Bolton boss outlines Wanderers away quality wish ahead of Plymouth & cites Manchester United example
Ian Evatt has spoken on the difference between his side now and the last meeting with Plymouth at Home Park
Ian Evatt believes Bolton Wanderers have changed a lot from their last trip to Plymouth Argyle and hopes they can take their mentality for home games on the road with them to replicate their physical output for away clashes.
The Whites last travelled to Home Park last October. They suffered a 3-0 loss amid a downpour on a Tuesday evening which was lucky to not see the game abandoned as the rain came falling down towards the end.
Wanderers fell behind in the first half to a quickfire double from the hosts scored by Brendan Galloway and Conor Grant. Bolton tried to find a way back into the encounter, but in increasingly treacherous weather condtions as the rain got heavier and heavier in Devon, Ryan Broom scored the Pilgrims' third as full-time approached.
READ MORE: 'Believe' - Ian Evatt reveals discussion with Kieran Sadlier on Bolton Wanderers situation
It was an eventful evening and proved to be an eventful few days afterwards. His appearance off the bench in that encounter proved to be Antoni Sarcevic's last in a Wanderers shirt as he departed to move to Stockport County shortly after.
Wanderers have changed massively from that evening and the team Evatt selects this afternoon will be very different from the one which took to the pitch last October at Home Park. Evatt is under no illusions that it is a tough place to go to.
The Bolton boss wants his side to take their home form and hard work they show at the University of Bolton Stadium and apply it to their travels. He believes physical performance has been a hot topic of late and highlighted in Premier League clashes too, with Evatt hoping they can have the same output on the road as they do at home.
He said: “That is the biggest thing I can take – we have changed improved and evolved from that night. There was lots of things happening at that time.
"We were on a really bad run and we had loads of injuries. Obviously, there were exits happening at that time as well which made things complicated and more difficult.
"It is something that we want to improve on and we know it is a difficult place to go. Historically, it has always been tough.
"I played there a good few times myself and I don’t think I have ever found it easy, it is always difficult. But we have to take our home form into the away games and have that same physical performance and run the same.
"It is great that in the last few weeks in the Premier League it has been highlighted about physical performance because there is a direct correlation. If you run more, you have got a better chance of winning – it’s as simple as that.
"It was highlighted Leeds v Chelsea, it was highlighted with Manchester United and what has been going on there. Just the same physical output as our home games will give us a really good chance, and then it is about our technical details in possession.”
Wanderers have broke their long trip down to Devon up into a couple of parts. The squad travelled down to Bristol on Thursday for the first leg of their journey, before training and completing the second leg down to Plymouth on Friday.
Evatt believes moves such as that can have a huge impact in helping them achieve the marginal gains needed for success. He is looking forward to taking on a well coached Steven Schumacher side which he feels has changed little from last campaign.
He said: “We spoke last week about the fine margins and one per cents, and this helps us immensely. It has a huge impact, splitting the journey up and being able to train down there on the Friday.
"It helps things no end. These things aren’t cheap, so thanks to the board and Sharon for allowing us to do that.
“Slight tweaks. Pretty much 3-5-2 last season. I think they are more 3-4-3 this season with kind of a boxed midfield, so it is how we cope and deal with that.
"But they are a good team. Everyone is well coached now. They are well coached, they are no different and it is always a good test down there. We are looking forward to it.”
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: