Fulham boss Martin Jol is sure that the recent events involving Fabrice Muamba motivated Bolton into improving their form.
Dutchman says Bolton's fortunes have improved since incident
Fulham boss Martin Jol is sure that the recent events involving Fabrice Muamba motivated Bolton into improving their form.
The midfielder, who celebrates his 24th birthday on Friday, is continuing to make strong and steady improvements in his recovery from a cardiac arrest.
He collapsed on the pitch in the first half of Bolton's FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham on March 17th where he received treatment on the field before being carried off on a stretcher and taken to the London Chest Hospital.
It has since emerged that it took 78 minutes for his heart to start working on its own again.
The player has more recently been on his feet and walking around the corridors of the intensive care unit he has been staying in and even posted a picture of him sitting up in his hospital bed on Twitter.
And Dutchman Jol believes that the Trotters' fortunes have improved since that day at White Hart Lane, with Wanderers having beaten relegation rivals Blackburn and Wolves in recent weeks.
"It has helped, especially in the first game as they wanted to do it for him," said Jol.
"That gave them motivation and they got back to winning ways, which is a mentality as well.
"That is why I think they are probably better than before.
"You saw them get out of the bottom three or bottom four as they got points on the board.
"But they still need a lot of points to be safe so I think they will scrap and fight for their life.
"Before these three wins they didn't do particularly well, not even at home.
"We had a certain style when we played them at home, we hurt them and hopefully we can do that again away from home."
Rotation
After Saturday's trip to the Reebok, the hectic Easter scheduling sees the Cottagers take on West London rivals Chelsea on Monday evening, but Jol insists he does not expect to make many changes.
"You can't say you (are used to this situation) all the time because it is probably the first time that there is only one resting day before you play again," he said.
"You could use several players but I think we need to focus on the first match and then hope in the ideal scenario that they stay fit. Then we have to focus on the next day against Chelsea."
