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Topping Saturday’s five-goal romp at Peterborough United might be tough going for Wanderers but Ian Evatt remains convinced it can be done.
While for most Bolton fans, the biggest away win in 22 years will live long in the memory as a day where everything went right – the manger’s Sunday morning investigation of the game showed up areas which needed improvement.
Evatt believes his team has a job on their hands now to clear celebratory thoughts from their head and “reset” for another 90 minutes against an improving MK Dons side at the UniBol.
“Saturday was brilliant, I am so pleased for everyone, but I genuinely do believe that it can be topped,” he told The Bolton News. “There are parts of that game that can be improved upon. The pleasing thing was that a lot of our chances were critical chances and we managed to take them all.
“We kept them at arm’s length but, at times, we got the press slightly wrong because of new personnel. I think we asked a bit too much of our midfield players.
“The problem we can get with the system we play against a back four is sometimes deciding who goes to the full-backs. At times our wing-backs were pinned back by wide forwards when really we’d expect them to jump forward to their full-backs, and then make the slide across from one of our wider centre-backs. At times we got that wrong on Saturday.
“We got a lot right as well, and it was a pleasing one, no doubt about it. But it is only one win.
“MK Dons is a completely different challenge now. We don’t get any advantage because we got a good result at Peterborough. We have to go again.”
Tonight’s opponents have won their last two games away from home at Bristol Rovers and Forest Green but have struggled to pull clear of the relegation dogfight for much of the season.
The appointment of ex-Leeds United academy coach Mark Jackson as manager in December brought with it a change in style from previous manager Liam Manning, and a different set of problems for Evatt and his side to solve.
“They have changed shape, and instead of the 3-4-3 they played last season they are more of a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3,” the manager said. “You can see the Leeds United background shining through with them from the coach and the manager, it is an aggressive and intense press with a lot of energy. That is what we will have to match, first and foremost.
“When we get the moments we have to take them, as we did on Saturday, but this is going to be a very tough game. They are fighting for their lives and had some positive results of late, so we will have to be at our best.
“We have set a high bar – and that is football. Expectancy will always be there, always jumping up at you, but pressure is a privilege for us.”
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