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Not for the first time in his tenure at Bolton Wanderers, Ian Evatt has been weighing up the pros and cons on the left side of his defence.
While Conor Bradley has held down the right wing-back slot for the vast majority of this season, the opposite flank has been more of an ensemble cast, from which the Bolton boss has chopped and changed according to opposition.
Whilst that approach has given him some tactical flexibility, and kept opposition managers guessing, it also arguably means that no player has ever been able to play himself into top form.
No fewer than seven different players have played left wing-back for Bolton this term – Jack Iredale, Declan John, Randell Williams, Gethin Jones, Dapo Afolayan, Owen Beck and Kieran Sadlier. And as Evatt leads his team to face league leaders Sheffield Wednesday on Friday, no position in his starting line-up is subject to more debate.
Evatt opted for experience in Saturday’s home defeat against Ipswich Town, using the right-footed Jones to try and negate one of the Tractor Boys’ main supply lines in Wes Burns. That came at a cost to Welshman, John, who was dropped out of the squad completely, with Williams selected on the bench due to his ability to play either side of the back five.
The score and performance did little to back up Evatt’s decision. And now, faced with a trip to league leaders Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, it might well be a case of returning to the drawing board for a new plan of action.
According to Whoscored.com, more than 40 per cent of the Owls’ attacking has been done down their right side this season, most of which has passed through the virtually ever-present Liam Palmer.
Elsewhere on that side of the pitch, Darren Moore may have to rotate his options. Dominic Iorfa, the right-sided centre-back who often steps out in support for the midfield, is suspended, and George Byers – normally the right-sided member of a midfield three – was brought off with a muscular injury in the win against Portsmouth at the weekend.
There may even be a weakness to be exploited, given Wednesday have relied on a relatively consistent line-up through their excellent run of form and have used just 27 players all season. Only Shrewsbury Town (22) and Derby County (23) have used fewer in League One.
Such has been the uncertainty on the left for Bolton this season, though, it is not a straightforward task predicting what could happen next.
John finished last season as first choice but quickly fell behind summer arrival Jack Iredale at the start of the current campaign and had dropped completely off the radar by Christmas.
Many predicted the former Cardiff City and Rangers man would leave in the January window but a knee injury sustained by Iredale coincided with a return to grace. Before being dropped from the squad against Ipswich, he had started six of the last eight games in all competitions.
Williams was signed from Hull City in January and placed immediately into the firing line but after an initial flurry of starts, his football has mainly been played off the bench, with just one full 90 minutes against Port Vale in February.
Jones has played most of his football this season at centre-half, occasionally venturing into the right wing-back slot in Bradley’s absence. One of Evatt’s trusted lieutenants, he would have the defensive nous and experience to cope with Wednesday but potentially creates an imbalance in attack as he is not naturally a left-sided player.
Although there are some whispers that Iredale could be fully recovered by the start of May, Evatt is going to have to pick between three options at Wednesday and beyond as his team chase the play-off place they covet, hoping that somebody makes themselves indispensable.
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