Lennon wants more width in his ranks

NEIL Lennon is concerned Wanderers’ surplus of central midfielders will cost his team results in the Championship.

After sampling defeat for the first time at Charlton on Tuesday night the Whites boss questioned the lack of options at his disposal in wider areas.

Lennon has employed Darren Pratley on the left in his first two games while Liam Feeney – one of the few natural wingers in the squad – has made an unremarkable start to his boss’s tenure.

But the lack of width in midfield, an accusation continually dished out to his predecessor Dougie Freedman, now seems an area the new manager is keen to address.

“The squad for me is so ill-balanced at the minute,” he told The Bolton News. “There are so many central midfield players, we just don’t have enough wide men.

“We’re playing players out of position. Darren Pratley has done another great job for us on the left but we need that wee bit of extra help from the wider areas. We are lacking a bit and it is costing us.”

Lennon is reluctant to add pressure to individual players by admitting he is targeting signings in certain positions.

But he is confident cash is available if he needs it, and could now look towards the loan market to solve his problems short-term until the January window opens in nine weeks.

“I don’t want to put the wind up the players I already have,” he said. “I’m only two games in.

“But obviously you always want to get better and if we can find someone better who is available, wants to come and we like the look of the deal then we’ll do it.”

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It is interesting that Doug complained about the team being unbalanced then spent so much time and money on bringing in central midfielders. So much so that Neil is now complaining about the very same thing!

We need people upfront. That's our main problem area, our strikers can't hit a barn door.

Doug being a striker, you'd think that would have been his first area of concern!

If we had a fooking manager who could play a fooking balanced team, that would give us half a chance.

Play right footed players on the right, and left footers on the left.

Pratley on the left? FUCK OFF LENNON.

I think he is saying the right things .... of course Dougie said the same.  But after two weeks on the job he can see where the issues are. And not afraid to say it either.  Now he needs time to fix this mess.  Although if he shoves Pratts on the left again I'll have to question his judgement myself.  I can't fathom that one at the moment.

are you baffled by it?

What is concerning is that whilst both Dougie and Neil recognise the same problem, neither seems prepared to throw in youngsters like Kellett, Hall and the development squad wide boys even though it's their "natural position". Pratley can do a job in terms of challenging for and retaining possession whilst playing wide but he's not going to beat his defender and whip in a string of wicked crosses is he? Chungy can do the job but has been drafted into the middle where he's probably needed more.
Chris Lester is a natural winger and he's got to be 20 years old by now so what do we keep him around for if he isn't going to break into the team when we have a a shortage of wide players? Will he ever come good if he can't do it at 20 years of age?
Add the fact that there is allegedly little or no budget to buy and you'd think the circumstances are ideal for promoting a development player. That's the problem for me. If it's not possible to trust the development players to do their job i.e. develop and step up when needed, why do we have them?