Coyle not concerned over bad run

Last updated : 14 October 2011 By Team Talk

Wanderers go into Saturday's clash with Wigan at the DW Stadium lying bottom of the table having lost six league games in a row since they opened their campaign with a 4-0 win over QPR.

While that is concerning, it should be noted that within that sequence of defeats, the Trotters have been beaten by Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Coyle points to the fact that last term - during which they generally impressed before fading in the final weeks - Bolton only came away with one point from the same fixtures against those big-name clubs, suggesting that overall, it is the kind of thing one should not read too much into.

"Whatever it is, it is - that is the nature of football," Coyle said.

"I think everyone would concede last year, when we were probably performing at the top of our game, how good a team we were, but from that same group of five games against those clubs we only took one point.

"I think sometimes you get too caught up in whatever you want to in terms of facts and stats."

Coyle - who has had to deal with a series of injuries to his squad as well as the daunting fixture list - acknowledges Bolton need to up their game, but with matches against the likes of Sunderland, Swansea, Stoke and West Brom to come after Wigan, the Scot is feeling optimistic about Wanderers' prospects of turning their fortunes around.

"We are not happy with some of the performances we have given - we felt we could have performed better, and there is no getting away from that," Coyle said.

"We are always honest in our assessment of that and we know we can do better.

"But what we also know is that there is so much scope for improvement that it augurs well for when we do go and get that win and get up and running.

"Any footballer will tell you that they want to play at the top of their confidence and at their maximum in that respect.

"If you have lost a game or conceded goals, then obviously it can eat into you.

"But what you have to do is have that mental strength and toughness to see through that, recognising that you are a good player, that you are a good team.

"Yes, the injuries have been horrendous and nobody has had a tougher fixture list than us.

"But we can't affect that now - it wasn't particularly nice and it was hurtful, but it is behind us.

"We now have to pick ourselves up and go into a group of games that I believe we can win - the players have to share that belief, and the desire to show their quality when they cross that white line."

Source: Team Talk

Source: Team Talk