Midfielder Kieran Lee on half-time 'rollocking' and Charlton brace

Kieran Lee admits Wanderers needed a kick up the backside at Charlton.

Ian Evatt told his players in no uncertain terms that their performance had not been up to scratch at The Valley, even though Dapo Afolayan had got them back on level terms just before the break.

Bolton responded, with Lee scoring two of three second-half goals which piled more pressure on Charlton’s embattled boss Nigel Adkins.

“We started quite slowly and there were a few changes in the team. It isn’t an excuse but that might have played a part,” Lee reflected after the final whistle.

“Charlton started well and pressed strongly and it took us a while to get going but in the end we got the goals we needed, so that was all that matters.

“I think we needed and deserved (the rollocking). He gave us a bit and we got the win.

“But Dapo’s goal coming along when it did, we needed that just before half time to give us a lift.

“First half we struggled a bit and weren’t ourselves for some reason. But second half we stepped it up and you can see by the scoreline, we got what we deserved.”

Lee had only once before scored twice in a game, for Sheffield Wednesday against Nottingham Forest in 2016.

And having had one goal controversially ruled out against Burton Albion a few weeks ago, he was only too happy to recall the details of his brace on the night.

“The first one I saw everyone running in and I held my position, it came straight to me and luckily got a little deflection which took it past the keeper,” he said.

“The second one fell perfectly. You couldn’t miss, and I’ll take that.”

Lee had started only one other league game for Wanderers this season, losing his place to summer arrival Josh Sheehan.

But he hopes that his performance and goals at Charlton has given Evatt something to think about.

“It’s how it is,” he said. “We have been doing well. I know the last couple of results haven’t been what we wanted but the performances have been good, so I have had to take my time and a couple of goals today means I can stake a claim.”

Both of Lee’s goals were scored in front of the travelling supporters in the Jimmy Seed Stand – and the former Sheffield Wednesday man was delighted to send them home happy.

“It is brilliant, and it is what you play for,” he said. “We missed it last season but having them back is a massive bonus.”

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It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday as he can't drop Lee now surely? 

Sheehan missed out last night but he's been decent as well, but i do think he should be playing where Sarcevic does.

Norpig wrote:It will be interesting to see what happens on Saturday as he can't drop Lee now surely? 

Sheehan missed out last night but he's been decent as well, but i do think he should be playing where Sarcevic does.

I think there are two ways at looking at this, Evatt's either got his strongest team players in his head and rested a few last night - such as Sheehan and Johnston from Saturday - in which case they will return with Lee and Baptiste going back on the bench, or he tinkers with the players and formations based on opposition and player performance.

I think he's firmly in the first category.

I think therefore that as Sarcevic, Sheehan and Johnston in his mind are in his strongest team that all will play at the weekend if injury free and Lee and Baptiste will return to the bench.

That's what I'd be planning on if I was the manager of Shrewsbury this Saturday.

Bit harsh on Lee though if that's the case Sluffy, he scored twice and set up the fourth goal but then goes straight back to the bench. Doesn't send out the right message to me.

There is zero chance of Lee being on the bench against Shrewsbury.

Norpig wrote:Bit harsh on Lee though if that's the case Sluffy, he scored twice and set up the fourth goal but then goes straight back to the bench. Doesn't send out the right message to me.

I don't know if that will happen but it is what I am guessing will.

To my mind last season we had three in midfield with Sarce as the attacking mid, MJ as the defensive mid and Lee box to box and this season Evatt has preferred Sheehan as a second attacking mid at the expense of Lee's shared duty in defending.

Maybe Evatt's thought that he needed to score more goals at this level (remember last season we were winning games we dominated just 1-0) or maybe he jumped at the chance of getting Sheehan and needs to fit him in the team somehow, or maybe he thinks Sarce is the heartbeat of the side and can't be dropped, I don't know but it is fairly clear up to now Lee isn't in his starting eleven usually this season and I simply think Evatt will revert back to that default position of his that he seems to have in his mind for Saturday's team.

But then again what do I know!

Evatt made it clear he wanted at least 2 players for every position and although he hasn't got back up strength everywhere he might as well rotate when he can to keep players fresh and competition for places sharp - it's what all the top clubs do.
Add to that picking specific players for specific opposition and I don't think there is such a thing as "his strongest team" - it's a squad, a group and he'll pick players and rest players as he feels is appropriate for a particular game.

