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Wanderers expect Chris Forino to be out of action for the foreseeable future with a “significant” hamstring tear, Ian Evatt has confirmed.
The centre-back will undergo scans today on an injury picked up in the second half against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup but is not expected to return to action until after the upcoming international break.
That leaves Bolton short on fit centre-halves, with Ricardo Santos, Eoin Toal and George Johnston joined by academy graduate Sam Inwood for the squad being considered for Saturday’s game against Crawley.
"He is having a scan but we're expecting a pretty significant injury but we can't give any more detail than that." updated the Bolton boss.
Carlos Mendes Gomes is making progress and Klaidi Lolos, who won promotion to League One at the Broadfield Stadium last season, is also nearing a first team return.
“Carlos is doing great but we are going to have to temper that enthusiasm for the time being because a bit like George Johnston we have to manage him back into a rhythm slowly,” Evatt said.
“We could have Klaidi back next week. He was very close to being involved in this game but didn’t quite make it but I would think by next Saturday and certainly by the international break he will be back up to full speed and ready to go.”
Lolos will miss out against his former club but has been assisting with some background information this week which Evatt hopes could give him the upper hand.
The versatile midfielder has been backed to find a position on his return despite a change in system from the one he was signed to play in during the summer.
“When we recruit players we always have that flexibility in mind and Klaidi can play eight, nine or 10 no problem at all,” the manager said.
“He has been really good for me this week and even though Scott (Lindsey) has moved on, he has got a real insight into what they do, what they like to do, patterns of play and movements with and without the ball. We have managed to pick his brains as much as we can.
“Fingers crossed we can apply that information as best as possible.”
Wanderers will train this morning at Wealdstone FC, a club managed by ex-Bolton midfielder Matty Taylor. The Londoners, meanwhile, will be up at Lostock to help their preparations for a National League game at Halifax on Saturday.
Evatt rested seven players at Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night and will be carefully monitoring the squad this weekend to see which players are ready to go again at Northampton on Tuesday night.
He added: “That’s always in the back of my mind, post-Arsenal it’s three vitally important games with Crawley and Northampton away and Shrewsbury at home. If we can win those games it put us in a really good position going into the international break with a bit of a reset again.
“As you saw from Wednesday we made seven changes and there wasn’t necessarily a huge drop off. We have talented players who are getting back fit and available and the ones who’d missed large parts of pre-season are improving all the time. I do think whatever changes we make we won’t have a drop-off, it is more about the team ideology that I care about and going back to how we started on Saturday against Reading.”
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