Bolton Wanderers

Image source, Opta

Stoke City will hope to continue their excellent form when they visit Bolton Wanderers in the Championship on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 BST).

The Potters lost their opening three games of the season and were bottom of the table at the end of August but are unbeaten since then and have climbed to seventh with four wins from five matches (D1).

Bolton have won two on the bounce following a run of four straight defeats, with their most recent success a thrilling 4-3 win at Norwich before the international break.

• This is the first league meeting between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City since a goalless draw in the Championship in December 2018.

• Stoke City are winless in their pre10 league visits to Bolton Wanderers (D4 L6) since a 1-0 win in October 1990 under manager Alan Ball.

• Bolton have won their past two Championship matches – they haven't won three in a row at this level since April 2014; this is their 197th game in the Championship since then.

• No team won more points in the Championship in September than Stoke (13), who won four of their five matches (D1). It was more wins than they'd managed in their previous 23 games (W3 D6 L14).

• Thierry Gale has been involved in four goals in eight Championship appearances for Bolton this season (3 goals, 1 assist) – he's the first Barbadian with as many as three goals in a Championship season since Nick Blackman scored 11 in 2015-16 for Reading.

Kasey Smith
Fan writer

Image source, Shutterstock

So far, so good for Wanderers.

As we await the return of league action, begrudgingly enduring the three games of the international break, it feels appropriate to offer an early assessment.

I don't think we could have asked for much more than being three points off the play-offs, especially as we started the season with a squad that was arguably weaker than the one that triumphed at Wembley.

The theme of our eight games so far has been a total disregard for what some might call the 'respect' that perceived lesser sides are apparently expected to show those more established.

Schumacher and his side have refused to play by those rules. They've had a go.

It's brought a mixed bag of results. It's been frantic and chaotic, but at the same time, rip-roaring and exciting.

And it cannot be said that Bolton are a one-trick pony, either. The Cardiff result showed that we can grind results out, too.

As early in the season as that was, the game had been seen as one of our 'must-wins'.

Honestly, we probably didn't deserve the three points, but we found a way.

Now Bolton sit on 10 points, while Cardiff have just seven, one place above the relegation zone. It's fine margins.

That is something Bolton are beginning to learn fast, particularly after the 3-2 defeats to both West Ham and Sheffield United.

For all the pre-season talk about a lack of attacking threat, we have not necessarily struggled in that department. The last three games have seen seven goals go in, with all but one scored by a different member of the squad.

There is still plenty of room for improvement – a bit more organisation at the back would be nice at times – but there is already a clear identity to this Bolton side.

Long may it continue. Bring on Stoke!

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We asked for your thoughts after Bolton Wanderers twice came from behind to win 4-3 at Norwich City on Sunday.

Here are some of your comments:

Norwich City fans

Philip: 13 goals conceded in the last three games, just isn't good enough!

Mike: Only one team scored more. West Ham second in the league. Only one team conceded more. Burnley bottom of the league. What does that tell you?

Alan: They are clearly in need of a defence that can actually stop conceding so many goals. Eight in two matches is relegation form. On the current showing they will struggle all season. Their honeymoon period with the new manager is clearly over.

Stephen: Why did Clement not change the defence? Bolton manager out-thought him, they played down their right all game, Cordoba couldn't cope. This one is on Clement. Honeymoon is over.

Keith: Though we have sorted the forward situation out and now have a very strong forward line our defence is still the weakest and we cannot defend against fast big forwards and have a useless goalkeeper who continues to be beaten on his near post. Needs sorting out.

Image source, Getty Images

Bolton Wanderers fans

Paul: Absolutely worked their socks off and thoroughly deserved a first away win.

Chris: It's hard on the nerves watching Bolton this season. The defence is rather suspect and our inability to shut out the opposition has already cost us points this season. The Norwich defence is thankfully worse than Bolton's though.

Michael: Three points is all that matters. Consolidate first season in the Championship. Brilliant group of players who stick together as a team. Manager deserves credit for working on a shoestring.

Simon: No doubt Bolton have quality going forward - but the lack of positional performance in defence needs fixing - quickly.

Graham: No problem scoring, just very vulnerable at set pieces - five goals already this season.

Image source, Shutterstock

Bolton Wanderers manager Steven Schumacher spoke to BBC Radio Manchester after they won 4-3 at Norwich City to record their first back-to-back Championship wins since 2018.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Norwich City go into this game with only Burnley (16) having conceded more than their 13 goals in the Championship so far this season, while only four sides have scored more than the Canaries total of 13.

Bolton visit Carrow Road on Sunday (13:30 BST) as one of seven sides yet to win away in the Championship.

