What Lennon Thought - Forest

Despite a mounting injury list Neil Lennon says his current group of players must do better following a 4-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Bolton saw both Tim Ream and Andrew Lonergan leave the field of play on stretchers at The City Ground, as the hosts ran out comfortable winners.

And speaking after the game the manager stressed the importance of his side turning the corner.

“We were very sloppy to start with and gave away some soft goals through individual mistakes. We then get a lifeline going into half time through the penalty.

“At that point you’re thinking we’ve got a real chance and that we’re back in the game.

“We knew we would have to be more aggressive, as I we felt we were way too passive in the first half.

“Then, at the start of the second half, we have a man sent off and that then makes life very difficult for you.

“When we went a man down we did have David Wheater on the bench, but because we only had one substitute left we wanted to see how things would settle down at the start of the second half.

“We then commit defensive suicide by giving away a couple more goals with the penalty and a short backpass.

“We only have ourselves to blame. Yes, we’re concerned with our injury list at this moment in time, but we can’t blame our recent run on that.

“The players who are here and playing at this moment in time have to do better. The current form is unacceptable.

“We improved as a team when we first came through the door. For one reason or another we’re now struggling a bit and we have to turn things around as soon as possible.

“We’re conceding goals at an alarming rate. We can work all week on the training ground, but we can’t legislate for individual errors costing us goals at the back.

“Andy Lonergan took a bang on the chest and seems to have suffered a bit of concussion. He went off to hospital and we’ll have to see how he is.

“We expect him to be out for some time now, because you can’t take any chances with injuries like that.

“Tim has suffered a knock on his back. Again, we’ll see how he is over the next 24 hours and decide the best course of action.”

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Not HP.

Good.

Only Clough, Feeney and ALF played acceptable

"Either I'm not getting through to them or they're not listening"

Flies in the face of his image as a great motivator/man manager.

Let's hope he finds his managerial mojo again soon.

wanderlust wrote:"Either I'm not getting through to them or they're not listening"

Flies in the face of his image as a great motivator/man manager.

Let's hope he finds his managerial mojo again soon.

Wasn't that said of Owen Coyle!

You're as strong as your weakest link

Coyle brought in Wheater and Mills.

I think the problem is more the quality out there on the on the pitch in defence (thanks Owen) more than anything the manager can do to gee them up.

(Freeman tried to solve it with two defensive mid fielders in front of them - looks like Lennon is trying the 'attack is the best form of defence' approach - the problem is just the same though - what Coyle had left behind (on huge wages and long contracts!).

You can't keep blaming Coyle. Yes, he was the bellend who signed some of these dickheads but both Freedman and Lennon have had chance to get shut or at least leave them out. Didn't Freedman give Zat Knight an extended contract?

We need proper fullbacks and a centre half with a bit of pace.

Mills is utter shite, an accident waiting to happen. He's played ok for spells this season but overall his performances in a white shirt have been pisspoor. If Lennon gives him a new contract he deserves to have his pubes set on fire.

Everything said about Mills can also be said about Wheater.

The problem with appointing Lennon is that he's clueless about lower league football in England, so the chances of him finding a better replacement for Mills and Wheater are limited.

Lennon has had a lot of injuries to contend with, and with them back next season we will always be a threat going forward. But until we can put out a proper back four of defenders we'll always be shite.

Sluffy wrote:

wanderlust wrote:"Either I'm not getting through to them or they're not listening"

Flies in the face of his image as a great motivator/man manager.

Let's hope he finds his managerial mojo again soon.

Wasn't that said of Owen Coyle!

You're as strong as your weakest link

Coyle brought in Wheater and Mills.

I think the problem is more the quality out there on the on the pitch in defence (thanks Owen) more than anything the manager can do to gee them up.

(Freeman tried to solve it with two defensive mid fielders - looks like Lennon is trying the 'attack is the best form of defence' approach - the problem is just the same though - what Coyle had left behind (on huge wages and long contracts!).

Lennon admitted he's not getting through to them, but like Freedman, he's going to have to work with what he's got so he had better start getting through to them pretty damned quick.

If he recognises that the quality is low then he has to change the system to accommodate that. Freedman tried to do it with 2 defensive mids in front of a back four and it didn't work out so if attack is his best defence he needs to improve attack so that we outscore the opposition. But I think he needs to change the system and some of the personnel where possible - again. But he's obsessed with having pacy FBs that can get forward so I doubt much will change

I'm not that worried about how we're playing. We never really got going yesterday, but it was the same when we went to Norwich in one of Lennon's first matches and a few others earlier on. I think if we keep calm and be patient, we'll finish mid-table. 

