On the opnions of some fans, our need of new players and a new feature on the site!
We`ve lost every pre-season game so far. We`ve lost to Sturm Graz, Paderborn and now Morecambe. Our fans, as usual, have very split opinions on this. Some have said that it`s pathetic that we`ve lost to all of these teams. Others say that it`s all about the fitness, and that we`re not to worry as it`s ‘only pre-season`. Some even seem glad about this, stating that there`s a correlation between losing pre-season games and finishing highly in the league that next season.
Losing in Europe to Sturm Graz and Paderborn was not particularly surprising- those teams are both strong and are further ahead in their preparation for the coming season. However, losing to League 2 Morecambe upon return home to England doesn`t fill me with confidence, especially since we utilised a lot of first team players. With all due respect to Morecambe, they are a League 2 team and they`re probably at a similar stage in their pre-season preparation given that their season kicks off at the same time as ours.
While, as I said, I`m not happy about this result, I wouldn`t want to read too much into it. I wouldn`t start panicking now and say that we`re getting relegated but at the same time we need to recognise that major improvements are required between now and August 8th when the season begins. And to those who say that losing in pre-season is a good thing- no, it`s not really as team morale can take a battering and you want to go into the season full of positivity. I suppose you could argue that if we played against Telford United, Westhoughton FC and FC United of Manchester and won all of those games comfortably the team might enter the season with a false sense of security, but I do think that Neil Lennon is well grounded and experienced enough to realise what is required to do well at this level.
As things stand, financially, we have no money to spend on anything at the moment. However, we have many assets of no worth to us which/whom, if cleared out, could make way for a few signings. Liam Trotter, Medo, Rob Hall and Tom Eaves are all seemingly out of favour with Neil Lennon- they`re certainly out of favour with many of the fans. If they all leave, we could bring in a right back, a substitute goalkeeper and Stephen Dobbie. All of a sudden our squad is looking much much better. However, it really isn`t that easy. Hall is reportedly on the verge of moving on loan to MK Dons who will pay most of his wages; I`m not sure how it works with a player like Hall who`s deal means that West Ham receive money every time he plays as part of an appearance fee clause- when he goes out on loan and plays do West Ham still receive that money? I`m not sure if Tom Eaves has any takers as he seems unable to score at League 1 level, and I`m not sure if he`d want to play in League 2 at his age. Medo seems to want to stay at the Macron, but Neil Lennon, it would appear, has other ideas. Unfortunately the likes of Partizan Belgrade have not taken the opportunity to sign the Sierre Leone international, and with no other takers he may well find himself with the reserves for longer. The same can be said about Liam Trotter.
In his post-Morecambe interview, Neil Lennon said that ‘we don`t have` a right back. This comment would appear to suggest that the likes of Hayden White, Niall Maher and Oscar Threlkeld are not first team standard in Neil Lennon`s opinion and frankly, I find it hard to disagree. I think that that all need to go to League 1 on loan for three months and say how they do from there. Lennon wants to see Josh Vela operate as a central midfielder, so we`ll certainly have to bring in a right back once we`ve cleared a few players out. I would argue that, from what I`ve seen, Josh Vela is better as a right back and given our saturation of central midfielders that we`d be better off with him playing there, though I know that there are many who would disagree. Ex-Charlton and Scunthorpe United man Lawrie Wilson played for us against Morecambe. He apparently does have an offer on the table from another club which means we`d have to compete to sign him which we simply can`t afford to do. I reckon that our best solution would be to loan a right back from a Premier League club, Vela and Threlkeld/Maher/White could provide cover. Similarly, Kevin McNaughton who has spent a lot of time on loan with Bolton is still a free agent and although he wasn`t Neil Lennon`s favourite player, could prove to be a steady pair of hands. He`s been training with Blackpool but I`m sure he`d prefer to sign at a club with more stability in a higher league.
In other news, Vital Bolton will now be bringing you match reports from most of Bolton Wanderer`s U21 games. We have a new writer who`ll be in charge of our regular U21 reports. More details will follow shortly and stay tuned for a Colwyn Bay report!
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