Chung Yong Lee is finally looking like the player he should be
‘Twas the Summer of 2011, Bolton fans were optimistic ahead of the start of the new season. Last season had gone quite well before losing to Stoke at Wembley but we still managed a mid-table finish. It looked like Owen Coyle had recruited quite well, bringing in the likes of Nigel Reo-Coker and Chris Eagles to bolster a decent squad.
I won’t dwell on the incident, but we have to accept that it happened. The incident cost Bolton so so so dearly as it robbed them of their little Korean star. The pacey international who took the Premier League by storm in his first game two seasons ago.
The incident robbed us of Premier League football and our best player.
He played once or twice that season but couldn’t make the impact that we’d hoped. He played two Championship seasons for us and did okay. He put in some nice touches but seemed to keep fading out of games under Owen Coyle and Dougie Freedman.
However, there cameth Neil Lennon. Neil Lennon restored both Chung Yong Lee and Mark Davies to the careers they were both robbed of by injury. Both look so sharp and dynamic plucking impossibly well placed passes and penetrating strong defences.
These players are finally able to use the ability they both have that attracted sone of the top clubs in Europe. Had we sold them both in their prime I think we could have got in excess of 20 million. However, I’m happy that they’ve stayed at the club. Now it’s up to getting them new deals but that’s something for the backroom team to address in the upcoming international break.
What really gets me thinking is why are Davies and Lee doing so well now?
Lee is now playing in a more central position in which he is thriving. However, when he was doing so well in the Premier League he was playing on the wing. He struggled during the World Cup, playing in the centre of midfield.
I think what Lennon’s system offers, which DF’s didn’t, is freedom for Lee. He plays in a much looser role which allows him to pick up the ball from wherever he wants and run with it.
Mark Davies is playing in a more deep-lying role, like Lee he is currently doing very well. While Neil Lennon has certainly seemed to galvanise and enhance the ability of the former Wolves man, didn’t Dougie Freedman speak earlier about how he wanted Mavies to play deeper?
What Lennon’s system takes into account if the fact that he needs someone next to him to compliment him. If played in a deeper role under Dougie, he’d either have Spearing behind him (not beside) or Spearing next to him getting forward making Davies defend. What he now has is an absolute workhorse- Neil Danns who will push up and offer Davies support if he can’t find a ‘killer’ pass through the defence and track back for Davies when need be.
Dougie wasn’t far wrong and he nearly got the winning formula with these players, but the truth is that he didn’t. When you’re working every week with a group of footballers and your job is to manage them you really should be getting it right.
It’s also worth pointing out that Dougie Freedman felt that Max Clayton wasn’t ready this season. We also say the Scott hold back the development of other young talents such as Josh Vela who are nod doing well. Clayton created countless chances with his runs and while a little raw, can certainly make an impact this season.
My hat goes off to you, Neil Lennon. You’ve got it right.