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Wanderers could be without another three first team players for their trip to Bristol Rovers tomorrow.
Jack Hobbs was pulled out of Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat against Rochdale after a painkilling injection in his back failed to settle and is now doubtful.
Keith Hill’s side are likely to be without teenage midfielder Sonny Graham, who was forced off the pitch after rolling his ankle in the second half.
But the latest blow for Bolton comes in the form of Belgian winger Thibaud Verlinden, who complained of a groin problem late in the game. The on-loan Stoke City star has been one of the side’s brightest lights in recent weeks and has two goals to his name this season.
Wanderers assistant David Flitcroft is determined to keep a stiff upper lip despite the squad already missing key players like Liam Bridcutt, Ben Alnwick, Harry Brockbank, Will Buckley, Liam Edwards, Joe Bunney and Ronan Darcy.
“We’ll have a body count,” he told The Bolton News. “Thibaud was carrying something for the last 10-15 minutes, Sonny had to come off with an ankle injury. It’s tough.
“The players are committing to what we want them to do. We are all playing catch-up and everyone knows that. When you seem to be on that path, getting players up to a certain speed, we get a couple of setbacks. That’s the challenge.
“We’ll look at the stats and plan the trip down to Bristol based on what we have got available.”
On the plus side, Chris O’Grady returned from a dislocated knee to make his first Wanderers appearance and Josh Earl was also fit enough for a place on the bench, having not featured since the opening day of the season.
Flitcroft says the length of the injury list is not down solely to Wanderers’ lack of pre-season.
“Bridcutt was a nasty collision, Chris O’Grady popped his knee out from a movement, Jack Hobbs is a historical problem which has plagued him in his career, Sonny has rolled his ankle, Thibaud has tweaked his groin… You can look at not having a pre-season, maybe we’re not as robust, but it’s for the players to keep going through the miles and the pain barrier to get to the stage where they can see games out.”
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Jack Hobbs was pulled out of Saturday’s 3-1 home defeat against Rochdale after a painkilling injection in his back failed to settle and is now doubtful.
Keith Hill’s side are likely to be without teenage midfielder Sonny Graham, who was forced off the pitch after rolling his ankle in the second half.
But the latest blow for Bolton comes in the form of Belgian winger Thibaud Verlinden, who complained of a groin problem late in the game. The on-loan Stoke City star has been one of the side’s brightest lights in recent weeks and has two goals to his name this season.
Wanderers assistant David Flitcroft is determined to keep a stiff upper lip despite the squad already missing key players like Liam Bridcutt, Ben Alnwick, Harry Brockbank, Will Buckley, Liam Edwards, Joe Bunney and Ronan Darcy.
“We’ll have a body count,” he told The Bolton News. “Thibaud was carrying something for the last 10-15 minutes, Sonny had to come off with an ankle injury. It’s tough.
“The players are committing to what we want them to do. We are all playing catch-up and everyone knows that. When you seem to be on that path, getting players up to a certain speed, we get a couple of setbacks. That’s the challenge.
“We’ll look at the stats and plan the trip down to Bristol based on what we have got available.”
On the plus side, Chris O’Grady returned from a dislocated knee to make his first Wanderers appearance and Josh Earl was also fit enough for a place on the bench, having not featured since the opening day of the season.
Flitcroft says the length of the injury list is not down solely to Wanderers’ lack of pre-season.
“Bridcutt was a nasty collision, Chris O’Grady popped his knee out from a movement, Jack Hobbs is a historical problem which has plagued him in his career, Sonny has rolled his ankle, Thibaud has tweaked his groin… You can look at not having a pre-season, maybe we’re not as robust, but it’s for the players to keep going through the miles and the pain barrier to get to the stage where they can see games out.”
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