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George Johnston has been praised for a “fantastic” start to the season in League One.
Ian Evatt believes his former Liverpool defender is fulfilling his promise at the University of Bolton Stadium, having played every minute of every game in League One so far.
Johnston was the stand-out player in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win at MK Dons and having improved the physical side of his game over the summer, is now showing his technical ability on the pitch.
“As a young player he is still learning and developing and there are still lots of things we can work on but he has had a fantastic start to the season,” he told The Bolton News.
“I think defensively his understanding of the game is excellent for a young man. His one v one defending in large spaces is really good too, and I’m pleased for him that people are recognising that. He deserves it, and he’s a great lad.”
Johnston was Wanderers’ young player of the year last season and Evatt believes the 24-year-old will improve further with experience.
Asked where he felt Johnston could focus his efforts, the Bolton boss added: “Just sometimes his pass decision, that’s all.
“There are lots of good things out of possession with George that I am really pleased with. It is just in possession, composure and his angles and when to play forwards and when to play safe. He is a young player and he has a bright future. We are lucky to have him.”
Having beaten Charlton, Evatt was happy to use a similar approach at Milton Keynes.
The Bolton boss admits a more open and expansive game suits his side – and that there will be different challenges ahead.
“They won’t all be like this,” he said. “Teams that try and build from goalkeeper and there’s lots of movement, lots of rotation.
“It gave us the opportunity to see the fruits of our labour in pre-season, the out of possession stuff, and I think the way we executed the gameplan, the way we stuck to our men individually with the amount of rotation that was going on was really disciplined.
“We regained the ball so many times high up the pitch. If we can just start being more clinical on those regains and in those transitional moments then we are going to be a good team. But we can’t have everything. It’s still very much a work in progress.”
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Well, what do you think?
Ian Evatt believes his former Liverpool defender is fulfilling his promise at the University of Bolton Stadium, having played every minute of every game in League One so far.
Johnston was the stand-out player in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win at MK Dons and having improved the physical side of his game over the summer, is now showing his technical ability on the pitch.
“As a young player he is still learning and developing and there are still lots of things we can work on but he has had a fantastic start to the season,” he told The Bolton News.
“I think defensively his understanding of the game is excellent for a young man. His one v one defending in large spaces is really good too, and I’m pleased for him that people are recognising that. He deserves it, and he’s a great lad.”
Johnston was Wanderers’ young player of the year last season and Evatt believes the 24-year-old will improve further with experience.
Asked where he felt Johnston could focus his efforts, the Bolton boss added: “Just sometimes his pass decision, that’s all.
“There are lots of good things out of possession with George that I am really pleased with. It is just in possession, composure and his angles and when to play forwards and when to play safe. He is a young player and he has a bright future. We are lucky to have him.”
Having beaten Charlton, Evatt was happy to use a similar approach at Milton Keynes.
The Bolton boss admits a more open and expansive game suits his side – and that there will be different challenges ahead.
“They won’t all be like this,” he said. “Teams that try and build from goalkeeper and there’s lots of movement, lots of rotation.
“It gave us the opportunity to see the fruits of our labour in pre-season, the out of possession stuff, and I think the way we executed the gameplan, the way we stuck to our men individually with the amount of rotation that was going on was really disciplined.
“We regained the ball so many times high up the pitch. If we can just start being more clinical on those regains and in those transitional moments then we are going to be a good team. But we can’t have everything. It’s still very much a work in progress.”
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Well, what do you think?
