Bedsheets, Pitchforks and colours nailed etc.

[Peter Thompson]

These last 3 posts (DSB, Bish & Malc) are all decent summaries of the current team under Lennon, especially DSB's and sum up my thoughts over the past 9 months under NL.

After 12 months in the job and numerous signings of his own, can anyone say what Lennon's preferred style of play is, what his preferred formation is, tactics etc

[Lost Leopard Spot]

To summarise the summaries then: nobody can fathom NLs preferred style of play or formation, he's begun to make some weird choices and changes in the side, and he's got us sat on the bottom of the league. The majority of the squad he's got is shit, and don't seem that bothered to really kickstart the season, although we have been unlucky with injuries and this may have significantly dampened the fighting spirit, and we do have two bright new hopefuls to inject leadership and goals, both of which are sorely missing. We thought the defense was sorted but more work is required. And nobody (generally) wants NL to go because, well he's alreet, there's nobody else available, and even if there was we couldn't afford them.

[thebish]

To summarise the summaries then: nobody can fathom NLs preferred style of play or formation, he's begun to make some weird choices and changes in the side, and he's got us sat on the bottom of the league. The majority of the squad he's got is shit, and don't seem that bothered to really kickstart the season, although we have been unlucky with injuries and this may have significantly dampened the fighting spirit, and we do have two bright new hopefuls to inject leadership and goals, both of which are sorely missing. We thought the defense was sorted but more work is required. And nobody (generally) wants NL to go because, well he's alreet, there's nobody else available, and even if there was we couldn't afford them.

to be fair, some people claim they can - but won't tell the rest of us!

[danardif1]

I think it's quite clear isn't it? 4-2-3-1 with a target man upfront, two speedy wingers and a number 10/second striker to feed off the man up top. Likes his two midfielders to cover a lot of ground both offensively and defensively.

His penchant for 3 at the back comes from his Celtic team which played that quite often but we don't have the right players for it and I hope he's learned that now.

[Peter Thompson]

I think it's quite clear isn't it? 4-2-3-1 with a target man upfront, two speedy wingers and a number 10/second striker to feed off the man up top. Likes his two midfielders to cover a lot of ground both offensively and defensively.

His penchant for 3 at the back comes from his Celtic team which played that quite often but we don't have the right players for it and I hope he's learned that now.

Ah I see - so was I dreaming when he started with what looked like a 4-4-2 diamond against Leeds ?

[danardif1]

I think it's quite clear isn't it? 4-2-3-1 with a target man upfront, two speedy wingers and a number 10/second striker to feed off the man up top. Likes his two midfielders to cover a lot of ground both offensively and defensively.

His penchant for 3 at the back comes from his Celtic team which played that quite often but we don't have the right players for it and I hope he's learned that now.

Ah I see - so was I dreaming when he started with what looked like a 4-4-2 diamond against Leeds ?

No not at all, but injuries have affected things so changes were needed.

[StaffsTrotter]

still dont get what this 'plan' is supposed to be, but to summarise, our less than enthusiatic 'supporters' of NL, would feel a whole lot happier if they knew what kind of team formation and style the team would play or at least that the manager wants to play - presumably on the assumption that this would turn into positive results for the team.

another faction (excuse the collective) prefers a more settled selection of personnel partic at the back.

results colour whether he's viewed as a tactical genius or duffer; our game play is suffering from the chronic problem that we cant score when we're on top and can't keep a clean sheet when under pressure.

fwiw I think NLs preferred approach is front foot coyle-esque attack and press; more than the sit back and try and pinch something freedmanesque. To play this way, he recognised that we didnt have pace at the back hence prince, derik and possibly pisano. he brought in casado as much for his dead ball delivery as defending. brought a bit of pace & unpredictabiliy out wide with welly. I'm sure he would have dearly loved Alf & Bannan back but finances said otherwise.
Does the fact that I think this is his preferred approach mean thats what he should play regardless of our position, opposition etc - er no, but I expect once get a few results and some confidence he'll be more likely to settle and try to impose our game on the opposition.

