Bolton Wanderers have not been caught out by the level of quality on display on their return to the Championship, according to boss Steven Schumacher.
Schumacher’s side had put together an impressive run earlier this season, with their 3-1 win at Wolves their third in in four games as they moved up to 14th in the table.
Since that victory, however, they have failed to win in three matches and have conceded eight goals – including five in a chastening home defeat by Middlesbrough.
“I don’t think we’re surprised by the level. It’s going to be difficult,” he told Radio Manchester.
“But I think what I’ve been most impressed with – there’s only one game out of the 13 that we’ve played in the league that we can honestly come off the pitch and say, ‘you know what, they were miles better than us.’
“I thought QPR were excellent on the day, and we did really well to get a point out of that one. But every other game, we’ve really given ourselves a chance to win, not just get points here and there.”
Bolton let a 2-1 lead slip on Saturday as they eventually lost 3-2 at home to Bristol City.
That defeat left them 19th in the league, but Schumacher still believes the results his side are getting is not reflective of their abilities.
“I know that we haven’t got all of the wins or we’ve been punished sometimes and we’ve had points in the bag and it’s gone in the last minute like Sheffield United and on Saturday, but that’s what this league can do to you,” he added.
“It is punishing and it’s something that you’ve just got to get over quickly because before you know it there’s another game and you can’t dwell on it for too long.
“I said to the players to stick with it and keep believing because you’re just doing loads of things well and for large periods of that game on Saturday we looked like the team that have been at this level for years.”