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Unpredictable Wanderers can be a source of joy and great frustration… even to the players on the pitch!
Josh Dacres-Cogley was left wondering how the Whites could blow so hot and cold against Leyton Orient on Saturday – lurching from the sublime football of the first half, to the nervous fayre served up in the second.
From a team playing a Champagne promotion style, Ian Evatt’s men cracked open the Blue Nun for the last 45 minutes against Leyton Orient, and very nearly threw away a three-goal lead.
Dacres-Cogley hopes for more of the good stuff at Lincoln on Boxing Day, where victory could take Wanderers back into the automatic promotion spots, depending on results elsewhere.
But he says a lesson must be learned from the way two points – or more – were nearly tossed away like old wrapping paper.
“We have the ability to play that type of football and blow teams away,” he told The Bolton News. “We know we can do it, so sometimes you are stood there thinking ‘why are we not doing it?’ “It is just maintaining it. We can’t allow teams to come back at us like that, though, and be left clinging on.
“It is frustrating when things don’t go our way, even for the players. You can hear it is frustrating for the fans as well, but they stuck by us.
“We need to get better at figuring out those solutions on the pitch, or when we are on the training ground looking at the videos and seeing what we need to do better.
“I don’t think we change our plans even now we are away from home but we do have to improve during a game and recognising some of the problems that can crop up.”
Victory against Leyton Orient, however fraught, was Bolton’s first in the league since the 7-0 hammering of Exeter City on November 25.
Though defeats at Portsmouth and at home to Bristol Rovers did not exactly constitute a crisis, Dacres-Cogley said the results snapped things into focus for the players, who knew improvement was needed.
“Everyone was disappointed in the changing room, we knew we hadn’t played to our best in those games,” he said. “Since then it has been about bouncing back, ensuring that didn’t happen again.
“You lose games in football but you don’t want two on the bounce.
“It has all been a learning curve, but you have to take something from it and try to be better in the future.”
Wanderers have back-to-back away games at Lincoln and Fleetwood to come before they return to the Toughsheet to host Burton Albion on New Year’s Day. Nine important points are up for grabs at a time of year that can really have a dramatic effect on the league table.
Dacres-Cogley, who has played more minutes than any other outfield player at Wanderers, knows everyone might have to step out of the line-up at some stage to keep things fresh.
“It is a busy period but I think the squad is big enough to cope with it,” he said. “People can come in and do the same sort of job, so I don’t think it will be a massive concern for us.
“From a players’ perspective, you want to play every game. You can be tired, we all give it our all, but it is ultimately down to the gaffer to decide whether you are right to stay in. We know in this squad there is someone champing at the bit to come in and wear the shirt whatever position you are in, they want to make an impression, and that is a strength, I think.
“I have always like Christmas because you get to play loads of games. It can be taxing on the body but I enjoy it.”
Dacres-Cogley scored his second goal of the season against Leyton Orient, in a week where he had been working on his shooting on the training ground.
Wanderers’ players had used the stadium as their base for most of the week – and that gave the wing-back a chance to get his eye in.
“We have been doing a bit of practice in the week, a bit of finishing, and it is something I’d like to add more to my game,” he said. “I want more goals to help the team.
“I had a little bit of a brainwave earlier in the week, I need to start focusing on finishing. When the opportunity came along, I felt a bit more clear-minded and put it away.
“I haven’t set any targets but we have got a little competition going on with the wing-backs, goals and assists, so hopefully I can come out on top.”
After becoming a new dad this year, Dacres-Cogley was looking forward to a different type of Christmas after taking three points home on Saturday.
He added: “Little man doesn’t know what’s going on yet but me and the fiancée are really excited.”
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