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No team in League One has matched Bolton Wanderers’ form over the last 10 games – and George Johnston believes that will add some spice to the season run-in.
Ian Evatt’s side has won seven, drawn once, and lost twice since mid-January – but will have to rely on other clubs dropping off to reach the play-offs, even if they managed to prolong their current trajectory.
Johnston is trying to ignore any points projections for now but is happy to have something to play for in the last couple of months of the campaign.
“There is definitely something to play for now. We didn’t want the season to fizzle out in mid-table so there is certainly something to play for and we’ll just take it a game at a time, see where we get to.”
Johnston has also found a new lease of life on the left side of Wanderers’ back three, forming a partnership with Declan John, which has caught the eye in the last few weeks.
Success, says the defender, has been based on good communication.
“I have the license to get forward,” he explained. “Me and Dec have got a good partnership with each other, understand each other’s game and know each other’s role within the team as well. We try to play to each other’s strengths.
“Communication is massive, in and out of possession. In possession I see it kind of like a triangle with me, Kyle (Dempsey) and Dec, and I think it works well.”
Changing from a back four to three central defenders and wing-backs has proved an important turning point for Evatt’s side – but Johnston says his own job has not changed a great deal.
“Someone out of the back five is always trying to press the ball, so the ones behind are still in a back four, so it’s similar in some aspects,” he said of the new system. “The jobs remain the same - just sticking with your man, not getting beat, winning your duels, so it’s kind of similar.
“But when you are attacking, obviously Dec has got more licence to be on the last line of their defence and I can go and join in when the time is right. It is similar in some ways but then in possession it is a bit different, a bit more expansive.”
Playing at the UniBol is certainly more enjoyable for Johnston and an improving Wanderers side of late – and the former Liverpool man hopes he can get involved with more Thunderclap celebrations at the final whistle on Tuesday.
“We did it after Oxford and Wimbledon, and it has been good to join in,” he said. “I think we all enjoy playing at home. I think the pitch is one of the best in the league, if not the best, and we know the form that we’ve been on at home and we see it as a bit of a fortress now. So as long as we can keep that going, make it a very difficult place for teams to come then we’ll be in good stead.”
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