Allardyce hails back four
21 Oct 2006 - 10:09:36
Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce has praised his makeshift back four for helping the Trotters make a flying start to the new Premiership season.
Bolton were third in the table going into the weekend action, despite injuries having left Allardyce short on defensive options.
He said: "We felt when we looked at the first ten fixtures that we could do something, but to be fair I didn't quite expect us to do as well as we have done.
"We've had a lot of injuries in the back four and yet we've conceded fewer goals than ever before. We're playing a back four that we've never put together in the seven years that I've been here.
"But I had to put it together because it's all we had - Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Faye, Abdoulaye Meite and Idan Tal.
"And as much as Tal hates it at left-back, he's done a terrific job and you have to do a job for the team sometimes.
"If we're winning football matches then I can't see me changing the back four for a long time."