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Wanderers jumped up to fourth in the League One table with a win against Morecambe but Ian Evatt still believes there is more to come from his side.
Undefeated and with three consecutive clean sheets in the league, Bolton have matched their points haul after four games last season and could move ahead of that trajectory with a result against Sheffield Wednesday this weekend.
Evatt was happy with the control the Whites exerted against Morecambe, whose staunch defending threatened to frustrate until Conor Bradley put his side ahead in the 39th minute.
Asked what he had made of the team’s start to the season, the manager said draws against Port Vale and Ipswich had been a slight disappointment.
“I’m more satisfied than pleased,” he maintained.
“I’d be pleased if we had 12 points. I was disappointed with Saturday and the manner of it. I do think that was two points dropped, but in the circumstances a point was okay and second half against Ipswich I was a bit disappointed, but other than that, I think we’ve done okay. Lots of work, lots of improvement to come.”
Evatt was forced to watch from the directors’ box after the Football Association confirmed a one-match touchline ban for his behaviour in the tunnel at half time during Saturday’s game at Vale Park.
While Evatt does not plan to make a habit of leaving the dugout, he said the vantage point did allow him a chance to watch the game in relatively serenity.
“The seats are really comfortable,” he joked. “I was quite calm because I could see that we were in control. I could see that we were positionally correct.
“They’re always a threat on the counter attack and I thought our control positions with the back three and Aaron playing as the pivot tonight were good, and maintained our control of the game. Our counter-press was also excellent, when they regained the ball, quite often our counter-press was really good, and our reactions were good, and we regained it quickly again.
“It is hard to break down so many men, especially when they are so deep. At times we did it really well, at times we didn’t, but it is a work in progress.”
Evatt kept in touch with the dugout via an open phone call but said the conversation was relaxed until the final stages.
“They probably got earache a bit in the last 10 minutes, but other than that I didn’t really have much to say because I did feel like we’re in complete control,” he said.
“It was never going to be the free flowing attacking what we saw against Wycombe because when there are so many men behind the ball, there isn’t really much space for us to work in and it is about us being precise with our play and then capitalising on the moments.
“We got the goal, which I thought was vital. The first goal in these games are always vital and then we just managed the game through, which was pleasing.”
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