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Ian Evatt remains confident he will find the right signings to boost Wanderers’ promotion push.
Time is ticking down in the January window, which closes in just over a week’s time, with Bolton still seeking two new players to add to their squad.
The sale of Dapo Afolayan to St Pauli, Amadou Bakayoko to Forest Green and the loss of Jon Dadi Bodvarsson to injury has hit Evatt’s attacking options particularly hard, and despite the addition of Manchester United’s Shola Shoretire and Southampton’s Dan Nlundulu on loan, Bolton are known to want at least one more striker on board.
An unbeaten run of eight games in all competitions came to a disappointing end against play-off rivals Derby County on Saturday, stoking a feeling of concern among supporters that the squad does not have the requisite depth and quality to compete at the top end of the division.
“We know the timescales – we can’t do anything about them,” Evatt said of the impending deadline for deals.
“It is nothing I don’t know. All the people worrying and thinking ‘what are we doing?’ I know what we need and what we are looking for, we have identified the players we want, and we are working very hard to make it happen.”
Wanderers remain fifth after the result at Pride Park and have now gone 15 league visits to the Rams without a win, a run which stretches back to September 1981.
Though it was only Bolton’s second defeat since the start of November, Evatt was disappointed that the high standards his side had set in recent weeks had been allowed to drop.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola questioned the passion of his players last week despite them fighting back from two goals down to beat Tottenham – and Evatt empathised, having seen his team out-fought for much of Saturday afternoon.
“You know I am a big Pep fan but I thought that was a magnificent interview,” he said. “For someone who is so technical and looks at the game in such a complex way, to speak about fire, desire, running, passion, they are the basics of football. You have to carry them with you every day, there is no time to switch off.
“Whether you are in a five-a-side in training, a small possession drill, a matchday on a Saturday or anything else, you have to carry that fight to win because the moment it goes then that’s it.
“We are in an industry where everyone is fighting for that one per cent, the one extra yard that gets you the victory, and the minute you dip below your best there is always someone ready to take your place and beat you. We found that out today.
“We need to play with the fire he talked about, all of the time. There, we dipped below the standard we knew we needed and it can’t happen.”
New signing Nlundulu was already looking towards Tuesday night’s game against Forest Green as a means to shake off the disappointment.
“Overall, we went out there to win and didn’t do it, so we have to regroup for an important game against Forest Green,” he said. “The only thing we can do is react and get three points.
“It is a huge week for the club, especially where we want to go this season. I trust the gaffer and the boys’ ability. Sometimes football doesn’t go your way, you have to move on.
“We are disappointed, it was a great opportunity. We can only keep our heads up.”
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