Team News: Bolton Wanderers face right-back crisis as Josh Sheehan's fate unkown
07.09.26, 17:00 Updated 07.09.26, 18:02 3 Minute Read
Matt Bottomley
Bolton Wanderers will have to make a number decisions in terms of team selection ahead of West Ham United's visit to the Toughsheet Community Stadium.
Lewis Brunt limped off on Saturday as the Whites collapsed against Millwall. The defender could not be replaced on the pitch as Steven Schumacher's side had used all their substitutes chasing an equaliser that never came at The Den.
The former Wrexham defender is believed to have suffered a hamstring injury and unfortunately for Bolton, Akin Famewo appears to have suffered a similar injury. The fellow defender did not train today, so is likely to not be involved on Tuesday night.
The defensive duo join Luca Stephenson on the injury table, with Gaizka Larrazabal, who was not in the matchday squad last weekend, currently the only specialist right-back fit and available for Schumacher.
“I don’t know for sure on Akin but he is a doubt because it's unlikely if he's still feeling something today that we're going to risk him, especially when we've got Max (Conway) to play, so it's not necessary.”Steven Schumacher
The Whites are still hoping to have Josh Sheehan available tomorrow night, with Schumacher confirming that the club have appealed his red card from Saturday.
Should Wanderers fail in their appeal, then the Welshman will miss the next three games, with his sending off being noted as violent conduct by referee Will Finnie.
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It's not just tomorrow's game with West Ham that will have a factor on Schumacher's team selection, but also the fact that Bolton face a quick turnaround this week, facing Cardiff City in an early kick-off on Saturday.
With defensive injuries accumulating, the Wanderers boss now needs to be careful with the rest of his squad prior to the international break after Bolton face Norwich City on September 20.
With all this in mind, neither Theo Bair, or Atsuke Ito will be rushed into starting for the first-team but both will be ready when called upon, with both players available tomorrow night, the former having made his debut against Millwall.
Aside from Stephenson, Famewo and Brunt, Schumacher will have a full squad to select from as West Ham come to visit with the Whites looking to halt a run of three straight Championship defeats.
“We have to look at other things around it, have we got the team selection right? Are we energised enough in the fourth game in 10 days to be able to go and put in a performance against West Ham to try and get us a result?”Steven Schumacher
West Ham United's new injury woes
West Ham may have come away from Derby County victorious this weekend, but did not come away without some new injury issues.
Front men Pablo Felipe and Valentin Castellanos will both be late fitness calls ahead of the game. Pablo missed the win over Derby, whilst Castellanos limped off with what is believed to be the same issue as his counterpart.
Elsewhere, Tomas Soucek continues to be unavailable for Tuesday's opponents as he rehabs from the injury he suffered this summer.
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Matt Bottomley A lifelong Bolton Wanderers fan, this club is the reason I began my journalism career. Since sitting in the stands as a kid over 20 years ago, I have gone on to work for the likes of the BBC and The Telegraph before everything led me back to here, to the football club I love.
