Polish champions Lech Poznań are under scrutiny following a disappointing start to the spring season of the Ekstraklasa, finishing the fall round in eighth place despite being within striking distance of the league lead. Criticism has been leveled at manager Niels Frederiksen, with former Poland international Zbigniew Boniek delivering a scathing assessment of the team’s tactical setup – specifically its defensive vulnerabilities – in comments made on the Meczyki channel.lech will aim to address these concerns when they face Piast Gliwice on Tuesday.
Lech Poznań is facing criticism after a shaky start to the spring round of the Ekstraklasa season. Zbigniew Boniek didn’t hold back when discussing Niels Frederiksen on the Meczyki channel.
Lech finished the fall round in eighth place in the Ekstraklasa, just four points behind league-leading Wisła Płock. Despite being within striking distance, the position raised concerns about their performance.
The Polish champions struggled with defensive consistency throughout the fall campaign. While there were signs of improvement towards the end of the year, those issues resurfaced in their spring opener, a 3-1 loss to Lechia.
Boniek believes Frederiksen is largely to blame for the team’s struggles, offering a harsh assessment of the manager’s impact.
– Lech is playing without a coach, and nobody is talking about it. The way this team defends… If we went out with Polkowski, Rokuszewski, Basałaj, Boniek and Włodarczyk and positioned ourselves well, we wouldn’t look any worse – Boniek stated.
– It’s a disaster. The coach rarely has much influence on offensive options. Here, it’s primarily improvisation and the players’ skills. But where you see the coach’s work is in the team’s setup and defensive phase. The ability to defend the goal, the ability to press, the ability to position the team against the opponent… A good team must have a good defense – the UEFA Vice-President added.
Lech will look to rebound when they face Piast Gliwice on Tuesday, making up a match originally scheduled for the fall round.
