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Phil Parkinson wants bravery from his players as they go into battle at Bramall Lane.
After a hard-fought point at Bradford City on Saturday, Wanderers face league leaders Sheffield United in an environment every bit as inhospitable at the one they faced at Valley Parade last weekend.
Parkinson gave his troops a couple of days off to ready themselves for another key game in the promotion race.
The Whites boss could have Chris Long back from a hamstring injury to boost his options against the Blades, and believes the same survival instinct which helped his side claw back a two-goal deficit in the second half on Saturday will be needed again to get a result.
“Bramall Lane will have the same kind of intensity but the pitch will definitely be better and with that in mind, we have to play,” he told The Bolton News.
“We know we can. [Against] Walsall we were magnificent in all sides of our games. Rochdale became a fight and we got hurried out of things a bit too much.
“At Bradford the first half was not good enough but in the second half we got more control over the ball and we were braver. Bravery is two things in football; it can be a physical challenge and putting your body on the line for the team but it can also be showing for the ball when the pressure is on.
“We’ll need both at Sheffield United.”
Parkinson will be without two key players in suspended skipper Jay Spearing and full-back Andy Taylor – but praised midfielder Josh Vela for stepping up his own game at Bradford.
“It will always be a test missing players like that,” he said. “But we have leaders still in there and it was great to see Josh Vela stand up and take the baton in the second half.
“He said ‘I am going to be the man’ and from day one in pre-season I’d told him he can’t be the young player coming through any more.
“He has to be more than that for us now.
“He was fantastic and covered every single blade of grass for us.
“He will take a lot of heart from that game and take it to Sheffield United.”
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After a hard-fought point at Bradford City on Saturday, Wanderers face league leaders Sheffield United in an environment every bit as inhospitable at the one they faced at Valley Parade last weekend.
Parkinson gave his troops a couple of days off to ready themselves for another key game in the promotion race.
The Whites boss could have Chris Long back from a hamstring injury to boost his options against the Blades, and believes the same survival instinct which helped his side claw back a two-goal deficit in the second half on Saturday will be needed again to get a result.
“Bramall Lane will have the same kind of intensity but the pitch will definitely be better and with that in mind, we have to play,” he told The Bolton News.
“We know we can. [Against] Walsall we were magnificent in all sides of our games. Rochdale became a fight and we got hurried out of things a bit too much.
“At Bradford the first half was not good enough but in the second half we got more control over the ball and we were braver. Bravery is two things in football; it can be a physical challenge and putting your body on the line for the team but it can also be showing for the ball when the pressure is on.
“We’ll need both at Sheffield United.”
Parkinson will be without two key players in suspended skipper Jay Spearing and full-back Andy Taylor – but praised midfielder Josh Vela for stepping up his own game at Bradford.
“It will always be a test missing players like that,” he said. “But we have leaders still in there and it was great to see Josh Vela stand up and take the baton in the second half.
“He said ‘I am going to be the man’ and from day one in pre-season I’d told him he can’t be the young player coming through any more.
“He has to be more than that for us now.
“He was fantastic and covered every single blade of grass for us.
“He will take a lot of heart from that game and take it to Sheffield United.”
Source
