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Ian Evatt reckons the standard of League One has continued to improve – but says Wanderers are relishing the challenge.
Plymouth currently sit at the top of the table, with Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday close behind. The likes of Barnsley and Derby have also impressed after coming down from the Championship last season.
The Whites are well-placed heading into the Christmas period as they aim to consolidate their spot in the play-offs.
Evatt admits the third tier can be a “grind” at times but is determined to keep building momentum and climbing the table.
“(The standard) keeps getting higher,” said the Bolton boss. “It is only natural that there is so much talent at the top of the game and clubs are signing world class talent, the academy graduates then have to move down the pyramid because they are not going to get into these squads.
“The good players are filtering down the leagues. It is a much better league than when I played in it, I have got to say.
“It is a grind. It is 46 games long and you have got cup games in between. You have got all different challenges from going away to play at Hillsborough to going to Morecambe and places like that - it asks you a lot of different questions.
“You have to find a way to get results and it is not always the same way, especially in the winter months. We are finding that out at the moment.
“But it is a great challenge for us. There has been significant progression again this season but we are still nowhere near where we want to be. We are working really hard to make sure we get there.”
Wanderers have struggled in the final third at times this season, scoring 26 goals in 21 league matches since the start of the campaign.
However, there have been lots of promising signs from the recent wins against Manchester United Under-21s and Exeter.
Evatt has been pleased with their build-up play this season and believes it was just the “last bit of detail” that had been letting them down.
He added: “I think what we are doing in the build phase and the middle third is pretty good. I think our decision making in the final third needs to become more consistent along with our movement.
“Then the last bit of detail - whether it’s a pass, a cross or a finish - needs to be more consistent as well. But I am seeing the right signs.
“We just have to back our players that the more we get into those areas, the more likely it is we are going to start taking those chances when everything clicks together. I think it is starting to get to that stage.”
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