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Neil Lennon has called on his “eliminator” to get Wanderers through their FA Cup clash with Leeds United.
The Whites boss has set down a challenge to Wellington Silva to build on his electric performance against MK Dons, and get people on the edge of their seats again at the Macron this Saturday.
Wellington produced his best display in a Bolton shirt in the 3-1 win but his season has so far been a mix of inconsistency and injury.
Lennon has high hopes the man he signed on loan from Arsenal can rise to the occasion again and see Wanderers through to the fifth round.
“When we got Wellington in we thought he would make a difference,” he told The Bolton News. “I like those kind of players, the ones who break the lines – I call them eliminators.
“But he needs to be more consistent. He needs to replicate his top form game after game, including away from home, and he isn’t alone in that.
“We’ve got a good game against Leeds United to look forward to, so I hope Wellington and a few others can take what they did against MK Dons and use it as motivation to do it again.”
Wellington missed 13 games of Wanderers’ season with a badly-torn hamstring but returned in the FA Cup at Eastleigh and has since shown some promising form.
Lennon has told the 23-year-old he must improve his fitness, however, if he is to have a career to match his raw talent.
“He didn’t have a pre-season, to be fair,” the manager said. “And then he got the really bad hamstring injury.
“He hasn’t played a lot of football in his career. He needs to work harder on the aerobic side of the game with the fitness coaches because he’s got the game for it but he’ll have to get stronger if he is going to play at the highest level.”
Wanderers have also been strengthened by the return of Zach Clough and Emile Heskey to training this week, although it is still unclear whether either striker will be rushed into the Leeds game.
Saturday’s opponents hope to have Alex Mowatt fit after a dead leg but will be without striker Chris Wood after he limped out of the 1-1 draw at Brentford on Tuesday night.
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The Whites boss has set down a challenge to Wellington Silva to build on his electric performance against MK Dons, and get people on the edge of their seats again at the Macron this Saturday.
Wellington produced his best display in a Bolton shirt in the 3-1 win but his season has so far been a mix of inconsistency and injury.
Lennon has high hopes the man he signed on loan from Arsenal can rise to the occasion again and see Wanderers through to the fifth round.
“When we got Wellington in we thought he would make a difference,” he told The Bolton News. “I like those kind of players, the ones who break the lines – I call them eliminators.
“But he needs to be more consistent. He needs to replicate his top form game after game, including away from home, and he isn’t alone in that.
“We’ve got a good game against Leeds United to look forward to, so I hope Wellington and a few others can take what they did against MK Dons and use it as motivation to do it again.”
Wellington missed 13 games of Wanderers’ season with a badly-torn hamstring but returned in the FA Cup at Eastleigh and has since shown some promising form.
Lennon has told the 23-year-old he must improve his fitness, however, if he is to have a career to match his raw talent.
“He didn’t have a pre-season, to be fair,” the manager said. “And then he got the really bad hamstring injury.
“He hasn’t played a lot of football in his career. He needs to work harder on the aerobic side of the game with the fitness coaches because he’s got the game for it but he’ll have to get stronger if he is going to play at the highest level.”
Wanderers have also been strengthened by the return of Zach Clough and Emile Heskey to training this week, although it is still unclear whether either striker will be rushed into the Leeds game.
Saturday’s opponents hope to have Alex Mowatt fit after a dead leg but will be without striker Chris Wood after he limped out of the 1-1 draw at Brentford on Tuesday night.
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