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Arthur Gnahoua is proving to be a good fit for Wanderers – and not just because he lives close to the ground.
That’s the view of boss Ian Evatt after the former Macclesfield man came off the bench to complete Bolton’s come-from-behind 3-2 win at Mansfield on Wednesday night.
It was the 28-year-old’s third goal for the club having also scored the equaliser at Exeter last month and been on target in the Papa John’s Trophy against Newcastle’s kids in November.
Gnahoua became something of a social media hit when revealing after signing back in September that proximity to his house was a major motivation for making the move to the UniBol.
But Evatt says ‘King Arthur’ is proving to be a joy to work with as he continues to provide a more than useful option in the final third for the Whites.
“It helps that he lives close to the ground, that’s a bonus,” the Bolton boss said with a smile. “But he’s a likeable lad, he is quiet, he is unassuming, there’s no ego.
“He just loves playing football. He’s not a stereotypical footballer at all.
“He loves playing for Bolton Wanderers a) because it’s close to his house but, b) because it is a fantastic football club and he has made a real impact since returning from injury.
“It is great that we can bring players on like Arthur to impact games and he showed at Mansfield with his weaker foot what a fantastic finisher he can be.
“You can see he is one of the ones who comes to work every day and really respects his surroundings.
“He loves being here, loves being a part of it and is really grateful for what he has with this club, going out to do his best for Bolton Wanderers.
“It’s the kind of character we want here.”
Of the forward’s 17 Wanderers appearances, 11 have come off the bench, the frontman having also spent a spell on the sidelines this season with a shoulder injury.
Now many supporters are calling for the France-born former Whites academy player to be given a more prominent place in the side, but Evatt insists there is nothing wrong with his current role as a super sub.
“It’s certainly up for debate,” he said.
“At the moment I think Arthur is making a bigger and better impact coming off the bench than starting games and that can happen with some players.
“The game opens up, there’s more space, and he hasn’t really got the defensive responsibility he would have had from the start.
“I think there was a certain Mr Solskjaer down the road who made a pretty good career from being an impact substitute, it’s no bad thing.
“We are very fortunate to have one.”
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