NEIL Lennon is set to take the bold step of letting his wide boys loose on Watford.
After watching wingers Saidy Janko and Liam Feneey tear Fulham to pieces on Tuesday night, the Wanderers boss is ready to go on the offensive again at the Macron tomorrow.
Watford come to town in goal-scoring form – having put seven past Blackpool and five past Charlton in their last four outings.
But Lennon wants to draw the Hornets’ sting by taking the fight to them, and ensuring Whites’ fans get their money’s worth.
“It’s a little bit different from the way we’ve been playing, using two genuine wingers, and it can leave us a little bit open defensively at times,” he told The Bolton News. “But I think at home it’s worth taking a risk or two and I think the fans enjoyed it.
“I thought when I came in we needed some pace in the side and Janko gives us that, along with Feeney when he’s in that kind of mood. We have real attacking thrust from both flanks.”
Janko, who set up the first goal for Eidur Gudjohnsen, capped an impressive debut with a goal against Fulham but Lennon believes the 19-year-old still has a long way to go before he fulfils his potential.
“He’s been around for a couple of seasons but there’s a rawness about him – he’s far from the finished article,” he said.
“It took him a little while to get himself into the game the other night but you can see what he can do – it was a great ball for Eidur’s goal just before half time.
“He gets us up the pitch and gives us something we’ve been lacking a little bit.”
Lennon also had words of praise for Feeney, who has played all but two games since he arrived in October.
“He’s been fantastic for me,” the manager said. “I thought he was a decent player but he’s a lot, lot better than I thought.
“His athleticism and fitness are incredible.
“He’s played more or less every minute of every game and he’s low maintenance.
“Yes, he has the odd dip here or there, which you expect. But over the piece he’s been magnificent for us.”
Wanderers have won all four home meetings with Watford since the turn of the millennium, their last defeat coming back in 1999 – which also ended with a loss against the Hornets in the play-off final.
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