I'm more worried that the atmosphere at the Macron will turn toxic again soon. It's amazing to think that could happen, considering everyone was well and truly up Lennon's arse only a few weeks ago, but that's the way it goes.

wanderlust wrote:

Sluffy wrote:

wanderlust wrote:"Either I'm not getting through to them or they're not listening"

Flies in the face of his image as a great motivator/man manager.

Let's hope he finds his managerial mojo again soon.

Wasn't that said of Owen Coyle!

You're as strong as your weakest link

Coyle brought in Wheater and Mills.

I think the problem is more the quality out there on the on the pitch in defence (thanks Owen) more than anything the manager can do to gee them up.

(Freeman tried to solve it with two defensive mid fielders - looks like Lennon is trying the 'attack is the best form of defence' approach - the problem is just the same though - what Coyle had left behind (on huge wages and long contracts!).

Lennon admitted he's not getting through to them, but like Freedman, he's going to have to work with what he's got so he had better start getting through to them pretty damned quick.

If he recognises that the quality is low then he has to change the system to accommodate that. Freedman tried to do it with 2 defensive mids in front of a back four and it didn't work out so if attack is his best defence he needs to improve attack so that we outscore the opposition. But I think he needs to change the system and some of the personnel where possible - again. But he's obsessed with having pacy FBs that can get forward so I doubt much will change

Forgive me as I seem to be out of step with a few people recently but isn't what you've just posted exactly what I've already just said?

If the quality of the player is not there to begin with then it really doesn't matter if Freedman/Lennon/Uncle Tom Cobley/etc can get through to them or not, if they can't execute what is requied!  

Knowing something and being able to do it are two completely different things entirely.

Freedman I felt understood the centre of defence was a problem (but so to was everywhere else after Coyle) and he tried to make things better by going along the defensive midfield route (he already had Spearing and brought in Medo).

Lennon seems to have gone for attack being the best form of defence, way.

It seems obvious to me that you can only use what you have.  Yes there might be a loan or two in but you've got to make do with the limited resources given to you to shore up the mess - and obviously a non existent attack (Beckford, Wilkinson and a sick note Cravies was all we had at the time) was the priority.

You ask him to change the system again - but to what to?

We still have the inherent weakness with Wheater and Mills at the back - so what do you suggest he does?

Fair play to Lennon for risking Vela at right back - it sort of worked.  I'm guessing he gambled with the young lad as left back for the game - but it didn't work.  

At least he tried something.

Yes he could give the kids a chance in defence but I'm guessing again he doesn't rate them.  I say this because he has given other youngsters a chance (Vela, Clough, Wilkinson, etc).

McNaughton appears to be the obvious player to bring in as right back and this will let Ream go back to the left but Lennon obviously did not want that yesterday.

Wheater will come back now that Mills is banned and I guess Moxey for an injured Ream - thus getting back to a Freedman back four again - so I guess the lack of pace at the back will mean more defensive mid cover?

If that means we will be under the cosh then at Boro I would think we then would have to rely on pace to counter attack - so possibly bringing back the young united lad, with maybe Heskey as a lone target man up front for the first 60 mins or so.

A new keeper to the team in goal too - which will cause some confusion in defence at times - not good.

It's easy for people to say change the system, dump the players we have, bring the kids in, etc - but the reality is you have to work with (or around) what you already have - and that isn't as easy as many people think.



Natasha - It was Coyle the give Knight a TWO year contract extension - following relegation -(and made him captain)!

Yet another piece of inspired brilliance from Owen!

What a genius he truly was.

wanderlust wrote:"Either I'm not getting through to them or they're not listening"

Flies in the face of his image as a great motivator/man manager.

Let's hope he finds his managerial mojo again soon.

It's a tricky one.

Fans don't wanna hear managers defend players after a dire performance like this one, but publicly slagging players off is a risky business.

Being as successful as he was in Scotland, I don't suppose he's got much experience of being on a run as awful as the one we're on, and there's a skill to keeping both the players and the fans onside when it happens.

I think the key missing man believe it or not is Pratley. Pratley would get forward and back to distupt the opposition play. Our form dip closely correlated to the injury with Pratley.

Lenny needs to get McNaughton in at RB and play Vela in the Pratley role. If Vela is too slight a build then someone to fill the role is essential.

Moxey sold Lonners a pup and Ream was unlucky to collide with the goalpost. The 2nd yellow on Mills was the slightest of contacts and should not have been a 2nd yellow.

JAH wrote:I think the key missing man believe it or not is Pratley. Pratley would get forward and back to distupt the opposition play. Our form dip closely correlated to the injury with Pratley.

Lenny needs to get McNaughton in at RB and play Vela in the Pratley role. If Vela is too slight a build then someone to fill the role is essential.

I agree about Pratley. We have missed his industry in midfield.

I know managers see something in training during the week, but I refuse to believe that Ream looks better at right back than McNaughton.

He's making a rod for his own back by making unnecessary changes to the back 4.