Manager Dougie Freedman looks ahead to Tuesday night’s contest against Blackburn Rovers at the Reebok Stadium.
The Whites will be looking to maintain their unbeaten run in the Championship against neighbours Rovers and in the process secure their fourth home win in a row.
Ahead of the game, the manager explained how the Bolton squad have a real determination to succeed but insists they will not get carried away despite the recent run of good form.
“We are looking forward to the game, we are in a good place right now and we come into it on the back of a well-deserved result, and fantastic support at Barnsley,” said the boss.
“It was another good win, credit to Barnsley because they changed shape at the start of the second half and fair play got their reward, but we changed our system and countered the threat and secured the win.
“Tomorrow night, it will be a tough, Blackburn are a good side, they have experience and have made a couple of very good loan signings in, but I believe we have the knowhow, the personnel and the confidence right now to get a result.
“Leading up to our run, I felt that we had a growing togetherness around the group of players and fans, and while our performances may not have always got the points they deserved, we weren’t that far off.
“Now we are a group that understands that attention to the game plan is essential, and with that attention to detail the players know exactly what I expect from them, and what they have to do in a match. That comes for working hard on the training ground, day in day out. It’s the foundation of everything for
me.
“There’s a real spirit amongst the team and fans, we are all sticking together, and I believe that on and off the field everyone understands how we want to go about things and what we want to achieve. That’s taken time for people to see that, and I understand that, but I believe it’s there now.
“It’s going to be important against Blackburn. Derby games do have that special edge, special atmosphere and tomorrow night will be no different. We take a good momentum into the match and confidence is high, we are not getting carried away, but we have a real determination about us at the moment. We are at a key stage of the season with games coming thick and fast and we know it is up to us and how we perform.”
Freedman concluded by saying he would give a late fitness check to Hungarian international Adam Bogdan before the game and an update on the loan market with Steve De Ridder returning to parent club Southampton.
“Injury wise we‘ll have a late check on Adam Bogdan ahead of the game. He has a muscle injury so we will make sure that the decision we make is in the best interests of Adam and the team.
“Away from the match, I am looking to bring in some loan signings before the window closes, Steve has gone back to Southampton and we wish him well. He was great for us, but our system wasn’t one that required wingers, so he didn’t get the game time he was looking for.”
Ahead of the game, the manager explained how the Bolton squad have a real determination to succeed but insists they will not get carried away despite the recent run of good form.
“We are looking forward to the game, we are in a good place right now and we come into it on the back of a well-deserved result, and fantastic support at Barnsley,” said the boss.
“It was another good win, credit to Barnsley because they changed shape at the start of the second half and fair play got their reward, but we changed our system and countered the threat and secured the win.
“Tomorrow night, it will be a tough, Blackburn are a good side, they have experience and have made a couple of very good loan signings in, but I believe we have the knowhow, the personnel and the confidence right now to get a result.
“Leading up to our run, I felt that we had a growing togetherness around the group of players and fans, and while our performances may not have always got the points they deserved, we weren’t that far off.
“Now we are a group that understands that attention to the game plan is essential, and with that attention to detail the players know exactly what I expect from them, and what they have to do in a match. That comes for working hard on the training ground, day in day out. It’s the foundation of everything for
me.
“There’s a real spirit amongst the team and fans, we are all sticking together, and I believe that on and off the field everyone understands how we want to go about things and what we want to achieve. That’s taken time for people to see that, and I understand that, but I believe it’s there now.
“It’s going to be important against Blackburn. Derby games do have that special edge, special atmosphere and tomorrow night will be no different. We take a good momentum into the match and confidence is high, we are not getting carried away, but we have a real determination about us at the moment. We are at a key stage of the season with games coming thick and fast and we know it is up to us and how we perform.”
Freedman concluded by saying he would give a late fitness check to Hungarian international Adam Bogdan before the game and an update on the loan market with Steve De Ridder returning to parent club Southampton.
“Injury wise we‘ll have a late check on Adam Bogdan ahead of the game. He has a muscle injury so we will make sure that the decision we make is in the best interests of Adam and the team.
“Away from the match, I am looking to bring in some loan signings before the window closes, Steve has gone back to Southampton and we wish him well. He was great for us, but our system wasn’t one that required wingers, so he didn’t get the game time he was looking for.”