THEY might be patched-up, bruised and weary – but Wanderers will get no sympathy from Neil Lennon if standards slip against Wolves.

While defeat at Rotherham United in midweek was chalked up to a bad day at the office, the manager refuses to make fatigue an excuse for poor results and has made his feelings clear in the build up to today’s clash at the Macron.

The availability of loanees Adam Le Fondre and Rochinha alongside the fit-again Zach Clough should provide a bit of extra zip to a group who looked on their last legs at the New York Stadium.

But Lennon believes the Championship’s heavy workload is something his squad must learn to deal with quickly if they ever want to return to the big time.

“If you look at the top teams, they play 60 or 70 games a year at the highest level – whether it be Premier League, Champions League or Cup games,” he told The Bolton News.

“If you want to be successful in your career, it’s something you have to get used to.

“Liverpool played us and then went to extra time with Chelsea

“We looked leggy at Rotherham but we don't have the affordability of making five or six changes and it being a seamless transition. The squad is thin but we're plagued by horrendous injuries at the minute and you have to go with the same players.

“I'll take responsibility for team selection but I expected more from the players in terms of the quality they have.

“We didn't get to grips with Rotherham's pressing and didn't have anyone to go in behind them as its not Conor or Eidur's game but we should've dealt with them a lot better, particularly in the first half.

“But second half we had a great reaction and on another night we could've had four ourselves without playing anywhere near what we can.

“It's three points gone begging, though, and we can't afford to do that with the position we're in with 19 games to go if we have any aspirations of making the play offs.

“So I'm asking them to go to the well but they're capable of doing that and they get plenty of rest in between games. They're not physically tired, they're mentally tired.”

Suffice it to say, Lennon is not reaching for the cotton wool, although the Wanderers boss admits the schedule has made it difficult to prepare tactically for this afternoon’s clash with Wolves.

“Honestly, we've not done anything with the first team,” he said. “You can't, it's impossible.

“You play Saturday evening, have them in Sunday, travel Monday, play Tuesday, have them in Wednesday and Thursday but the game is still in their legs and we do a light training session to get ready for the game.

“But that's the nature of it and if you want to be successful in competition you have to look after yourself.

“I've got a real good core of players who have given me everything. We need a little help and we'll try to get it but if we can't the players have to focus their mind and get on with it.

“Tuesday should be a good learning experience for them as they hadn't experienced that before.”

Lennon has been impressed with Wolves since their return to the second tier under Kenny Jackett, and suggested they could stay in the play-off hunt after investing heavily in £2million striker Benik Afobe, the former Bolton loanee.

“You’ve got an excellent manager (at Wolves),” he said. “He’s very experienced and he’s had a lot of success at what I suppose you’d call unfashionable clubs.

“He’s been around the game a long while and he did a great job getting them promoted last season. Even though they are a big club, it’s not easy. Everyone wants to beat you.

“I’ve never met him up close but I’ve always been very impressed with the way he comes over, he doesn’t seem to get flustered about anything.

“He seems to have a clear vision of where he wants to take the club and they started the season very well.

“They had a blip before Christmas and he changed the way they play and now they are starting to get results again.

“Afobe did really well at MK Dons and I saw him on loan at a couple of other clubs as well – he’s strong, he’s quick, he’s got goals in him.

“But the team is littered with good players.

“It’s a tough game but I’m expecting more from my own players. We looked leggy on Tuesday night but this is at home and I’d want more out of them.”