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While disappointed their unbeaten start to the season had ended, a glance at the league table provided a quick reminder that their work over the course of five games had been worthwhile.
David Wheater won’t allow moping around on his beat at Bolton captain and though he freely accepts standards had dropped, he expects no lasting damage has been done as the team head to Deepdale tomorrow.
“You’ve got to hold your hands up and say we were too slow at the start of the game,” he told The Bolton News. “We gave them a couple of chances and that’s not really good enough.
“Whether the Wednesday night game had affected us, I don’t know. We are used to playing Tuesdays, I suppose, and there wasn’t a lot of time to prepare. But bottom line is we weren’t sharp enough and it’s got to be better against Preston.
“We were all a bit down walking back into the changing room but then you look up at the telly and see we’re still third in the table and think ‘hang on, it’s not that bad!’ “If someone had offered me this start I would have snapped their hand off. So we carry on. We can’t get too down.
“The Championship can be like that, so you have to keep going.”
Protecting against a fast start could be key against Preston, just ask Leeds United, who found themselves a goal down after only two minutes of their Carabao Cup defeat at Elland Road on Tuesday night.
Games between the two Lancastrian rivals, especially at Deepdale, have been dour affairs of late, failing to provide any thrills for the watching public.
“The last two games have been on Sky Sports,” noted Wheater. “They ended 0-0. I wonder why they haven’t bothered with this year’s game?
“I think I’d be happy with a 0-0 as a defender. I think any positive result against a good team like Preston away from home has got to be a good one. But we’ll be going to win it, of course.”
The international break has so often been a place to lick wounds for Wanderers in recent years but Wheater is rather enjoying the view at the top end of the table.
After promotion to the Championship, last season was spent frantically trying to preserve Championship status. And the club skipper has a good idea which one the fans prefer.
“To give the lads credit, whether you win or lose it’s a good place to work,” he said. “But, of course, you look up at the table and see us in third and it’s something extra. It’s great to see us doing well.
“In League One I think we were top for a little bit early on and then we started drawing games. Sheffield United caught us up in the end.
“It’s what you play for, challenging to be the top. There’s nothing like winning games and I’m sure the fans would rather watch a team which is getting points than looking at the league table every five minutes and worrying.”
Phil Parkinson came under fire for the five changes he made to a winning team against Sheffield United but Wheater has defended the Whites boss, pointing out his role in assembling the squad which has taken 10 points from the first 15 games.
“He’s done his homework,” said the centre-half. “He wants to know what you are like as a lad – and the signings he has made look really good.
“Some good players went in the summer. Lads like Fil Morais I think could have still done a good job for us in the Championship.
“But the manager is paid to make decisions and he’s putting together a decent team which has made a decent start. It’s up to us to continue that now.”
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David Wheater won’t allow moping around on his beat at Bolton captain and though he freely accepts standards had dropped, he expects no lasting damage has been done as the team head to Deepdale tomorrow.
“You’ve got to hold your hands up and say we were too slow at the start of the game,” he told The Bolton News. “We gave them a couple of chances and that’s not really good enough.
“Whether the Wednesday night game had affected us, I don’t know. We are used to playing Tuesdays, I suppose, and there wasn’t a lot of time to prepare. But bottom line is we weren’t sharp enough and it’s got to be better against Preston.
“We were all a bit down walking back into the changing room but then you look up at the telly and see we’re still third in the table and think ‘hang on, it’s not that bad!’ “If someone had offered me this start I would have snapped their hand off. So we carry on. We can’t get too down.
“The Championship can be like that, so you have to keep going.”
Protecting against a fast start could be key against Preston, just ask Leeds United, who found themselves a goal down after only two minutes of their Carabao Cup defeat at Elland Road on Tuesday night.
Games between the two Lancastrian rivals, especially at Deepdale, have been dour affairs of late, failing to provide any thrills for the watching public.
“The last two games have been on Sky Sports,” noted Wheater. “They ended 0-0. I wonder why they haven’t bothered with this year’s game?
“I think I’d be happy with a 0-0 as a defender. I think any positive result against a good team like Preston away from home has got to be a good one. But we’ll be going to win it, of course.”
The international break has so often been a place to lick wounds for Wanderers in recent years but Wheater is rather enjoying the view at the top end of the table.
After promotion to the Championship, last season was spent frantically trying to preserve Championship status. And the club skipper has a good idea which one the fans prefer.
“To give the lads credit, whether you win or lose it’s a good place to work,” he said. “But, of course, you look up at the table and see us in third and it’s something extra. It’s great to see us doing well.
“In League One I think we were top for a little bit early on and then we started drawing games. Sheffield United caught us up in the end.
“It’s what you play for, challenging to be the top. There’s nothing like winning games and I’m sure the fans would rather watch a team which is getting points than looking at the league table every five minutes and worrying.”
Phil Parkinson came under fire for the five changes he made to a winning team against Sheffield United but Wheater has defended the Whites boss, pointing out his role in assembling the squad which has taken 10 points from the first 15 games.
“He’s done his homework,” said the centre-half. “He wants to know what you are like as a lad – and the signings he has made look really good.
“Some good players went in the summer. Lads like Fil Morais I think could have still done a good job for us in the Championship.
“But the manager is paid to make decisions and he’s putting together a decent team which has made a decent start. It’s up to us to continue that now.”
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