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Ian Evatt is happy to see that a clean sheet mentality is finally spreading throughout his squad.
Since shifting formation against Ipswich a fortnight ago, the Whites have now managed back-to-back games without conceding a goal, something they had not achieved since April in League Two.
Though Evatt’s side cannot be categorised as defensive, the move to a back five and return of Gethin Jones from injury has given them a confidence which has not been seen since the club’s promotion run last season.
“That has to be the foundation,” Evatt said. “We have to give ourselves a platform to go and win games, and we haven’t done that too many times.
“We have gone behind, given away sloppy goals, and it dented our belief.
“Today (against Shrewsbury) we stood up to everything and didn’t concede too many opportunities and chances.
“We defended our box really well and I thought the back three/five and goalkeeper were excellent in that.
“We defend as a team now and this is what this shape has given us.”
Wanderers by no means look the finished article, and though Dion Charles’ fine finish secured three points at the Montgomery Waters Stadium, Shrewsbury’s goal had remained relatively unthreatened until the last quarter of the game.
Defensively, they absorbed everything their hosts could muster. And the newfound resolve is something Evatt is keen to foster.
“It has been a mixture of everything,” he said. “We are still a work in progress in possession and we’ve got loads more work to do on that, but fundamentally we have stopped the rot and become hard to beat again, which is pleasing.”
“The bodies we bought in January and the quality of the training sessions has really gone up, and that’s lifted everyone’s confidence and belief.
“The club has brought in good footballers, good players, good competition, and everyone has to stand up.
“On top of that we’ve got some key players back. Gethin is a huge key player for us and we have missed him immensely. Not only his football ability but his leadership qualities and he makes Rico (Ricardo Santos) a better player.
“Things are moving in the right direction, but we know that we have got lots of work to do.”
Evatt talked about creating a ‘Wanderers 2.0’ in January, as the worst of the Covid and injury problems began to subside. The new design, it would appear, is being built from the back.
“Clean sheets win you football matches and yes, we want to be free-scoring and we think that there is more of that to come, but if you keep a clean sheet, it means you can’t lose and it gives you a platform to build from. Back-to-back clean sheets are extremely pleasing for us.
“We look strong, we look solid, we didn’t really look like losing the game against Shrewsbury or conceding a goal. I thought we grew into the game really well and it was only us who looked like winning it.
“I thought we really upped the tempo once Jon (Dadi Bodvarsson) came on and had some good opportunities, some good passages of play, and it was a matter of time (before Bolton scored).
“I am really pleased for Dion to score a wonderful goal in what was a fantastic away support and great scenes at the end.”
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