Ian Evatt believes there are positives and negatives from not knowing what his best Bolton Wanderers team is right now as he wants more players to show they deserve to start every week and the ball is in their court.
Wanderers boss Evatt has rotated his side ofter this campaign, sometimes making three or four alterations to his team from the previous match. The move is partly done to maintain freshness and cater to different opposition teams and the challenges they pose.
But of late, changes have often been made due to Evatt feeling he is getting consistent performances from sides he selects. Four alterations were made for the FA Cup loss to Barnsley last weekend from the previous clash against Oxford United.
READ MORE: Bolton Wanderers stance on 10 players out of contract next summer outlined
Evatt felt Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Amadou Bakayoko did well off the bench in the loss to the Tykes, the latter of whom halved the deficit towards the conclusion of the 2-1 defeat. The Bolton boss believes, however, that at the moment nobody can name what his best team is right now.
Evatt has a near fully fit squad to choose from, but he believes those who are not getting regular time in the team are not taking their chances when provided with an opportunity. The Whites number one feels there needs to be more within the squad who take those openings when they come about.
The Bolton boss is clear that he does not want to make changes constantly and distanced himself from the likes of former Chelsea and Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri, who was dubbed the 'tinkerman' for his rotation. He feels there is more to come from this group of players, but that it is not a bad thing having this issue while being in the top six.
Evatt told the Manchester Evening News : “He was excellent when he came on and I thought Baka did well when he came on. But I’ve just said to the players there that I don’t think anybody around Bolton who supports Bolton or even myself could say what my best XI is at the moment.
“That can be a positive and a negative. The positive is we feel like we’ve got a strong squad of players, but the negative is who is actually saying ‘pick me every week’ and when they start games producing from minute one.
“When they’re not in the team, who is training hard enough to make sure when they get the chance, they’re ready to take it. At the moment, I don’t think there’s enough of those, so the ball is in their court.
“I don’t want to make changes, I’m not Claudio Ranieri or any of these tinkermen or whatever you want to call me. I’m making changes because I don’t feel like I’m getting the consistency of performance from the team that’s selected.
“That’s no bad thing being in the top six of this division, but I still think there’s lots more to come from this group of players.”
Don't miss a thing from the club you love! For all the latest updates on Wanderers, sign up to our free newsletter packed with all the latest news here.
READ NEXT:
-
Liverpool loanee shows positive signs as Bolton Wanderers utilise full-back option
-
Update emerges on Liverpool's Conor Bradley amid Bolton Wanderers loan & January transfer window
-
Big potential EFL change affecting Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth & Derby
-
Bolton Wanderers duo impacted most by system change pinpointed as Ian Evatt sets formation goal
-
'Have to find inbetween' - Bolton Wanderers decision outlined ahead of Cambridge United
