WANDERERS are on their way to becoming set-piece specialists once again.

Phil Parkinson is encouraged by the improvement his side has shown from corners, free-kicks and long throws in the last few weeks.

The Whites were once feared by the best in the land during the Sam Allardyce days for their threat and inventiveness from set plays. But after identifying them as a weakness on his arrival, Parkinson now feels he has the tools to strike a fear factor into his opponents once again.

“It doesn’t matter what level of football you play at, set plays are important,” he told The Bolton News. “Whatever system you play, they are crucial at both ends of the pitch.

“I feel like we are making progress and getting better at set plays. We’re working hard on the timing of the runs, the delivery and all the bits of detail that make the difference between winning and losing. Sometimes they are overlooked.

“If you look at the corners and the free-kicks we’ve had recently, we’ve had goals from Gary Madine, second phase, and Mark Beevers, and also created some great chances. We have to keep on top of it. We are a big, powerful team. Sometimes in tight games, the set plays could make all the difference.”

Wanderers face Parkinson’s old club Bradford today looking to get out of a mini-slump which has seen them fail to win in their last five in league and cup.

Converting chances has become a concern – and once again the manager has sought to rectify the problem by bringing his players in for extra training this week.

“We have had a chat with individuals, and that is important,” he said. “But you have to practice the technique of finishing in training and the best of way of doing that is under some pressure, in small-sided games, then take it into finishing drills at the end of the session.

“We are creating opportunities, we are putting the ball into the right areas and we are getting shots on target but we need to put pressure on ourselves.”