[thebish]

still dont get what this 'plan' is supposed to be, but to summarise, our less than enthusiatic 'supporters' of NL, would feel a whole lot happier if they knew what kind of team formation and style the team would play or at least that the manager wants to play - presumably on the assumption that this would turn into positive results for the team.

can't speak for anyone else - but for my part it's a whole lot simpler than that. I'd like to watch a game and be able to see what on earth we are trying to do other than hope summat randomly breaks for us. for me - it's as basic as that! to me - it has been far from obvious that the players are working to any kind of plan at all...

I am not - and have never claimed to be - a football tactical expert - but I do know that under previous managers it was far easier to see some kind of logic behind what we were about - however misguided it sometimes might have been!

as i have said before - it could very well be that i simply can't see it cos I am missing it - it is too subtle for me... except that folk who go to more games than I do are saying similar things.

QPR - for instance... even i could tell how QPR were playing, what their plan was - and could see them executing it. I was baffled about what ours might be... so it isn't that I am a total failure at seeing how teams are set up and how they think they might score - it's just that in the games I have seen - live and on streams - it is quite hard to detect under lenny. I'm not sure he knows - and if he does - I'm not 100% sure the players know.

[wigan white]

Just on a side note - I wasn't listening properly so might have misheard, but did GMR say they'd put a formal request into the Wanderers to have an interview with Gartside and the reply was just "No"? I know jack Dearden has been trying to contact him for an interview but surely something needs to be done if he's refusing to speak at all now. i know its his personal choice if he doesn't want to speak, but as Chairman of our club, surely someone other than just Lennon should be letting us know whats going on behind the scenes?
I may be wrong but I'm sure he wasn't at the match against Brum, but didn't look at the weekend.

[Peter Thompson]

Just on a side note - I wasn't listening properly so might have misheard, but did GMR say they'd put a formal request into the Wanderers to have an interview with Gartside and the reply was just "No"? I know jack Dearden has been trying to contact him for an interview but surely something needs to be done if he's refusing to speak at all now. i know its his personal choice if he doesn't want to speak, but as Chairman of our club, surely someone other than just Lennon should be letting us know whats going on behind the scenes?
I may be wrong but I'm sure he wasn't at the match against Brum, but didn't look at the weekend.

Not a shock really - he's been silent for years now, in fact is he still at the club ?

Sums the club up really, silent owner, silent chairman - just leave the manager to take all the shit.

[bobo the clown]

^^ Very odd. He couldn't be kept away from the microphone until the Court case began to weigh in. Once that went away I'd have expected he'd have come out speaking again but hasn't. As Chairman he has a duty to speak, especially when things are as difficult as they are.

Very odd.

[Peter Thompson]

^^ Very odd. He couldn't be kept away from the microphone until the Court case began to weigh in. Once that went away I'd have expected he'd have come out speaking again but hasn't. As Chairman he has a duty to speak, especially when things are as difficult as they are.

Very odd.

Totally agree, but it sums him up for me....

[TANGODANCER]

^^ Very odd. He couldn't be kept away from the microphone until the Court case began to weigh in. Once that went away I'd have expected he'd have come out speaking again but hasn't. As Chairman he has a duty to speak, especially when things are as difficult as they are. Very odd.

Not defending the man by any means, but is there the possibility that if he was on a spot he may be asked questions where a truthful answer might not be what folk want to hear? "Be careful what you wish for", sort of thing?

[wigan white]

Its just bizarre and a little worrying - I know Gartside a few weeks ago (when he got his honorary degree/Doctorate or something along those lines) refused to talk to a bloke from my work and an 80yr old woman on my mates table as "Bolton fans don't like me so why should I put myself out for them??"

[Peter Thompson]

Its just bizarre and a little worrying - I know Gartside a few weeks ago (when he got his honorary degree/Doctorate or something along those lines) refused to talk to a bloke from my work and an 80yr old woman on my mates table as "Bolton fans don't like me so why should I put myself out for them??"

Aye but he's happy enough to take his large salary though....

[wigan white]

Its just bizarre and a little worrying - I know Gartside a few weeks ago (when he got his honorary degree/Doctorate or something along those lines) refused to talk to a bloke from my work and an 80yr old woman on my mates table as "Bolton fans don't like me so why should I put myself out for them??"

Aye but he's happy enough to take his large salary though....

My thoughts exactly.

[StaffsTrotter]

Its just bizarre and a little worrying - I know Gartside a few weeks ago (when he got his honorary degree/Doctorate or something along those lines) refused to talk to a bloke from my work and an 80yr old woman on my mates table as "Bolton fans don't like me so why should I put myself out for them??"