• Norwich City have won six of their past eight league games against Bolton Wanderers (D1 L1), with this their first since doing the double over the Trotters in 2018-19.

• Bolton have lost four of their past five league visits to Norwich (D1) since a 2-0 victory in November 2000 under Sam Allardyce.

• Norwich have not kept a clean sheet in any of their past 14 league games; in England's top four tiers, only Preston (22), Chelsea (20), and Burnley (15) are on longer ongoing runs.

• Bolton could lose three consecutive away league games for the first time since January 2022 (run of 7).

• Since his league debut in February, only Cyle Larin (15) has scored more goals in the Championship than Norwich's Mohamed Toure (13), while no player in that time has more goal involvements (16).

Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu says he was happy he was able to contribute in the 1-0 win over Cardiff City on Saturday.

The Republic of Ireland international was outstanding as he made 10 saves to keep his first clean sheet for the club since arriving from Southampton last month and help Wanderers to their first league win since the opening day of the season.

Bazunu was at fault for West Ham's third goal in Bolton's 3-2 defeat by the Hammers in midweek and reflected on his start to life at his new club.

"That's just the life of a goalkeeper, isn't it?" Bazunu told BBC Radio Manchester. "Come in on my debut against one of the strongest oppositions in the league. The third goal is a big error on my part.

"I was very happy with my performance other than that moment. I was happy I was able to contribute to the team.

"We've played such good football over the past three or four weeks and not come out with the results that we want.

"It's typical of football that [with] probably our poorest performance since I've been here [against Cardiff], we go and get the win."

Image source, Getty Images

Bolton Wanderers manager Steven Schumacher was pleased that his side showed another side to their game as they ended a four-match losing streak with a late 1-0 victory over Cardiff City on Saturday.

Thierry Gale popped up in stoppage time with a header at the back post to convert fellow winger Theo Bair's cross.

"It's a funny old game, isn't it? Football is mad," Schumacher said. "We have played better than we did in the previous four games and got nothing for our efforts.

"Here we had to show another side to us, which is really pleasing, because it was difficult against a tough opponent.

"Tuesday night took a lot out of us, so for us to show that togetherness and heart and get through a tough afternoon was really pleasing.

'Thierry is so frustrating. It took him 20 minutes after coming on at half time and I was pulling my hair out because I had a good chat about starting the game fast.

"It took him 20 minutes to wake up, but thankfully the subs have combined. Theo has put in a great cross and Thierry is in the right place. I'm pleased for him."

You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds here.

Image source, Opta

Bolton Wanderers welcome Cardiff City on Saturday (12:30 BST) for a Championship clash between two sides promoted from League One last season.

The Trotters have won just one of their first six games (D1 L4) - on the opening day against Preston - while the Bluebirds are still yet to pick up a victory (D4 L2).

Both are on four points and battling near the bottom of the table in the early stages of the campaign with Bolton 21st and Cardiff 20th.

While it is perhaps too early to label this encounter a relegation six-pointer, a win would provide a major boost against a potential rival for the drop.

• Bolton have won 13 of their past 14 home league meetings with Cardiff City, with the exception a 2-3 defeat in 2015-16.

• Cardiff have won four of their previous six league games against Bolton Wanderers (L2), as many as their previous 19 beforehand (W4 D2 L13).

• Bolton have lost each of their past four league games, last losing five on the bounce in February 2020.

• Cardiff are looking to avoid suffering three successive away league defeats for the first time since August 2024, and first time within a single season since February 2023.

• Cardiff have had more shots than any other side in the Championship this season (104), although 12 sides have scored more goals than the Bluebirds (7). Indeed, only Lincoln City have a lower shot conversion rate (5.7%) than Cardiff (6.7%) in the competition this term.

Bolton Wanderers defender Gaizka Larrazabal is confident his new side will see an upturn in form after they went down to a fourth league defeat in a row.

Wanderers' 3-2 loss at home to West Ham United means Steven Schumacher's men remain in the bottom three of the early Championship table.

"Everything we did, we did very well," Larrazabal told BBC Radio Manchester. "It's [West Ham] a Premier League team and we worked really well.

"We didn't deserve to lose these four games but I really think when you lose, you learn. We are going to improve the small details we need and the wins are going to come soon."

28-year-old Larrazabal signed for Bolton on a two-year deal in July and has enjoyed his time in Greater Manchester so far.

"I'm very happy because its a very good club with very good lads," the right-back said.

"They helped me a lot since I was here. I have to get used to the intensity of English football but I really think I am going to achieve that.

