FORMER Celtic manager Neil Lennon has held clear the air talks with his players at Bolton.

Lennon is facing up to a relegation battle with Bolton just six points clear of the drop zone ahead of tonight's (TUESDAY) trip to high-flying Middlesbrough. Lennon had been eyeing the play-offs a few weeks ago but that has all changed now.

Bolton were hammered 4-1 at Nottingham Forest last Saturday and Lennon said: "We had to clear the air. The players know what is required. There are not enough of them taking responsibility and too many heads go down away from home.

"We to do better and be mentally better. It is a psychological thing. It isn't panic stations but we do need leaders. You can talk about working on the training ground week in week out. But when people are making individual clear cut mistakes there is not a lot as manager that you can do.

"People slipping up, short with back passes, not putting tackles in, missing headers - we are soft touch at the minute and I need to correct it quickly.

"How I do it, well I will have to think about that. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot at the moment."