Bolton boss previews Ipswich clash

Last updated : 29 July 2022 By Footymad

Ian Evatt thinks he will be criticised for his team selection when Bolton Wanderers take on Ipswich in the season opener on Saturday.

“I think there are some really unlucky players come Saturday, not all of them because some have outperformed others in pre-season, but there are some who will be massively unlucky not to start the game on Saturday,” he said.

“But that is football and they are going to play at some stage. When they do play, they need to make sure they stay in, simple as that. We have had to look at possibly the first four or five fixtures and try to plan teams accordingly in perfect scenarios.

“Obviously, things change really quickly in football and can overnight, so we have to be flexible and make sure we are ready to change and be adaptable

“But we have tried to look at the opposition of the first four or five games - what to expect, what kind of game we think it is going to be – and try to manage and pick teams accordingly.

“There are going to be changes, there has to be. You don’t win divisions or win promotions with the same 11 players week in, week out. It just doesn’t happen.

“We are really fortunate now to have a strong group of players that we think are capable of good things. But it is only on paper. They have to go out there and earn the right to be at this football and be amongst the promotion candidates.”