KEVIN Nolan is tipping Sam Allardyce to score on the transfer front before next week's deadline.

The Wanderers boss has so far struggled to make the big impact signings he was hoping for to bring his squad up to scratch for another top six Premiership challenge.

And, although being linked with a host of big name players, including Nicolas Anelka, Diego Tristan, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Alexander Kerzhakov, he admits he is making only slow progress in his attempts to land the striker he has set his heart on.

But Nolan believes Allardyce will deliver, even though he might leave it late.

"Ever since I've been here, it's been a case of a few players coming in on transfer deadline day," he said.

Yet the Reebok skipper believes Wanderers can still be a force to be reckoned with, with or without any more new recruits.

Speaking after two of the three summer signings - Quinton Fortune and Abdoulaye Meite - made impressive debuts in Saturday's 2-0 opening day victory over Spurs, Nolan said: "We've got enough quality to see us through until Christmas.

"We've got three or four players on the treatment table and a couple of young kids coming through, so it's down to us.

"We've just got to make sure we are fit and well prepared, physically and mentally, and ready for the battle between now and Christmas.

"If the gaffer can add a couple of players then great, so be it. If he can't we are up for the challenge. I certainly am.

"I've been saying all pre-season that the main thing was to make sure we hit the ground running against Tottenham and we steamrollered them.

"You could see I our performance on Saturday that we wanted to win more than Tottenham. We got the result we wanted and it could have been more."

Meanwhile, Nolan has decided that, if he has an international future, it will be with England.

The Liverpool-born midfielder qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland under the grandparent rule and Republic boss Steve Staunton has tried to woo him.

But Staunton revealed last week that Nolan had indicated he was no longer considering Ireland as an option - a decision the player has now confirmed.

"I just hate talking about the England-Ireland thing," said Nolan, who was watched by new England head coach, Steve McClaren, on Saturday. "I hate talking about internationals. I just want to talk about Bolton Wanderers, but yes, after all the speculation that's gone on that is what's happened."