IAN Evatt reckons Victor Adeboyejo put in his best Wanderers performance at Cheltenham – but he is backing him to show even more as the season progresses.

The Nigerian striker was roundly praised for his display at Whaddon Road in a 3-0 win, even though it was his strike partner Dion Charles who grabbed the headlines with his first two goals of the campaign.

Adeboyejo struggled to show his best form after his move from Burton Albion in January but Evatt now believes he is finding his feet.

“Victor hadn’t really played as a number nine before last season and his time at Burton, where he was very successful and scored a lot of goals, was in a different style than the way we play and how we see a number nine playing,” said the Bolton boss.

“It has taken him time to adapt but he is starting to do that now. I think Saturday was his best performance for us so far and I still think there is more to come. I think we are only scratching the surface in terms of what he is capable of doing.

“Victor and Dion led the line superbly at Cheltenham, worked well together, they were a real threat to the opposition and long may that continue.”

Wanderers take on Fleetwood tonight in a battle between the two sides with the most effective press in League One over the first two games.

PPDA (passes per defensive action) measures the pressure put on the defending team when they are in possession of the ball.

The score is worked out by the number of opposition passes allowed outside of the pressing team's own defensive third, divided by the number of defensive actions by the pressing team.

Fleetwood (9.0) and Wanderers (9.1) lead the list, suggesting tonight’s game should be a fiercely contested affair.

Only Ipswich and Burnley have conceded fewer goals than Bolton since the turn of 2023, something which Evatt credits to the success of his team’s pressing strategy, something which was clearly evident in Saturday’s win at Chelteham.

“Clean sheets should be celebrated by everyone on the pitch, not just the defenders or goalkeepers. Centre forwards have a big part to play in it and we need their buy-in.

“We have had that – and Dion Charles does that tremendously. It is a requirement of being in the team.

“But it is not just Dion and Vic, we still have Dan, Cameron, Jon, Carlos can play as a nine, so the players know that if they don’t perform that there is someone ready to take their place. That is what being a competitive squad is all about.”

Fleetwood’s aggression has helped their cause in the last few seasons – even though 10 red cards in the last two years suggest it can also lead to problems.

Evatt admits his side will have to match their opponents’ physicality at times tonight.

“As long as you stay on the right side of the line with discipline issues, I am all for seeing aggression,” he said.

“In possession football teams, for whatever reason, sometimes get labelled a soft touch.

“I don’t want my team to be a soft touch. We have to play with an edge, be competitive and aggressive. Obviously, you have to show that in the right manner but I have no qualms that we will.

“We care about winning football matches and as long as we stay on the right side of the line.”

Meanwhile, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson and Eoin Toal made their return for the B Team this afternoon in a 4-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town.

Bodvarsson played an hour at Lostock, with Toal spending 75 minutes on the pitch in his first appearance since the play-offs.