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Football is changing. Intensity used to mean moving the ball from defence to attack as fast as possible, now it refers to being out of possession and constantly pressing the opposition. This new level of intensity has to be met every game or the standards are dropping, the players aren’t good enough, or they don’t care enough.
The Portuguese defender’s start to the season has not been a fair representation of his time at the Wanderers and the criticism he has received has been non-stop. However, he is not the only reason Bolton have been poor this season, but is he the problem or the solution?
Barclaysmen. Think Jay Jay Okocha, Jussi Jääskeläinen, Ivan Klasnic, Fernando Hierro, the list really does go on. Nicolas Anelka, Kevin Davies, Kevin Nolan. The tenure of Sam Allardyce glistened with top talents, locking horns with footballing giants Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, a spirited charge to the 2004 League Cup Final, first class Premier League entertainment and… then it stopped.
Another busy summer for Bolton has seen the team make eight new additions to the playing squad and another expensive window for the Wanderers, but how has this affected their finances? This year’s incomings and outgoings won’t become public until the summer of 2025; however Football Ventures (Whites) Limited has reported a loss of £5.6 million for the financial year ending June 30, 2023 - as per the public document found here.
Matete recently joined the Wanderers on a season-long loan from Sunderland to bolster the defensive midfield options. After the departure of Aaron Morley, on loan to Wycombe, Jay Matete is the most natural option to fill in for Josh Sheehan or George Thomason. Kyle Dempsey, Klaidi Lolos, and Scott Arfield are others who could play in defensive midfield but they all play their best football in the final third.
It is no secret that Bolton haven’t been at their brilliant best so far this season, after nine games they sit 14th and some fans appear uncertain that Evatt is the man to take the Wanderers into the Championship. However even in their victories this season, one issue has remained prevalent: Bolton are conceding far too many goals. The season has barely started and Ian Evatt’s side have conceded two or more goals in all competitions, eight times.