I'm sorry just don't buy that. Even if he thought that (& I dont) and is prone to the odd bit of verbal guff, I cannot believe that he would say that to a complete stranger.

As for him doing radio slots or whatever, what are you wanting to hear. He'll get asked about the £180m or whatever debt and get a bit exasperated explaining again that its not debt to the banks; he'll get asked about the club sale and say they are still endeavouring/ in very early talks but can't give any details; he'll get asked about our position in the league and say its tough, not where we want to be etc, but has faith in NL and are backing him as best they can; he might even get asked about the court case and say how stressful it was, what a relief but how club have been vindicated. Will that do

[plymouth wanderer]

Its just bizarre and a little worrying - I know Gartside a few weeks ago (when he got his honorary degree/Doctorate or something along those lines) refused to talk to a bloke from my work and an 80yr old woman on my mates table as "Bolton fans don't like me so why should I put myself out for them??"

I'm sorry just don't buy that. Even if he thought that (& I dont) and is prone to the odd bit of verbal guff, I cannot believe that he would say that to a complete stranger.

As for him doing radio slots or whatever, what are you wanting to hear. He'll get asked about the £180m or whatever debt and get a bit exasperated explaining again that its not debt to the banks; he'll get asked about the club sale and say they are still endeavouring/ in very early talks but can't give any details; he'll get asked about our position in the league and say its tough, not where we want to be etc, but has faith in NL and are backing him as best they can; he might even get asked about the court case and say how stressful it was, what a relief but how club have been vindicated. Will that do

Gartside!!! What have you done with Staffs??

[wigan white]

Its just bizarre and a little worrying - I know Gartside a few weeks ago (when he got his honorary degree/Doctorate or something along those lines) refused to talk to a bloke from my work and an 80yr old woman on my mates table as "Bolton fans don't like me so why should I put myself out for them??"

I'm sorry just don't buy that. Even if he thought that (& I dont) and is prone to the odd bit of verbal guff, I cannot believe that he would say that to a complete stranger.

As for him doing radio slots or whatever, what are you wanting to hear. He'll get asked about the £180m or whatever debt and get a bit exasperated explaining again that its not debt to the banks; he'll get asked about the club sale and say they are still endeavouring/ in very early talks but can't give any details; he'll get asked about our position in the league and say its tough, not where we want to be etc, but has faith in NL and are backing him as best they can; he might even get asked about the court case and say how stressful it was, what a relief but how club have been vindicated. Will that do

I wasn't there but the bloke it happened too isn't a bullshitter, and the woman who was with him confirmed it. Gartside was ignorant to anyone who wasn't a "head of business" at the "do" and said the exact words. Same as you, I was surprised that he did say it, but like I said, the bloke he said it too isn't a bullshitter.

In regards to what I want to hear, is the truth about whats going on, not just what the BN drip feeds us. Is the club actually in talks with investors/takeover, obviously not the ins and outs but whether the rumours are true. Whats going on with the budget, NL says he doesn't know if he's any money or not? Tbh, I couldn't give a shiny shit about the court case, he got away with it but didn't come out of it with glowing references about his credibility. Its time he actually faced the press like he did every minute of the day when we were in the premier league.

[bobo the clown]

^^ Very odd. He couldn't be kept away from the microphone until the Court case began to weigh in. Once that went away I'd have expected he'd have come out speaking again but hasn't. As Chairman he has a duty to speak, especially when things are as difficult as they are. Very odd.

Not defending the man by any means, but is there the possibility that if he was on a spot he may be asked questions where a truthful answer might not be what folk want to hear? "Be careful what you wish for", sort of thing?

He can't just supply "open up" and tell all, in great detail. But football is rife with rumour and it'd be nice for him to clarify some. I don't know about anyone else but I can take a bit of straight talking.

.. and, yes, to some extent he has little new to say. But there is some new and some update. Plus, when things went well he was quite bubbly and he's well connected and so can pontificate on a whole range of stuff. The Premier League, FIFA, UEFA just for starters.

I want to believe the story from Wigan White is incorrect but right now the man's gone into hiding and he's paid too much to do that.

OK, he's paid too much full stop.