Bradley must embrace competition for places at Bolton

Conor Bradley is facing extra competition at Wanderers following Lloyd Isgrove’s return to the squad – but Ian Evatt says it is something the Liverpool loanee must get used to.

Northern Ireland Bradley has made a big impact since his arrival at the UniBol, scoring three times from the wing-back role.

The 19-year-old is highly rated at Liverpool, and Evatt insists he must be prepared to battle for his place if he is to make it at the highest level.

But the Bolton boss hailed Bradley’s strong “mentality and mindset” and believes he will thrive under pressure.

“It’s the mark of a good squad if you’ve got competition everywhere, and Conor’s come from a place where there’s immense competition,” he told The Bolton News.

“You’re talking about elite football at the top end of the game in worldwide football, as he’s also an international.

“There’s always going to be competition there and it is how he deals with that. Every transfer window that Conor plays in, he’ll probably have to deal with players coming and going from his position.

“But that’s football and you have to back yourself to be the best one in that position, and one of Conor’s best assets for me is his mentality and his mindset.

“The way he plays the game is really enjoyable to watch and refreshing to see from a young player. I think he has the right attributes to deal with any of that.”

Isgrove made his return to League One action during the 3-2 win against Accrington Stanley last month following a lengthy injury lay off.

Bradley was unavailable that day through suspension, and the Welshman looked lively in the wing-back role before making way due to a formation switch.

Isgrove also featured in the Papa Johns Trophy matches against Tranmere and Leeds Under-21s, as well as a handful of appearances for the B Team to build up his sharpness.

While he was absent from the squad during Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against Oxford, the former Southampton man has proved he is ready to slot in at wing-back if needed.

However, Bradley has played a key role for the Whites since the start of the campaign, quickly adapting to the challenges of League One football.

The youngster has certainly made the most of his opportunities to get forward and join the attack in Evatt’s system, averaging more than one shot per game.

He has also averaged 5.7 dribbles, 3.2 crosses and 2.9 touches in the opposition penalty area per game.

In terms of his defensive numbers, Bradley has won 59.3 per cent of his duels and is averaging 3.4 interceptions and 6.9 recoveries per match.

There could well be a battle for the shirt over the coming weeks and months, and Evatt will be hoping that it brings the best out of both players.

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Thought Bradley was poor on Saturday. Galloped forward a lot but kept running into blind alleys and had no end product plus he was poor defensively. Maybe Evatt has reviewed his performance and has used this press release as a way of preparing the fans as a precursor to dropping him against Cambridge?