"It was not really [a hard decision to sign]. At the moment I heard an English team was looking for me, it was a really easy decision to take because one of my dreams is to play in the Premier League. Whatever I have to do to achieve it, I will."

We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Championship match between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United.

Here are some of your comments:

Bolton fans

Will: Schuey said it before the game, we've got to be clinical in both boxes. Doesn't matter how well you pass the ball if you leave players unmarked in the box. The second and third goals are really poor to concede.

Six-pointer on Saturday v Cardiff.

David: It was another good performance against a top side. Bowen was quality and without him we would have won but we need to keep working hard and we will win more than we will lose if we play like that every game.

This won't define our season, it's how we perform against the lesser sides which will do so. I'm confident we will stay up this season. West Ham got away with one tonight!

John: I have sympathy for Bazunu. He made some good saves but before the last goal there was a torrential downpour which must have made the ball like a bar of wet soap for the keeper.

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham fans

Steve: I thought the performance was riddled with poor errors. Passing and tackling errors were commonplace. There were some good moves that were not capitalised on. I'm happy we won but we must be sharper all round.

Kevin: The midfield needs more bite. It's easily overrun putting pressure on the defence. We do stick to the task of winning the game.

Martin: Great result and top of the league (if only for a day). I don't understand why Nuno insists on playing Pablo as he has not made an impact in any game. He needs to go in January. But the rest of team are doing well, starting to gel and really positive.

Kasey Smith
Fan writer

Four defeats on the spin, 10 goals conceded in the past three games. Bolton have now slipped into the relegation zone.

On the face of it, that makes for grim reading. But while the results have undoubtedly not been what we wanted, they do not entirely tell the story of what has happened on the pitch during that run.

For the most part, Wanderers have shown a fearlessness against some of the Championship's stronger sides, taking the game to their opponents and playing with real bravery.

The problem is, so far, that approach has gone largely unrewarded.

Tuesday night's defeat by West Ham was another example. It was, again, a devil-may-care encounter, with both sides playing at full throttle, and Bolton once again showed enough to suggest they are capable of competing at this level.

The fixture list has certainly done them few favours, either.

West Ham's victory took them to the top of the division, having spent the previous 14 years in the Premier League. Millwall missed out on promotion to the top flight by just a point last season, while Sheffield United are another of the division's big hitters and currently sit just outside the play-off places.

That makes the manner of Tuesday's defeat all the more frustrating. Bolton had come from behind to take the lead, only to be pegged back just four minutes after going 2-1 ahead.

Image source, Getty Images

The winner, meanwhile, came from a weak effort late on which somehow beat debutant Gavin Bazunu at his near post. He should have saved it.

Bazunu was thrown in, perhaps quicker than anyone would have envisaged, but it was a case of needs must following Jack Bonham's costly error against Millwall.

It is a cruel game. The former Stoke man was the hero against QPR, but there has always been a tendency for the odd lapse in concentration to creep into his game during his time at Bolton.

Bazunu, by comparison, looked more composed on his debut, and there were certainly fewer moments when supporters were left holding their breath.

I think we will begin to see the benefits of that decision in the games to come.

The frustration, then, is that Bolton are repeatedly showing promise, but are not getting the rewards.

That makes Cardiff's visit particularly significant. The Welsh side find themselves in a similar position to Wanderers, and if Bolton are serious about staying up, these are the games where they simply have to start turning their performances into points.

Don't forget to tap the 'follow' button at the top of this page to stay up to date with the latest Bolton news.

Bolton Wanderers manager Steven Schumacher speaks to BBC Radio Manchester after their 3-2 home loss to West Ham United condemned them to their fourth straight Championship loss. For a written selection of quotes, click here.

Image source, Getty Images

Millwall midfielder Jenson Metcalfe and Bolton counterpart Josh Sheehan have had their red cards from Saturday's Championship meeting between the sides overturned on appeal.

The pair were dismissed after clashing late on in Millwall's 4-0 win over the Trotters which led to a melee involving players from both teams.

However, both clubs have been successful in appealing against three-match bans on the grounds of wrongful dismissal and both players will be available immediately for selection.

It means Metcalfe will now be available for Millwall's Carabao Cup third round tie against Newcastle United on Tuesday, while Sheehan is free to play for Bolton against West Ham in the Championship the same evening.

Image source, Shutterstock

Harrogate Town have signed Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Luke Hutchinson on a three-month loan deal.

The 24-year-old spent last season on loan with Altrincham and made 44 appearances in the National League.

Hutchinson could make his debut for Town, who are second in the National League after six matches, against Tamworth on Saturday.