IAN Evatt has explained what he wants to see improve from his Wanderers in their final three pre-season games.

Pleased with the performance, if not the result, against Wigan Athletic at the training ground on Saturday lunchtime, the Bolton boss now has another friendly test away from the supporters’ gaze at Watford’s Colney base on Tuesday.

Carlisle United host Wanderers on Saturday and Huddersfield Town come to the UniBol for the final dress rehearsal on July 23 before the League One campaign begins.

Having extended the amount of game time his players are getting in each outing beyond the hour mark, Evatt will now be looking to set down some real markers for the kick-off against Ipswich Town, revealing something more of the starting line-up he is considering.

But what more does he need to see from his players in their remaining games?

“I just think we want to see our personality and identity really and that improve week on week,” he told The Bolton News after the Wigan game. “I thought the idea of what we were trying to do in and out of possession was there today and we did lots of good things.

“I don’t think first half we played behind enough. I don’t think we had enough runners in behind and played in behind enough. But I thought other than that, what we were trying to do was correct and right and obviously out of possession, I thought our work was good and smart.

“We still need to do work on it. I think a couple of times first half in particular we were a step too late on the press and the jump and that’ll just come with practice and more work. That’ll improve as we go along, but lots of things to be positive about.”

Evatt’s disappointment at having failed to score against Wigan despite having so much territorial and possession advantage was clear – and the reasons will potentially give the manager some food for thought in remaining weeks before Portman Road.

He was careful, however, not to read too much into the score-line, however it may be interpreted elsewhere.

“I think you have to be careful about what you say too much because everybody will look at the result and say ‘they’ve been beaten’ but you guys are fortunate enough to be here today and witness the performance. I think we can all agree that we were the better team,” he said.

“We deserved more out of the game, but we can’t have that as an excuse this season. We’ve got to make these performances count and tell and that starts against Ipswich.

“But for now, it’s about building our idea, building our identity, building the philosophy, getting minutes into their legs. The lads are improving week on week, which is really pleasing.”