Jlloyd Welcomes International Weekend

Jlloyd Samuel
By Mark Heys
September 7 2007

Bolton Wanderers left back Jlloyd Samuel beleives that the international weekend could prove to be an advantage for the club as they look to bounce back from their recent run of form which has seen them pick up just one win from the last five Premiership games.

Samuel was signed from Aston Villa in the summer and so far the former England U21 defender has settled down well in his first few weeks at the Reebok Stadium.

The 25-year old states that the Wanderers results so far have not reflected the way that they have played, with the recent Everton game last week being a prime case in point.

However, the Trinidad-born star feels the international weekend will enable to squad to get themselves organised ahead of an important trip to Birmingham City a week tommorow.

"The international break is part and parcel of football, Hopefully it might be a good thing for us. So, when everyone comes back, we can say, the season starts from here." said Samuel

"The team has been doing well but the results haven't shown that,  We've got to keep plugging away and I'm sure it won't continue like this." he added

Nicolas Anelka's decision to stay has also been met with the approval of Samuel who feels that keeping the in-demand Frenchman at the club is a huge sign of their ambitions.

"It was a big boost for the club when Nicolas Anelka decided to stay. He has shown again he can score goals whatever the situation.

"To keep players like that shows we are going places. We've got to try and grind out results. We are not doing that at the moment so we're trying to change that."

Samuel has started in all Bolton's games so far due to the absence of regular left back Ricardo Gardner with a hamstring injury and he intends to keep his place once the long serving Jamaican makes a first team return.