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George Johnston admits Wanderers’ Covid lay-off puts them at a serious disadvantage for this Saturday’s game at League One leaders Rotherham United.
Stymied by a three-week pause in games after the virus swept round the Bolton camp, affecting at least 18 players and backroom staff, life has only recently returned to normality on the training ground at Lostock.
Johnston says players have tried to keep themselves in shape over the Christmas break and that the squad has had an “extra spring in their step” since returning en masse at the start of the week.
But he is unsure what effect the long break will have on Ian Evatt’s squad as they head to the New York Stadium on New Year’s Day.
“Personally, I’d prefer to have been playing every week and training than having a week off and recovering,” he told The Bolton News.
“People might think you come back fresh but it’s not always the case as a footballer, you want to keep yourself ticking along.
“The lads were are good professionals off the pitch and will have kept themselves going, doing runs and stuff, but it is not the same as playing football every day.
“Immediately Rotherham have one-up on us but we can’t use it as an excuse.”
The Millers found themselves two up at Wanderers back in September, Paul Warne’s side underlining their promotion credentials with an efficient and effective performance.
Johnston – who also had a goal ruled out for offside - felt Wanderers deserved a little more than they got on the day.
“We know it will be a difficult game, they are top of the league and I remember the game here earlier in the season was fast, competitive, but the only difference was that they scored from two set pieces,” he said.
“I felt we dominated other than that and maybe should have got something out of it, especially in the second half.
“They are top, have all the confidence, and we’re still coming off a few bad results. So we need to turn things around.”
Set pieces – both defensive and attacking – have been a topic of hot debate at Wanderers, where the numbers continue to make grim reading.
No side in the division has scored fewer goals from free kicks and corners, and only Doncaster, Crewe and Oxford produce fewer shots on goal, on ratio.
Defensively, Johnston also admits there is improvement to be made.
“We do a lot of work on them, and sometimes it hasn’t quite come off,” he said.
“In terms of attacking set pieces I think you can see we’re trying to do the right thing.
“When we played Rotherham at home we conceded from a corner and then a throw-in, so of course it’s an area we have to switch on defensively as well and make sure we’re organised.
“As a defender I take it personally. It hurts when we concede from a set piece because it feels like the opposition haven’t really had to work to score a goal.
“It can be tough to take and it’s something we will be extra wary of this weekend.”
Wanderers have been forced to dwell on disappointing defeats at Fleetwood and Accrington during their fixture pause but Johnston hopes to give fans and the club something more upbeat to discuss.
“Going away to top of the league and getting three points would probably be the best statement we could make,” he said.
“The last couple of weeks it has been Covid, Covid, Covid, so we’re looking forward to getting back to talking about football again.
“Everyone is in the same boat now, we want to get through it. When you turn on the TV it is the only thing that comes up, when you come in it’s the first thing that is spoken about.
“Football might be a good distraction to it all, really.
“Since everything got shut down, this is the worst it has been.
“When things were behind closed doors you might get the odd positive case, here and there. But not 75 per cent of the squad.
“This is the hardest we have had it since the pandemic started.
“Before the Wycombe game we were just preparing as normal, coming into training every day, but with the EFL guidelines you have to test every day. We got a few at first but then it was more and more, and the whole place had to get shut down.
“It has been tough. Most of the squad have had it now, and I’m not up on the technical stuff but I’m pretty sure those who have had it won’t get it again for a couple of months.
“There is anxiety for the ones who still have to test but it’s just the way these days.”
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