It's been a long time since the concept of "the reserves" being the back up for "the first team" was practised. Nowadays every player is expected to improve, compete and participate - and nobody can get complacent about being picked or retaining their place.

wanderlust wrote:Evatt made it clear he wanted at least 2 players for every position and although he hasn't got back up strength everywhere he might as well rotate when he can to keep players fresh and competition for places sharp - it's what all the top clubs do.
Add to that picking specific players for specific opposition and I don't think there is such a thing as "his strongest team" - it's a squad, a group and he'll pick players and rest players as he feels is appropriate for a particular game.

It's been a long time since the concept of "the reserves" being the back up for "the first team" was practised. Nowadays every player is expected to improve, compete and participate - and nobody can get complacent about being picked or retaining their place.

Hahaha!!!

Why did I expect something like this from you...

You really are so desperate to prove me wrong about something!

Look I don't know what team Evatt will pick for Saturday's game but I do know who he picked in his last league matches this season and last.

Last season following the January window the team was the same side for every game (apart from being injured) - Gilks, Jones, Baptiste, Santos, John, MJ, Lee, Sarce, Isgrove, Doyle and Afolayan.

He even used the same subs regularly replacing Isgrove and Afolayan with Fonz and Miller/King Arthur

This season the team is Dixon, Jones, Santos, Johnston, John, MJ, Sheehan, Sarce, Isgrove, Doyle and Afolayan - so he's played the same team for most of this year from January with only Dixon, Johnston and Sheehan replacing Gilks, Baptiste and Lee.

There have been 10 league games this season - Jones, MJ, Sarce, Afolayan and Doyle have started them all.

Another two players Dixon and Santos have played in everyone bar the opening game where Giles started and has not played a league game since and Santos was recovering from Covid.

Let's look at the other four players

Sheehan has played in eight, missed one due to playing for Wales and was rested for the Tuesday match (being only the second Tuesday match the first being early in the season).

Similarly Johnston has played in eight, he was rested after his first league game for us being the seasons opener but has played every game since other than Tuesdays match.

My guess fwiw is that Sheehan and Johnston might have had a few injury niggles from Saturdays game and were given a rest - indeed Johnston even came on as a late sub in the game to replace Baptiste.

So I would argue that those nine players ARE seen by Evatt as being part of his strongest eleven players.

What about the other two places?

Well John has had two spells of injury and has been covered by Gordon - I think its pretty obvious that injury apart he would have been picked for all the games he missed or recovering from, over Gordon.

The last place in Evatt's eyes was meant for Bakayoko who played the first three games before his injury.  Isgrove has played in all the remaining games apart from the last due to his head injury when Kachunga stepped in.

As for squad rotation only the following have started a league game -

Gilks - 1
Baptiste - 3 (one of those covering for Santos who had Covid)
Gordon - 5 (all in place of the injured John)
Lee - 2 (one of those covering for Sheehan playing for Wales)
Bakayoko - 3
Kachunga - 1 (covering for Isgrove who had been covering for Bakayoko)

Now what was it you were saying...???

Is that the long-winded way of saying that only a few players have made the necessary improvements or have the specific skillsets to have been picked to start the games we've played so far i.e. in the first quarter of the season?

wanderlust wrote:Is that the long-winded way of saying that only a few players have made the necessary improvements or have the specific skillsets to have been picked to start the games we've played so far i.e. in the first quarter of the season?

No that was a simple factual analysis to refute your pontificating bollocks which you spouted.

Anybody with half a brain should have seen by now the Evatt clearly likes to pick a settled side, injuries or suspensions permitting.

He's not a 'tinkerer' like you seem to perceive him to be?

Ignore what Evatt might say in his interviews and watch what he actually does on matchdays which is to name what he (and probably most of the rest of us) sees as his strongest eleven.

I know you like to consider yourself to be something of a footballing guru but you clearly can't even see what is happening in front of your own nose at the club you support!

There IS a first eleven 'strongest team' and the rest of the squad fills in when any of them become unavailable - those are simply the facts based on the teams Evatt's has chosen since January and not just my opinion of things.

Anyway.... i think Johnston will come back into the team for Saturday but i think Lee will stay in and Sheehan will be on the bench.

Norpig wrote:Anyway.... i think Johnston will come back into the team for Saturday but i think Lee will stay in and Sheehan will be on the bench.

You might well be right, I'm not saying otherwise.

But if I was a betting man (I'm not) and based on what Evatt has done in the past, then I would expect Sheehan and Johnston will start (if not injured) and Lee and Baptiste will be on the bench.

Lee is a class act in this league but I don’t think he has the legs to play regularly with the intensity that Evatt demands for 90 minutes, never mind twice in a week. I’d like to see him start every game but suspect he will be benched this weekend.