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Ian Evatt admits he cannot afford to take Josh Sheehan out of the firing line despite the midfielder being just one yellow card away from a two-game suspension.
The Welsh playmaker is currently on nine cautions for the season, with three games to go before the amnesty in League One.
Sheehan has been an integral part of Wanderers’ first team this season but must negotiate this afternoon’s match against Cambridge United, plus the following ones at Barnsley and Exeter City without picking up another yellow if he is to avoid a ban.
His situation presents a dilemma for Evatt, who admits it was part of the reason he withdrew him in the second half at Wigan in midweek.
“We can’t afford to lose Josh at the moment, there is no denying that, he has been an outstanding player for us this season, one of our most consistent,” he told The Bolton News.
“That is in the back of my mind, and it was one of the reasons I did take him off on Tuesday.
“I also felt we needed to get an extra forward on the pitch because we were putting a lot of balls into the box and having an extra physical presence on the last line probably would have helped us.
“We felt like we could slightly tweak the system to play Aaron Collins just in behind the two strikers and then have two midfielders that are of a slightly more attacking nature than Josh, who is more of a builder, creator.
“It didn’t work out – so Josh is ready to go again Saturday and not suspended, and fingers crossed he can get through the next three games without receiving that yellow that would make him miss a couple of games.”
Evatt has himself avoided a touchline ban after successfully appealing a red card handed to him by referee Jeremy Simpson during the half time interval at Northampton Town last month.
The personal hearing had been lingering in the background for the last few weeks but the Bolton boss was pleased to get what he felt was a fair conclusion.
“I was concerned because I knew at the time what had happened. It shouldn’t have happened," he said.
“When it is hanging over you, you never really know how it is going to end.
“I don’t think it would have been helpful to our team if I am sat in the stand, so it is great that it won’t be the case.”
Wanderers face Cambridge for the second time in a fortnight hoping to get the same outcome as they did at the Abbey Stadium.
Goals from Paris Maghoma and Carlos Mendes Gomes earned three points in a game which had been rescheduled after an initial postponement and proved to be the last in charge for Neil Harris, who moved on to Millwall just 24 hours later.
Barry Corr has taken temporary charge and Evatt does not expect too many alterations to the gameplan.
“We have seen more of the same,” he said. “They have a caretaker manager which was part of the coaching staff so their ideas and ideology looks the same.
“We only played each other two weeks ago so we think the game will be pretty similar.
“It is down to us to execute our plan and performance level because that would give us a great chance of winning.”
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