Bolton Wanderers: Portsmouth, Kilmarnock transfer news hints at Ian Evatt tactical tweak - View | OneFootball

The last week has seen Josh Dacres-Cogley linked with a move away, whilst Bolton have been reportedly trying to sign Danny Armstrong.

Highlights

Following their League One play-off final defeat to Oxford United in May, Bolton Wanderers as a club took time to reflect on what went wrong ahead of attacking this summer and hopefully, once again, launching a promotion push.

The Trotters, still under the management of Ian Evatt, have made three signings during the summer transfer window with Chris Forino joining on a free transfer from Wycombe Wanderers before the arrival of Luke Southwood from Cheltenham Town, following the expiration of his contract at the Robins, and then Klaidi Lolos joined for an undisclosed fee from Crawley Town.

The Whites, though, have continued to be linked with several new players throughout the last few weeks, notably reportedly having bids for Joel Randall rejected by Peterborough United.

A couple of new rumours from this week, though, could suggest that Evatt and Bolton Wanderers are looking to make a tactical shift this season, with the former Barrow boss having already discussed the need for more tactical flexibility within his squad.

Bolton’s right wing-back Josh Dacres-Cogley has been linked with a move to Portsmouth, whilst Wanderers are reportedly interested in Kilmarnock winger Danny Armstrong.

Josh Dacres-Cogley exit a shame, but it might make sense for Bolton

If Josh Dacres-Cogley does depart for Portsmouth this summer then that may well be a sign that Wanderers are looking to shift their system around and become more tactically flexible in attack.

Wanderers were so wedded to the idea of a back three that even when they were 2-0 down in that game against Oxford with only 20 minutes to go at Wembley, rather than attempt a different shape, Ian Evatt chose to substitute top scorer Dion Charles and Player of the Year Josh Sheehan.

It was setting up Dacres-Cogley to fail, quite frankly, with the former Birmingham City man once again tasked with being one of, if not the main attacking and creative Wanderers threat.

The 29-year-old made it into the League One Team of the Season but is widely criticised by Bolton supporters due to an inefficiency in attack but it is fair to suggest that if Dacres-Cogley was playing as an out and out right-back in a back four then he would be viewed in a much more positive light.

The departure of Dacres-Cogley, whilst a shame because he has been ultra professional and done a generally very good job, would potentially allow for a bit more ingenuity in the final third in that final position.

Armstrong would allow Bolton more flexibility

With Wanderers reportedly looking at a move potentially worth £400,000 for Kilmarnock’s Danny Armstrong, that level of outlay would suggest he would become a key man in the starting eleven at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

If that was the case then Armstrong, who has rarely played at wing-back, would surely indicate that Ian Evatt, as he has discussed, is open about adapting his style of football to become a little more flexible. Not so much ‘Plan B’ as simply becoming more adventurous when the time is right.

That could involve a switch in the formation away from a 3-5-2, which he exclusively played last season bar the final 20 minutes of the play-off final when it switched to a 3-4-1-2.

A left-footer, Armstrong could play at right wing-back to support or replace the potentially departing Dacres-Cogley, but the likelihood is that he would be deployed at left wing-back in that sort of system.

Alternatively, though, a player of that profile would allow Wanderers to play a 4-3-3 and, playing a similarly sophisticated and possession-based style of football, simply get more naturally attacking players on the pitch.

The link to a player of the profile of Armstrong alone allows Wanderers fans to get on board and believe in the idea that Evatt spoke about last week on return to pre-season training that there will indeed be a shift to become more tactically flexible in attack, and they will recruit for that eventuality.