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Wanderers have had a long time to think about their shortcomings over the opening five games of the Championship campaign.
Phil Parkinson probably did not manage to make the wholesale changes he had plotted walking away from Hull City’s KCOM Stadium on August 25 but will hope those involved at least got the message.
The Whites had strayed from his core values of hard work and organisation, the ones he had instilled to such great effect in League One last season.
“We must make sure we are harder to play against,” Parkinson repeated several times during his post-match musings, and he was entirely right.
The Hull defeat might have been the most obvious example of Wanderers struggling to come to terms with life in the second tier but there have been other warning signs.
According to stats supplied by Whoscored.com, the Whites have made fewer tackles per game than any other team in the Championship.
At the KCOM last time out Hull managed twice as many successful challenges as the Whites, whose average dropped to just 12.4 attempted tackles per game. Leeds United and Millwall top the divisional list with an average of 21 and 20.2, respectively.
Many fans had hoped Parkinson would respond to the perceived ‘soft centre’ by bringing in another midfield ball-winner. And while there is evidence he investigated options, including Swansea City’s Jay Fulton.
In the end, an inability to come to an agreement with Chris Taylor over his contract, or manufacture him a loan elsewhere, prevented another player coming on board. It now remains to be seen whether Ken Anderson can barter extra space in his quota – or rid the club of the transfer embargo altogether – to get someone else on board. Fans have clamoured to see Jay Spearing back in a Bolton shirt but, as things stand, the midfielder is no nearer to a return.
The one signing Wanderers did make on deadline day itself could help to remedy another of the issues which has cropped up regularly in the first five games.
Of the four goals scored thus far only one has come from open play – which alongside Preston is the lowest number in the division.
Parkinson’s side developed a fearsome reputation in League One from set pieces and welcome back one of their chief threats in David Wheater for the visit of Middlesbrough this weekend.
Wanderers may, however, need more strings to their proverbial bow and the addition of winger Craig Noone should help to sharpen things up in attack.
It remains to be seen whether Noone or the fit-again Sammy Ameobi will come straight into the equation against Boro but the common consensus is that Parkinson is exploring a move away from the 3-5-2 formation he has used primarily in the opening five games.
John McGinlay, who watched the defeat at Hull for BBC Radio Manchester, admits injuries have taken the edge off Wanderers’ performances so far but do not completely excuse some of the performances on the pitch.
“We have got Josh Vela to come back, which will be a big plus, David Wheater to come back, which will be a big plus – the quicker they are back on the park the better,” he said. “But the rest of the guys on the park have to start rolling their sleeves up and playing with a bit of character, a bit of grit and determination, because that is what is going to keep us in this division.
“We have got to defend right at the back and look more like a unit again. We have to get people working all over the park.
“Assessing the season so far the two best performances have been away from home. The two home games in the league have been a huge let-down.”
Boro have themselves been hit and miss thus far since dropping out of the Premier League and sit mid-table but McGinlay has warned against the strength in depth in Garry Monk’s squad.
“They’re one of the favourites for promotion and they have spent £30-odd million in the summer on three strikers,” he added. “They have got the squad and the capability to do real damage.”
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Phil Parkinson probably did not manage to make the wholesale changes he had plotted walking away from Hull City’s KCOM Stadium on August 25 but will hope those involved at least got the message.
The Whites had strayed from his core values of hard work and organisation, the ones he had instilled to such great effect in League One last season.
“We must make sure we are harder to play against,” Parkinson repeated several times during his post-match musings, and he was entirely right.
The Hull defeat might have been the most obvious example of Wanderers struggling to come to terms with life in the second tier but there have been other warning signs.
According to stats supplied by Whoscored.com, the Whites have made fewer tackles per game than any other team in the Championship.
At the KCOM last time out Hull managed twice as many successful challenges as the Whites, whose average dropped to just 12.4 attempted tackles per game. Leeds United and Millwall top the divisional list with an average of 21 and 20.2, respectively.
Many fans had hoped Parkinson would respond to the perceived ‘soft centre’ by bringing in another midfield ball-winner. And while there is evidence he investigated options, including Swansea City’s Jay Fulton.
In the end, an inability to come to an agreement with Chris Taylor over his contract, or manufacture him a loan elsewhere, prevented another player coming on board. It now remains to be seen whether Ken Anderson can barter extra space in his quota – or rid the club of the transfer embargo altogether – to get someone else on board. Fans have clamoured to see Jay Spearing back in a Bolton shirt but, as things stand, the midfielder is no nearer to a return.
The one signing Wanderers did make on deadline day itself could help to remedy another of the issues which has cropped up regularly in the first five games.
Of the four goals scored thus far only one has come from open play – which alongside Preston is the lowest number in the division.
Parkinson’s side developed a fearsome reputation in League One from set pieces and welcome back one of their chief threats in David Wheater for the visit of Middlesbrough this weekend.
Wanderers may, however, need more strings to their proverbial bow and the addition of winger Craig Noone should help to sharpen things up in attack.
It remains to be seen whether Noone or the fit-again Sammy Ameobi will come straight into the equation against Boro but the common consensus is that Parkinson is exploring a move away from the 3-5-2 formation he has used primarily in the opening five games.
John McGinlay, who watched the defeat at Hull for BBC Radio Manchester, admits injuries have taken the edge off Wanderers’ performances so far but do not completely excuse some of the performances on the pitch.
“We have got Josh Vela to come back, which will be a big plus, David Wheater to come back, which will be a big plus – the quicker they are back on the park the better,” he said. “But the rest of the guys on the park have to start rolling their sleeves up and playing with a bit of character, a bit of grit and determination, because that is what is going to keep us in this division.
“We have got to defend right at the back and look more like a unit again. We have to get people working all over the park.
“Assessing the season so far the two best performances have been away from home. The two home games in the league have been a huge let-down.”
Boro have themselves been hit and miss thus far since dropping out of the Premier League and sit mid-table but McGinlay has warned against the strength in depth in Garry Monk’s squad.
“They’re one of the favourites for promotion and they have spent £30-odd million in the summer on three strikers,” he added. “They have got the squad and the capability to do real damage.”
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