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Gethin Jones is taking notes from the top stars as he plots a promotion path with Wanderers.
The former Everton defender is remodelling his game as a right-back to suit the style of football Ian Evatt has brought to Bolton and is not afraid to do a bit of homework.
Jones helped the Whites to a fifth straight win against Barrow on Saturday, pushing them into the top seven for the first time this season. And he says his more progressive approach on the right side of defence can help his side get the goals they need to reach League One.
“The gaffer wants us full-backs to get in behind as much as we can and link well with the wingers. He wants all sorts of things,” he said. “It isn’t just head and kick it.
“My work in the final third can definitely improve. I have the fitness to get up and down the pitch all day but I think I need to believe in myself a bit more to get the goals and assists.
“One I have been watching quite a bit of is (Joao) Cancelo at Manchester City. It isn’t just about running up and down, you need to come into the pockets of space in centre mid and receive the ball because sometimes if a winger is marking you, you won’t get the ball. You need to find solutions and I think I did that quite a lot today.
“I do look at Trent (Alexander-Arnold) – I can’t remember how many assists he got last season – and that’s definitely a side of my game I need to work on more, try to do what he’s doing.
“All you can do is learn from these big players and try things out in training. A lot of our players work on crossing, heading, passing, and I think it’s working for us.”
Wanderers are playing catch-up after a slow first half of the season but Jones is confident success is around the corner if a buoyant team can stick to their principles.
“The squad we have got now, we’ve got players who can come off the bench and win games for us. It has been three or four games now – Mansfield, Southend, Shaun (Miller) popped up with one right at the end. We will keep going, we won’t give up in any game and that is the best thing about this team,” he said.
“We know we should be higher, we should have been better at the start of the season. But things are coming off better now.”
The winning feeling has boosted the mood within a Bolton squad which had been created in extraordinary circumstances.
“The spirit in the training ground and in the dressing room is brilliant – it’s one of the best I have been involved in,” Jones said. “It has been difficult with no fans being here we can’t gel with them. On top of that we haven’t been able to meet up with the lads outside the training ground so when we are together we try to have the best laugh we can.
“When we travel to away games we try to be among each other as best we can on the bus, in the hotel. Results are helping and I think you can tell that on the pitch.”
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The former Everton defender is remodelling his game as a right-back to suit the style of football Ian Evatt has brought to Bolton and is not afraid to do a bit of homework.
Jones helped the Whites to a fifth straight win against Barrow on Saturday, pushing them into the top seven for the first time this season. And he says his more progressive approach on the right side of defence can help his side get the goals they need to reach League One.
“The gaffer wants us full-backs to get in behind as much as we can and link well with the wingers. He wants all sorts of things,” he said. “It isn’t just head and kick it.
“My work in the final third can definitely improve. I have the fitness to get up and down the pitch all day but I think I need to believe in myself a bit more to get the goals and assists.
“One I have been watching quite a bit of is (Joao) Cancelo at Manchester City. It isn’t just about running up and down, you need to come into the pockets of space in centre mid and receive the ball because sometimes if a winger is marking you, you won’t get the ball. You need to find solutions and I think I did that quite a lot today.
“I do look at Trent (Alexander-Arnold) – I can’t remember how many assists he got last season – and that’s definitely a side of my game I need to work on more, try to do what he’s doing.
“All you can do is learn from these big players and try things out in training. A lot of our players work on crossing, heading, passing, and I think it’s working for us.”
Wanderers are playing catch-up after a slow first half of the season but Jones is confident success is around the corner if a buoyant team can stick to their principles.
“The squad we have got now, we’ve got players who can come off the bench and win games for us. It has been three or four games now – Mansfield, Southend, Shaun (Miller) popped up with one right at the end. We will keep going, we won’t give up in any game and that is the best thing about this team,” he said.
“We know we should be higher, we should have been better at the start of the season. But things are coming off better now.”
The winning feeling has boosted the mood within a Bolton squad which had been created in extraordinary circumstances.
“The spirit in the training ground and in the dressing room is brilliant – it’s one of the best I have been involved in,” Jones said. “It has been difficult with no fans being here we can’t gel with them. On top of that we haven’t been able to meet up with the lads outside the training ground so when we are together we try to have the best laugh we can.
“When we travel to away games we try to be among each other as best we can on the bus, in the hotel. Results are helping and I think you can tell that on the pitch.”
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