
"That was January 1 so it shows you how far we’ve come as a squad and as a group and how things have changed.”
With MJ Williams coming off at the break in the 2-1 win on the road against Cheltenham Town last weekend, Dempsey made a return to action to partner fellow January transfer window signing Morley in the middle of the park.
Evatt was pleased with what he saw from the duo together, but mentioned the strength in depth in that area of the pitch and those who were absent from the victory in Gloucestershire as evidence of the strength of the squad now.
He said: “I thought the balance was really good, but I think MJ has been playing out of his skin as well. Young George (Thomason) has still got some growth to do, some improvements to make but he’s going to be a really good player as well.
"He’s never let us down and was great at Doncaster so another talented group of midfield players with Josh Sheehan and Kieran Lee to come back into that.
"You must remember the players that we’ve got not here today - Rico, Izzy, so it’s a really good squad when everybody is fit and available and we’re pleased with what you’ve got.”
