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Interim Wanderers boss Jimmy Phillips wants his players to get over the mental block of playing away from home at Brentford tonight.
The Whites head to west London without a win on the road in almost 12 months – the one-year anniversary of their last away triumph at Cardiff City falling tomorrow.
They haven’t tasted victory away from the Macron in 21 Championship games since the win in the Welsh capital last April – and have lost 16 of those.
The winless run started at Griffin Park and as Phillips prepares his side for a return visit almost a year on, he is hoping they do not go into the game with that record weighing heavily on their minds.
Phillips told The Bolton News: “It can become an issue with players in their heads that we haven’t won away.
“I think it depends on the individual.
“Whether we are home or away we have to impose ourselves.
“The mental approach is key – we need to be braver in possession.
“Having more responsibility on the ball will help us get into games quicker.
“We have always been competitive when I have been involved at first-team level before. We need to do that again.”
Wanderers have lost both matches since local lad Phillips picked up the managerial reins.
But after a 6-0 drubbing at Bristol City, the interim boss was encouraged by his side’s battling qualities that almost earned them a draw against Reading on Saturday, despite playing with 10 men for three quarters of the game.
However, he was disappointed with the tentativeness in possession which he hopes they can improve on against the Bees.
Phillips said: “The one slight disappointment for me reflecting on the Reading game is that, although we worked very hard defensively, in possession of the ball I know there is a lot more quality in the squad than they showed on Saturday.
“We didn’t retain the ball anywhere near as much as we should have done.
“That’s probably down to players’ confidence as individuals.
“That filtered throughout the team really.
“There were only perhaps four or five times in the game where we did keep the ball for four or five passes.
“When they did, although we didn’t create many clear-cut opportunities, they should have grown in confidence.”
A last-gasp Ola John wonder goal inflicted defeat on Wanderers at the weekend but Phillips hopes the players have not had their morale dented too much after an improved display.
He added: “We have to see how the players react to the disappointment of losing late on at the weekend.
“In the previous two weeks, they have been quite lively in training when you consider our league position.
“We are hoping confidence doesn’t get worse because we are at the stage now where the players have to show what they can do and build for next season.
“I know there is a lot more footballing ability in the dressing room than we saw in possession on Saturday.
“Between now and the end of the season, it is about how we perform.
“That will be a key indicator of what we are going to do next season.
“The players certainly have got more footballing ability.
“We want to encourage them to bring that and combine it with being hard to beat.
“It’s a balance we need to get right.”
Source
The Whites head to west London without a win on the road in almost 12 months – the one-year anniversary of their last away triumph at Cardiff City falling tomorrow.
They haven’t tasted victory away from the Macron in 21 Championship games since the win in the Welsh capital last April – and have lost 16 of those.
The winless run started at Griffin Park and as Phillips prepares his side for a return visit almost a year on, he is hoping they do not go into the game with that record weighing heavily on their minds.
Phillips told The Bolton News: “It can become an issue with players in their heads that we haven’t won away.
“I think it depends on the individual.
“Whether we are home or away we have to impose ourselves.
“The mental approach is key – we need to be braver in possession.
“Having more responsibility on the ball will help us get into games quicker.
“We have always been competitive when I have been involved at first-team level before. We need to do that again.”
Wanderers have lost both matches since local lad Phillips picked up the managerial reins.
But after a 6-0 drubbing at Bristol City, the interim boss was encouraged by his side’s battling qualities that almost earned them a draw against Reading on Saturday, despite playing with 10 men for three quarters of the game.
However, he was disappointed with the tentativeness in possession which he hopes they can improve on against the Bees.
Phillips said: “The one slight disappointment for me reflecting on the Reading game is that, although we worked very hard defensively, in possession of the ball I know there is a lot more quality in the squad than they showed on Saturday.
“We didn’t retain the ball anywhere near as much as we should have done.
“That’s probably down to players’ confidence as individuals.
“That filtered throughout the team really.
“There were only perhaps four or five times in the game where we did keep the ball for four or five passes.
“When they did, although we didn’t create many clear-cut opportunities, they should have grown in confidence.”
A last-gasp Ola John wonder goal inflicted defeat on Wanderers at the weekend but Phillips hopes the players have not had their morale dented too much after an improved display.
He added: “We have to see how the players react to the disappointment of losing late on at the weekend.
“In the previous two weeks, they have been quite lively in training when you consider our league position.
“We are hoping confidence doesn’t get worse because we are at the stage now where the players have to show what they can do and build for next season.
“I know there is a lot more footballing ability in the dressing room than we saw in possession on Saturday.
“Between now and the end of the season, it is about how we perform.
“That will be a key indicator of what we are going to do next season.
“The players certainly have got more footballing ability.
“We want to encourage them to bring that and combine it with being hard to beat.
“It’s a balance we need to get right.”
Source
