Alonso & Ricketts on alert for Blackpool wing threat

With the season's final match quickly approaching, Bolton Wanderers are spending their days performing. Blackpool sit 15th in the Championship table, safe from the drop and unable to reach the play-off spots. At best, they'll be able to reach the top half of the table and (if all of the results go their way), crack the top ten. All in all, they really don't have much of anything to play for. That said, Dougie will not be taking the Tangerines lightly.

Leading their attack is Thomas Ince, a player that's garnered much attention over the course of the season. The winger has scored 18 goals and assisted a further 14 from his wide position. Ince's consistent performances this year had earned him a place in the PFA's Championship Team of the Year and seen him make his England U21s debut with a few goals. On the other side of the pitch is Matthew Phillips, a young Scotland international with the ability to put dangerous cross after dangerous cross into the box.

When Bolton met Blackpool at Bloomfield Road last November, it was these two players that caused a number of problems for the Trotters. Ince scored the game's second goal, canceling out Mark Davies' opener, from the edge of the area before Nathan Delfounseo rescued a point for Blackpool at the death. Phillips' crossing on the day left Zat Knight with a lot of work to do and his efforts on goal were not that far off the mark.

Speaking to the club's official website, Dougie Freedman reinforced the need to be aware of the wide men:

"Preparations are well under way for this weekend's game and we will give the players ideas how to beat Blackpool.

"Blackpool's two wide players are the ones to be wary of, they also play with a care free attitude and they are now safe.

"We will have to be careful because Blackpool will have an attitude where they have nothing to lose and we will make sure we put our blocks in and attack at the right time.

"The fans are gaining confidence in the team, they are coming together as one and hopefully there will be a great atmosphere this weekend at the Reebok Stadium."

There are still a number of questions for Bolton's defense, namely who will start in place of Craig Dawson, but those will be answered in the coming days.