Glenn Ashworth’s first post for Vital Bolton
Well, what a week! First of all we play Dougie “the master tactician” Freedman whom we all love. Then we play the Dingles. I have to say that overall I don’t think we played all that badly- yes we all know we desperately need a striker (please please get one soon, Gartside!). But we have a lot to like and look at.
Firstly our defence: yes you read that correctly – when was the last time we could say our defence? As a unit it looks solid. I’m not a Moxey fan but I`ll hold my hands up and say that this season he has been nothing short of a new player. Prince is one hell of a signing- his pace, his awareness of everything around him and to think he can and will only get better is mouth watering. The only thing that lets him down is his ball distribution and that was evident against Blackburn but I’m sure this will improve. Dervite barring his stupidity in his sending off has played very well and is forging a good partnership with Prince. I can`t wait for Derik to be introduced as he looked like a great player in the close season and Wilson looks okay if anything though he does have the most to prove. However, so far I wouldn’t change a thing at the moment with our defence.
Our midfield now this is for me the main reason we are struggling to score goals. Now lets look at this objectively: we are basically playimg with five in midfield, two holding players in Danns and Mavies, two wingers in Feeney and Silva and then Clough as a attacking midfielder (playing just behind Madine).Now in my opinion and I’m sure I will get a lot of replies and stick for this but I would either play Clough on the wing or I wouldn’t play him at all. Why is the next question. Well for a few reasons…
1. I don’t think that he has the know how YET to play in the role he is now with just 1 striker in front of him. Last season when he played well we had 2 strikers making runs, pulling defenders, making gaps etc and that helps him; that enables him to run at defences and to find a killer pass. When there is just Madine there, we are mostly hoofing the ball up to him and by passing Clough hence he is not in the games.
2. Mavies in my opinion plays the role just behind the striker much better than Clough does. Some of this is due to age and experience and some of it is just that that’s the best part of Mavies` game- running at defence’s getting penalties, free kicks etc
3. Why not play Clough on wing? He has a lot of pace; he has the skill to kill some of these left/right backs and he will have a lot more space to run and cut into to work with.
So if I were Lennon I`d bring Vela into the team alongside Danns/Spearing and let the two of them work and hold the midfield, play Mavies behind the striker and then play Clough on wing with Silva.Possibly use Feeney more as an impact sub- that would work well for us with the pace of Feeney late in games coming on and means our shape will be a lot better.
IF and this is a big IF we ever buy another striker and we are able to play 2 up top in the same game (think I must be drunk writing this or dreaming haha) then maybe play Clough behind the front two but for the time being I`d play Clough on the wing as I think it suits him a lot better.
Madine so far has been getting a lot of stick from our fans. I think a lot of that is due to the fact we just can’t score. Personally, along with all of you, I don’t think he will get 15/20 goals we need a season but did Lennon bring him in for that? He reminds me a lot of SKD- not as good by any means but he will cause defenders problems and he will make a lot of goals. What we also have to look at is, he is on his own up front and for ANY striker that is very very very hard thing to do. I’ll judge him more when someone is playing at the side of him and I think he will be a different player then. Take a look at Alfie last season when he was on his own he struggled but as soon as we attacked in numbers and or had another striker at the side of him he was sensational (boy I miss him).
We now have only a few days of the transfer window left and then the loan market opens. I think that’s where NL will be looking at bringing people in mainly strikers or here is me hoping!
Also no game for 2 weeks may help some of the new players just settle in more and get used to the hectic schedule in the Championship.
One last thing before I call it a night. When will there be a enquiry in to referee corruption? Seriously, they have to be corrupt! Can anyone be that bad at their job? And its not just this season, I remember most matches last season the standard of referee’s and lineman has literally got to the stage of utter disgrace and it seriously cannot continue, can it? Please for the love of god let`s do something about this- it`s ruining football!