Bolton Wanderers will surely regret summer player call given Wycombe Wanderers surprise: View | OneFootball

Aaron Morley has flourished for high-flying Wycombe Wanderers, whilst Bolton struggle.

Key Takeaways

In a transfer that caught both Wycombe Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers fans off guard in the summer, midfielder Aaron Morley joined the Chairboys on a season-long loan from the Trotters.

Having been a regular fixture under Ian Evatt since his signing from Rochdale, fans were left bewildered that he was loaned out to a league rival. However, the Bolton boss cited the move as a 'come back stronger', rather than a 'goodbye'.

Well, the 24-year-old has been a huge hit for the Chairboys, laying on three assists in seven appearances so far. He has looked a top-level League One midfielder, and with Bolton's start to the season compared to Wycombe's, Evatt might regret allowing Morley to leave.

Bolton are another one of England's sleeping giants. Ever since their close shave with liquidation in 2019, the club has been on a rebuilding mission to return the Trotters to the Premier League.

They came close to a second-tier return last season but were outclassed on the day at Wembley by an excellent Oxford United side. With the pressure on to go one better this season, supporters have been left bitterly disappointed with their less-than-convincing start to the season so far.

Disappointing home defeats to the likes of Exeter City and Huddersfield Town left the Trotters sitting 14th in League One, which is eight places lower than Wycombe. Whilst there have been some signs of improvement, a 2-2 home draw with Shrewsbury Town reignited concern that the Wanderers might not be geared up for a promotion fight this season.

After many years at the helm, some Bolton fans are starting to see the cracks in Evatt's system, which is holding their former Premier League side back from progressing. The ex-Blackpool defender has been on the receiving end of criticism from his fans, who have been left baffled by his confusing passages of play.

Whilst there is still a long way to go, the North Wests club will surely be evaluating all options if results don't pick up. Everyone expected to see Bolton near the top of the table, so to see them languishing in 14th early on has been a real shock.

Loanee flourishing in highly competitive squad

As mentioned above, Evatt opted to allow midfielder Morley to depart the club on a temporary basis, citing more playing time than he could offer him in League One. The move to Wycombe came as a shock to both sets of fans, as the 24-year-old has made 99 league appearances for the Whites since joining in January 2022.

With the Chairboys missing incisive passer Luke Leahy through injury, Matt Bloomfield needed a man with similar passing abilities to those of the former Shrewsbury captain. The quality in depth of Wycombe's midfield is excellent, with the likes of Josh Scowen, Tyreeq Bakinson, Cameron Humphreys, Matt Butcher, and, of course, Morley and Leahy, creating an extremely competitive engine room.

Since his arrival, the midfielder has been exactly what Wycombe were looking for. His incisive passing has been the focal point of Bloomfield's aggressive possession-based system. Dropping deep to pick up the ball from the defenders, Morley is able to find the next pass to begin constructing an attack.

He's also capable of finding those 'Hollywood passes', which have created plenty of avenues of attack down both of Wycombe's flanks. Notching three assists in just seven games so far, fans will be hoping that a permanent deal can be struck for the former Rochdale man, as he seems to be the perfect player for Bloomfield's system.

Bolton may be regretting allowing Morley to join Wycombe

Along with the likes of the very impressive Exeter and Mansfield Town, Wycombe have been one of the surprise packages early doors. The Chairboys sit in sixth place, with a seven-game unbeaten streak to boot. This shock may have left Evatt slightly regretting his decision to let Morley leave.

It's clear the 24-year-old is loving his time in Buckinghamshire, the team has started to really click into gear and there is a real buzz of positivity surrounding the club. Bloomfield's revelation is well and truly underway, after laying the foundations last season.

There has been no mention of the terms of the loan agreement, or whether that includes a recall clause available for January. Of course, Evatt hinted that he wanted Morley to return stronger than ever, whilst also progressing in his career. Thanks to the overhaul at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, the man from Bury wasn't guaranteed the game time he wanted.

However, after a pretty dismal start to the season and Morley flourishing on loan, you'd be inclined to think that Evatt will have given some thought after the deal was struck as to whether he'd made a mistake. The 24-year-old has the same number of assists as Bolton's top contributor, Josh Sheehan, in two fewer games.

Baring this in mind, whilst the squad overhaul was intended to strengthen the side, Evatt might have been better off sticking with his midfielder who was already at the club. For all the good he's done for the Trotters, this loan deal might be one he got wrong.