Bolton Wanderers have been lauded as a play-off candidate once more this campaign. Steven Schumacher’s side will face a Leyton Orient side struggling for consistent form, as they themselves look to capitalise on back-to-back victories.
An EFL Trophy win over Rotherham United was followed up last weekend by a convincing 3-0 result against AFC Wimbledon. Schumacher’s side have now moved up to tenth and could demand another three-point performance over Orient. The Lancashire side have only lost once so far this season, drawing four consecutive matches 1-1 prior to the Vertu Trophy opener.
Goals from Joel Randall, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Mason Burstow highlighted Wanderers’ immense attacking prowess in League One. The frontline looks to have finally clicked into a more permanent threat, with Thierry Gale showing signs of quality on the opposing flank to their wonderkid, Brighton & Hove Albion loanee. Burstow picked up a hamstring issue in the Wimbledon match, but looks to have recovered ahead of Orient’s visit.
Schumacher had this to say when asked about important team news and individual player recoveries after multiple injuries across the international break:
“No other knocks, no [when quizzed on Burstow’s availability]. Which is really good. Mason looks as though he’s going to be okay. We had him scanned on Monday. He obviously came off with a hamstring problem, but he had a bit of an issue in both legs, so I think it might’ve just been a case of cramp. The scan results have come back and said that there’s no major damage, which is good.”
“[On Josh Sheehan] Josh is okay, got sent back because he got a kick on his calf in a training session the night before the Kazakhstan game. Then he played the game on astro turf and he said the bottom of the soleus tightened up so they didn’t risk him in the friendly against Canada… so we had two positive scan results, which is a rarity.”
On an impending visit to Leyton Orient, and their late winner against Port Vale jokingly being mentioned by Schumacher, the Bolton boss previewed his thoughts:
“[On the 95th-minute winner from Charlie Wellens] From the managers son as well yeah, good finish.
“It’ll be a tough game, it’s never easy to go down to Brisbane Road. It’s always a tough atmosphere every time I’ve been there, I think the way they play as well causes you a problem. Richie sets his teams up in a style that can be confusing – they rotate players in midfield quite frequently and they pop up in areas that you don’t expect them to.”
Writer’s View
Leyton Orient are only two places below Bolton, but could be a good opponent for Wanderers to face this early on. With the Lancashire side already growing in attacking strength, Wellens’ side have been fairly unconvincing during the opening campaign, notably losing to Mansfield Town in a 4-1 decimation as well as relegation favourites, Northampton Town.
Bolton’s superior attacking threat could cause all sorts of problems for the O’s. Cozier-Duberry has been a standout performer in particular, and could stake a claim as one of the players of the season if injury records are kept relatively bare.
