Fiorentina

With 8 injured, we are not in the best position to take on the Serie A beasts and I anticipate a drubbing but.... it will be a good test for the players and the battle between Santos and Moise Keane in particular should be a good watch. This is the kind of game where the likes of GT, Arfield and a fit Dempsey could help quash their talented midfield and we may learn a lot defensively, but I can't imagine we'll see much in the way of expansive play from us although no doubt we'll try.
Here's hoping we give a good account of ourselves, don't get any more injuries and maybe put Santos in the shop window for a League that may actually suit him.

Can't get to the game as i'm going to Majorca very early on Saturday morning. Don't miss me too much chaps 

I remember when Gabriel Batistuta played for them in the early 90's and was glued to the telly every Sunday morning I think it was watching Football Italia. Exciting times!

Well that was a great performance and a great result. The new system seems to work well for the most part - akin to a modified 343 - but requires GT and Sheehan to do a lot more legwork but it pays off.
Tetchy at the death - initiated by Johnston's crunching tackle on Kean plus the evident frustration of Fiorentina's stars not getting the easy ride they might have expected from a third tier English club.
But fair play to them congratulating our lads on a good performance at the end.
Encouraging all round.

The Highlights:

Was it a foul?



In my day - no - he got the ball first.

These days - probably yes - he did get the ball first but his trailing leg (which was always in contact with the ground AND wasn't showing any studs) swept the other players standing leg from under him - and may even have seriously injured him.

Ian Evatt reckons a deserved draw against Fiorentina should give his players a real confidence boost ahead of the League One campaign.

Victor Adeboyejo scored a second-half equaliser in an exciting contest against last season’s UEFA Conference League runners-up, who were playing the first of a three-game tour of northern England.

Croatia international Josip Brekalo had put the Serie A side ahead and both sides missed good chances before a tempestuous finish in which three players were given yellow cards – somewhat of a rarity in pre-season friendlies.

Evatt, who continued to adapt a new 3-4-3 system, says his side can take a lot from their third pre-season outing.

“I really enjoyed the game,” he said. “I know it became petulant the last 10-15 minutes but I have just said to the players that we should take that as a compliment because we more than held our own and I don’t think they liked it very much.

“That is a new experience for us but I thought it was a really enjoyable game, a high-quality game, and even the referees have said that. Some of their players came across and said they were impressed, couldn’t believe we are a third-tier team.

“Belief is something we speak about all the time but that is something you have to earn. I think that performance should give the players belief because it was excellent.”

Wanderers only named eight outfield players on the bench, a handful completing their first 90-minute stint since returning in the summer.

Evatt was pleased with his team’s fitness levels, and the impact of the players he brought on in the second half.

“I thought we looked the stronger and we finished the stronger,” he said.

“Obviously we are light on numbers, and we are working hard to bring recruits in, and get people back fit again. They are getting there – Dion Charles is back full training now and should be involved on Tuesday against Stoke City, Chris Forino will be back next week as well, so the bodies are returning.”

Aaron Collins was taken off at half time as a precaution, having been injured in a challenge on the edge of his own penalty area.

“I think it was just as he was fouled, the lad scraped down his knee,” Evatt explained. “It is quite a nasty gash on his knee and there is a bit of bruising, more of a dead leg, but he should be fine.”

Tempers flared late in the game, sparked initially by a rousing challenge from George Johnston on Moise Kean, which had players from both sides pushing and shoving each other.

The Bolton defender was booked by referee Bobby Madley but Evatt played down the seriousness of the offence.

He said: “Back when I was a centre-back that was a great challenge. In England it’s applauded and a very good, strong tackle and in Europe it’s probably a red card. You saw the difference out there tonight, it’s a cultural difference.

“The pleasing thing for me was that the players stuck up for themselves and stuck together because we are going to have to do that this season.”

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Bolton Wanderers: George Thomason on Fiorentina clash

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George Thomason reckons Wanderers can take encouragement from their display against Fiorentina – and how the game turned “a little bit sour” in the second half.

The Whites matched their Serie A opponents for large spells at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, and Thomason feels that is why tempers started to flare as the game went on.

The midfielder enjoyed the chance to test himself against quality opposition and believes it will stand the group in good stead as the new season edges closer.

“It was very enjoyable,” he said. “Obviously, these boys are some of Europe’s best players, they are in a top division and play in the top competitions.

“It was good to put ourselves out there, give a good account of ourselves and test ourselves against some really good players.”

When asked about the feisty second half, Thomason grinned: “A proper game of football!

“Some people can say friendlies are played in certain tones but I definitely don’t think it was tonight.

“It was a competitive game that I think we were getting the better of, and I think that is why they turned a little bit sour at the end.”

There were a couple of scuffles, the second sparked by a late challenge on Thomason, but the 23-year-old had no complaints when all was said and done.

“It is part and parcel of the game,” he insisted. “I don’t mind it, I probably give out my fair few so you have to take it when it comes your way.”

The Wanderers squad have now had a handful of games to build up their sharpness and experiment with a few tweaks.

Thomason reckons there are plenty of positives to build on and is determined to kick on in the coming weeks.

“We are coming to the back end of it so the boys are getting a few more minutes and that real sharpness is coming into the legs,” he explained.

“I think the fans here tonight will have seen we are trying different things, strategies are a little bit different and it is enjoyable.

“The system is good to play in and I think we are working smarter. It is really fun out there.”

Klaidi Lolos and Scott Arfield were both involved against the Italian club, while Chris Forino and Luke Southwood have also joined the group this summer.

Thomason is used to change at Wanderers, having seen plenty of faces come and go since joining the club in 2020.

The tenacious midfielder says the new additions are bedding in well ahead of the League One opener against Leyton Orient in two weeks’ time.

“The group of boys here are all class, there are no bad eggs,” he said. “They have fitted in well and I think they are getting to grips with what the manager wants.”

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