"Soft centre" - Steven Schumacher handed Bolton Wanderers transfer checklist - Trotters urged to add one key element | OneFootball

FLW's Bolton fan pundit has been discussing what a dream summer transfer window looks like for the Trotters.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Bolton Wanderers are still fighting for a play-off place in League One with three games to play.

Steven Schumacher's side sit just three points outside the top six, but a three-game losing streak has severely damaged their chances of playing for a place in the Championship next season.

The Wanderers have come frustratingly close to achieving promotion over the last few seasons, with the agony of a play-off final defeat to Oxford United last year undoubtedly still a fresh wound.

Therefore, it's clear that the club is right on the verge of being good enough to escape the third tier, and as such, a vital summer transfer window awaits them.

"Need more combative players" - Bolton Wanderers dream summer transfer window outlined

We asked our Bolton Wanderers fan pundit, Liam O'Meara: 'What would a dream 2025 summer transfer window look like for your club?'

O'Meara said: "We need far more combative players in the team.

"We have very much a soft centre across the whole squad. I think our weakest position, I think a lot of people would point at our defence, but for me, we do struggle with a certain type of midfielder.

"So we need someone in that central defensive midfield position that not only can play a pass; we have people like Josh Sheehan, George Thomason and Aaron Morley that are very good on the ball, but for me are nowhere near good enough defensively.

"What's started to happen is teams are able to essentially take advantage of that fact, and occupy that space.

"So, essentially taking our biggest strength which is us receiving the ball in midfield, into a weakness. So we absolutely need to strengthen defensively, across the whole pitch.

"Not just in the actual defensive positions, but across the whole pitch."

Bolton's defensive woes in particular have really been costing Wanderers this season

It's been a story of two halves for Bolton Wanderers this season.

In attack, the Trotters have been potent, bagging 63 goals in 43 League One games, whilst their 1.5 goals per game average ranks as the sixth-best in the third tier ahead of Easter Monday's fixtures - per FotMob.

However, at the other end, Wanderers have really struggled to complement their sharp cutting edge in attack.

They're posting the exact same goals conceded per game average of 1.5 as their average goals scored per game number, whilst their nine clean sheets kept ranks as the 17th-fewest in League One - per FotMob.

Bolton's average of 6.5 interceptions per game is the second-lowest in the division (per FotMob), which perhaps points towards O'Meara's point regarding that lack of bite, steeliness and combativeness in Schumacher's side.

Therefore, addressing their defensive problems is surely a top priority for Bolton heading into the summer transfer window.