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Ian Evatt has warned Wanderers to underestimate Oldham at their peril.
Latics arrive at the University of Bolton Stadium this afternoon propping up the League Two table with just one point from their opening five games, making the home side the favourites.
But Evatt said last weekend’s experience against Grimsby Town should serve as a stark reminder that nothing can be taken for granted in football.
The Mariners had not played or trained for three weeks because of Covid restrictions, but showed no signs of rustiness in coming away with a goalless draw.
So Evatt knows the league table will count for nothing once the whistle blows today.
“Every game in this league is difficult. Anyone can beat anyone at any stage, I think the league table is showing that. There are some strange results, but you have to have some sort of consistency and the most consistent teams will succeed,” said the Bolton boss.
“We have to not worry about them, not think about them - give them the respect these teams deserve but concentrate on what we want to do, what we’re trying to implement and if we do that and to the level that I believe we can then I think we’ll win.
“I think that when you’re down the bottom of the league the first goal is always important, either way.
“I think if we get the first goal, when teams are struggling you can be low on confidence and that can really affect you.
“I think if we’d have got one on Saturday against Grimsby, we’d have won the game comfortably.”
And Evatt doesn’t mind how that breakthrough comes.
“I think it can be a goal off someone’s backside or a deflection or something like that which can make all the difference,” he said.
“But we can’t rely on luck, we have to make our own luck, and that means being better at what we do. We just need to keep continuing to strive for improvement. We do that on the training pitch.
“We’ve had some pretty hefty conversations especially earlier on in the week about how we can be better, how we can improve, what I want them to do to improve.
“I’ve seen a reaction and improvement this week so it’s another opportunity to go out there (today) and try to get a win.”
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Latics arrive at the University of Bolton Stadium this afternoon propping up the League Two table with just one point from their opening five games, making the home side the favourites.
But Evatt said last weekend’s experience against Grimsby Town should serve as a stark reminder that nothing can be taken for granted in football.
The Mariners had not played or trained for three weeks because of Covid restrictions, but showed no signs of rustiness in coming away with a goalless draw.
So Evatt knows the league table will count for nothing once the whistle blows today.
“Every game in this league is difficult. Anyone can beat anyone at any stage, I think the league table is showing that. There are some strange results, but you have to have some sort of consistency and the most consistent teams will succeed,” said the Bolton boss.
“We have to not worry about them, not think about them - give them the respect these teams deserve but concentrate on what we want to do, what we’re trying to implement and if we do that and to the level that I believe we can then I think we’ll win.
“I think that when you’re down the bottom of the league the first goal is always important, either way.
“I think if we get the first goal, when teams are struggling you can be low on confidence and that can really affect you.
“I think if we’d have got one on Saturday against Grimsby, we’d have won the game comfortably.”
And Evatt doesn’t mind how that breakthrough comes.
“I think it can be a goal off someone’s backside or a deflection or something like that which can make all the difference,” he said.
“But we can’t rely on luck, we have to make our own luck, and that means being better at what we do. We just need to keep continuing to strive for improvement. We do that on the training pitch.
“We’ve had some pretty hefty conversations especially earlier on in the week about how we can be better, how we can improve, what I want them to do to improve.
“I’ve seen a reaction and improvement this week so it’s another opportunity to go out there (today) and try to get a win.”
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