Bruce Rioch Says Bolton Need Depth In Attack

Yesterday we discussed Owen Coyle's signing priorities a bit. While a goalkeeper wasn't really on the list, signing a new forward was. In an interview with the Bolton News, former manager Bruce Rioch says Bolton can go straight back up but only if there's a goalscorer in the ranks.

At the moment, Bolton have Marvin Sordell, David Ngog, and Kevin Davies in the team with youngsters Jack Sampson and Michael O'Halloran coming through. That said, Bolton should probably be able to find a proven Championship goalscorer on the relative cheap.

"I'm saddened by the fact the club has gone down," he said. "It will have an impact on the whole place and you'd have to say there is a demand to go back up right away.

"If Owen is going to do that, and he is most certainly capable, then I feel he needs people who are going to win him games. Of course, you must get your defence right, but if you haven't got goalscorers in your team it's an uphill struggle right away.

"Back when I was at Bolton we had Owen, Andy Walker, John McGinlay, Alan Thompson, Jason McAteer, Mixu Paatelainen, David Lee and, later, Fabian de Freitas. That was really something. We collected match winners who could snatch you a goal.

"If we lost one through injury, there would be someone else to come in right away.

"Perhaps there isn't that depth there at the moment but I'm sure it is something Owen will be looking to address. Besides, the philosophy is easy, but putting it into practice is the hard part."

Read the rest of the interview over at the Bolton News