Steven Schumacher has challenged Bolton Wanderers' new signings to use the international break to get up to speed physically and tactically. The manager believes the fortnight without a Championship fixture is a vital chance to close the readiness gap within his squad, especially as the team's recent form shows two consecutive wins.

Schumacher plans to hold an in-house game behind closed doors to test the recent arrivals, who include Ryan Hardie, Jayden Nelson, Atsuki Ito and Thelonius Bair. Some of those players had limited competitive action over the summer, while Luca Stephenson and Lewis Brunt are working their way back from injuries. The manager's immediate goal is to increase the physical load on players who are behind, with a specific focus on reaching the required level of goal minutes and match sharpness.

"We’ve got two clear weekends where we will be focusing on a few things," Schumacher said. "Can we get the new players up to speed physically?"

The break follows a dramatic 4-3 win at Norwich, a result that lifted Bolton to 15th in the Championship standings with 10 points from eight games. That victory, secured by a late Atsuki Ito goal, was their second consecutive win after a 1-0 home success against Cardiff, moving the team into a more comfortable mid-table position.

Schumacher is not concerned about the time it takes for players to adapt to a new club, country and league. He has been pleased with how the group of 13 summer arrivals, whose full profiles are on the squad page, has settled, describing them as good characters who enjoy their day-to-day work.

He stresses the importance of players staying calm and confident while adjusting to the intensity of the Championship. The manager believes the season will ultimately show what the new players are capable of, and that increased competition for places will benefit the team. The work now is to ensure they are ready for the challenge of the next fixture, a home game against seventh-placed Stoke City on October 10.

With Josh Sheehan, Eoin Toal and Gavin Bazunu away on international duty, the focus at Lostock will be on increasing the physical load and working on team details with the remaining group. The aim is to be fully prepared for the return to action, ensuring the team can build on its recent positive stats and continue its climb up the table.

The original report is at The Bolton News