Bolton Wanderers boss Steven Schumacher makes call to his squad ahead of big week

Steven Schumacher says his Wanderers squad must show their “character” heading into a big week.

Saturday’s defeat at Peterborough means it is one win in six for the Whites, who don’t have much time to dwell before the Port Vale Vertu Trophy tie and then a big game at Wigan in the league.

Schumacher insists that his players can’t afford to let their confidence drop and start playing on the back foot.

“I think you always have a spell during the season where you don’t get it all your own way and you have to fight your way out of it,” he said.

“What we can’t do is show a weak mentality where we go under, playing with no confidence and getting on the back foot. We have to keep moving forwards.

“At this club for years, the expectation and the desire to get out of the division is there. We understand that and accept that, and we don’t want to buckle under that pressure.

“We have to find a way to show character and get through it because in a season, especially in the middle of the season, you sometimes don’t get it all your own way. You’ve got to find a way out.”

Wanderers are still looking to be active in the market but Schumacher denied that the recent form has caused more “urgency” to get signings through the door.

“We know that we still need to strengthen the squad if we can,” he added. “There’s no more urgency. If we can make us better in this January transfer window, then we will.”

The head coach hinted that he could shuffle the pack against Port Vale on Tuesday night with the Wigan game in mind, in front of more than 4,500 away fans making the short trip to the Brick Community Stadium.

“This game is gone now,” he said on the defeat at London Road. “We obviously have to review it and go over it and find a way to figure out what went wrong, but we’ve got to bounce back.

“The game on Tuesday is a big game. I will have to make changes for that, because the bigger game in the week obviously is Saturday at Wigan, so we have to find a way to do better.”

When asked how he will pick the players up for the quick turnaround, Schumacher replied: “Just got to get them going again.

“We will obviously have to pick a team that we think can go on, compete and play against Port Vale, try and win that, but obviously the biggest game for us is at the weekend.”

One of the main talking points from the defeat against Posh was Schumacher’s change of shape on the stroke of half time, which may have given the boss some food for thought for the rest of the season.

“We’ve got flexibility but I just felt the wide players, we weren’t really getting what we needed from them,” he explained.

“In possession, we looked a little bit open. Through the middle of the pitch, we were not intense enough with our press.

“We wanted to match it up and going with two strikers gave us a focal point. So, yes, something to think about.”