Dougie Freedman reckons he stands a good chance of settling an old score at Leicester City tomorrow.
A 3-2 defeat at the King Power Stadium in April proved a pivotal point in the season for both clubs – derailing a three-game winning streak for the Whites and putting the Foxes back into the mix after an alarming drop in form.
In the end, it was Nigel Pearson’s side that snatched a play-off spot from under Wanderers’ noses, with one goal by Anthony Knockaert against Nottingham Forest ultimately proving the difference between success and disappointment.
Leicester failed to reach the Premier League in the end but are looking a good bet to achieve automatic promotion this time around having kept hold of the majority of their squad from last season.
Despite the Whites’ slow start, Freedman insists his team are actually better equipped than they were 12 months ago to go one better.
And the manager believes the final game of 2013 will be an important yardstick to measure just how well his players have come to terms with life in the Championship.
“We found it tough to deal with the injuries we got at the start of this season, a suspension with Darren Pratley, and we found a few dropped out of form. It did hit us,” he told The Bolton News.
“But we never threw in a towel. We stood up to everything that was thrown at us and turned it round.
“I think I have now got a better squad in terms of I have got more players who can play in successive games than I did last year.
“We are still building the squad, but I also think I have got more players who understand what it’s about in the Championship.
“This is one I kind of want to put right from last year’s result because we deserved something out of that game.
“In my mind over the Christmas period I’ve been looking at this one because it’s a game in which I think we can surprise a few people.”
A 3-2 defeat at the King Power Stadium in April proved a pivotal point in the season for both clubs – derailing a three-game winning streak for the Whites and putting the Foxes back into the mix after an alarming drop in form.
In the end, it was Nigel Pearson’s side that snatched a play-off spot from under Wanderers’ noses, with one goal by Anthony Knockaert against Nottingham Forest ultimately proving the difference between success and disappointment.
Leicester failed to reach the Premier League in the end but are looking a good bet to achieve automatic promotion this time around having kept hold of the majority of their squad from last season.
Despite the Whites’ slow start, Freedman insists his team are actually better equipped than they were 12 months ago to go one better.
And the manager believes the final game of 2013 will be an important yardstick to measure just how well his players have come to terms with life in the Championship.
“We found it tough to deal with the injuries we got at the start of this season, a suspension with Darren Pratley, and we found a few dropped out of form. It did hit us,” he told The Bolton News.
“But we never threw in a towel. We stood up to everything that was thrown at us and turned it round.
“I think I have now got a better squad in terms of I have got more players who can play in successive games than I did last year.
“We are still building the squad, but I also think I have got more players who understand what it’s about in the Championship.
“This is one I kind of want to put right from last year’s result because we deserved something out of that game.
“In my mind over the Christmas period I’ve been looking at this one because it’s a game in which I think we can surprise a few people.”
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