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Should Wanderers avoid relegation from the Championship this season, Phil Parkinson might look at the signing of Karl Henry as a pivotal moment in the campaign.
From the moment the 34-year-old was launched into a surprise debut against Bristol City he added an air of authority to a midfield which had lacked direction in the first two months since promotion.
In time, Henry would find an able side-kick in Darren Pratley, the Bolton captain whose form benefitted more than most from the former Wolves and QPR star’s arrival.
Wanderers suddenly had a solid base once again, and soon enough results followed. In fact, had the season started on September 26 – the day of Henry’s debut – they would be11th, five points off the play-offs.
Little wonder, then, that since Henry and Pratley limped out of the New Year’s Day win over Hull City the Bolton midfield area has given Parkinson a continual headache.
A hamstring and back problem kept Henry out of the FA Cup defeat against Huddersfield Town and the reverse against Brentford on Saturday but hopes on the training ground are high that he could return to active duty in time to face his former manager Mick McCarthy when Ipswich Town come to the Macron Stadium on Saturday.
The choice for Parkinson is whether to push his experienced midfield general back into action immediately after a lay-off, or whether to wait and potentially take advantage of a free weekend if Cardiff City progress against Mansfield Town in the cup.
Josh Cullen impressed against Hull City but was always destined to return to West Ham for the short-term. His stay to ease the Hammers’ injury worries and feature in last night’s replay against Shrewsbury Town may have been awkward for Bolton, but they are hardly in a position to complain. Should he be granted a return before the weekend, the pressure to play Henry would decrease.
Derik Osede has been the chief beneficiary of Henry’s absence and his performances in the last two games have been generally well-received. The former Real Madrid man looked after the ball better than any of the starting 11 at Griffin Park, finishing with a 73 per cent pass success rate, yet questions continue to be asked about the physical side of his game, and whether he can – as the old football cliché goes – go box-to-box?
Josh Vela rarely struggles for energy but the home-grown talent has seen his form plateau in the last few weeks. He was dropped back to accommodate Everton loanee Harry Charsley at Brentford but may return to his favoured number 10 spot against Ipswich - a side with a considerably larger physical presence than the Bees.
This weekend’s game will be one for men, not boys, and Parkinson will be looking for players who will roll up their sleeves.
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From the moment the 34-year-old was launched into a surprise debut against Bristol City he added an air of authority to a midfield which had lacked direction in the first two months since promotion.
In time, Henry would find an able side-kick in Darren Pratley, the Bolton captain whose form benefitted more than most from the former Wolves and QPR star’s arrival.
Wanderers suddenly had a solid base once again, and soon enough results followed. In fact, had the season started on September 26 – the day of Henry’s debut – they would be11th, five points off the play-offs.
Little wonder, then, that since Henry and Pratley limped out of the New Year’s Day win over Hull City the Bolton midfield area has given Parkinson a continual headache.
A hamstring and back problem kept Henry out of the FA Cup defeat against Huddersfield Town and the reverse against Brentford on Saturday but hopes on the training ground are high that he could return to active duty in time to face his former manager Mick McCarthy when Ipswich Town come to the Macron Stadium on Saturday.
The choice for Parkinson is whether to push his experienced midfield general back into action immediately after a lay-off, or whether to wait and potentially take advantage of a free weekend if Cardiff City progress against Mansfield Town in the cup.
Josh Cullen impressed against Hull City but was always destined to return to West Ham for the short-term. His stay to ease the Hammers’ injury worries and feature in last night’s replay against Shrewsbury Town may have been awkward for Bolton, but they are hardly in a position to complain. Should he be granted a return before the weekend, the pressure to play Henry would decrease.
Derik Osede has been the chief beneficiary of Henry’s absence and his performances in the last two games have been generally well-received. The former Real Madrid man looked after the ball better than any of the starting 11 at Griffin Park, finishing with a 73 per cent pass success rate, yet questions continue to be asked about the physical side of his game, and whether he can – as the old football cliché goes – go box-to-box?
Josh Vela rarely struggles for energy but the home-grown talent has seen his form plateau in the last few weeks. He was dropped back to accommodate Everton loanee Harry Charsley at Brentford but may return to his favoured number 10 spot against Ipswich - a side with a considerably larger physical presence than the Bees.
This weekend’s game will be one for men, not boys, and Parkinson will be looking for players who will roll up their sleeves.
Source