Wanderers Boss  Warning Ahead Bristol Rovers: “League One Will Be A Result Business For Wanderers!” But The Most Important Thing Is…

Bolton Wanderers boss prepared for ‘scrap’ at Bristol Rovers

LEAGUE One will be a results business from here on in for Wanderers, warns Steven Schumacher, as his side roll up their sleeves for another scrap at Bristol Rovers.

After breaking into the top six with a win at Burton Albion, Bolton will be looking to string a third straight win together for the first time this season at the Memorial Stadium tonight.

Schumacher has already warned that he could shuffle his squad to keep energy levels high – which could see a return for Szabi Schon, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Joel Randall.

And the Whites boss admits performance levels will take secondary importance in the coming weeks as his side look to extend their season in the play-offs, at the very least.

“Hughesy (Bolton assistant Mark Hughes) was talking about this in the office earlier on – every game that we’re going to come up against now has something on it for both teams,” he told The Bolton News

“All the coaches and managers will probably sacrifice playing amazing football if it means you get a result and some of these games are going to be a battle.

“You saw in the second half at Burton, it was a bit of a scrap, we had to stand up. And we have to be ready for whatever type of contest it turns out to be at Bristol as well.”

Wanderers have not won three league games in a row since the end of 2023 when they strung four together over the festive period of December 23 to January 1, 2024.

Confidence is understandably high, however, and Bolton have been able to mix and match their approach to different types of opposition to great effect of late.

Bristol Rovers, who currently occupy the spot just above the relegation zone, have improved their results since bringing in ex-Brighton coach Inigo Calderon at the start of the year but Schumacher set off for the south west yesterday in an upbeat frame of mind.

“The players are in really good form and none of these games have been exactly the same, they have all had different challenges depending on the opponent,” he said.

“We have shown a lot of good character as well, and even when we have gone behind in games we have come back numerous times now.

“We have shown quality – definitely in the first half at Burton – and we knew that getting up to the intensity levels needed in that game was going to be a challenge because of what we’d put in against Birmingham on Tuesday night.

“We expected it would be tough but we overcame it well and got into really good areas in the pitch, played some good football. We just wanted to be a little bit more clinical with those big moments.

“So all I say to my players is just to keep going, keep believing in what you’re doing and we’ll see what happens.”

Schumacher is also wary that tonight’s opponents also play a high-energy game, and that it could come down to who has the most left in reserve after the weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough game, we know that, because Bristol is never an easy place to go, especially for a night fixture,” he added. “It can be an intimidating atmosphere so we have to make it as awkward as we can for the home team as we can with the ball, we have to be really clean with it, and without the ball we’ll have to be organised.

“Bristol Rovers like to play at a high tempo, it is what they are good at, especially at the moment where they are playing some good football.

“Since they changed manager they have been doing pretty well and they are playing in a good style, so they have been a threat for most of the teams that they’ve played against lately.

“We know we’re going into a difficult game and hopefully we can get the better of it.”