Tranmere Rovers v. Bolton Wanderers

This is it. The final stretch of the preseason. Bolton Wanderers have just two more matches to play, just two more matches to work out the kinks and get ready for the Championship. Short of the Morecambe match, Bolton rarely looked like doing that this preseason, winning just one match, drawing three, and losing two. The Trotters will have to rebound from a poor Portsmouth result and figure out how to stop the counter attack.

Tranmere are having a good preseason in their own right so far, going unbeaten with three wins and three draws so far. Rovers are also looking forward to getting a number of players back in Liam Palmer, James Wallace, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro, and Andy Robinson while new signing Joe Thompson could very well make his Tranmere debut.

Speaking after the Portsmouth match, defender Zatyiah Knight said:

"Against Portsmouth, we underestimated them slightly. Many of their players were on trial. I think we went into the game a little half-heartedly and got punished at the beginning.

"We are a professional club and we are professional players. We had a lot of senior players on the pitch at Fratton Park and there were many things that we did not do properly.

"I believe that if we had done things properly then we would not have returned home with the result that we did. All we can do is chalk off the Portsmouth result and start putting things right, beginning at Tranmere.

"We are at the business end of pre-season now. The upcoming matches against Tranmere and Barcelona B will be a good test for us ahead of the season opener against Burnley.

"I do believe that we can get out of this league and back into the top flight at the first attempt. I am looking forward to the challenges ahead this season and I think all the lads are as well."

As for Bolton, David Ngog left the Portsmouth game after doing in his back once again. Depending on how his recovery is going, he may just sit this one out. Meanwhile, Marvin Sordell is back from the Olympics and has already made an appearance in training. Expect him to get some minutes.