So..
Not been the best start to the season has it..
Not even read through the BWFC board, but i wanted a place to note down some observations.
Personally had much, much higher expectations, but, i think the main problems are easy to identify.
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We have been extremely static across the pitch. Davies may have chipped in with goals and assists, but his overall play and ability is limiting our full potential. No movement off the ball, no technical ability of note, second worst passer in the Premier League last year, and that hasnt changed. The championship is not the physical, roughball league from 2000, its one of the most competitive and talented leagues in Europe. We need players with actual ability in the team.
Physical nature can take you very far, but actual ability can take you so much further.
Sordell looked a forlorn figure so far, having to do all the running and closing down of two men. He has ability, but with the players looking to lump to Davies so quickly, the talent of CYL, Sordell, Andrews, even Mark Davies(The Anonymous Man) is being bypassed, thus, unable to create fluid performances. Alot of our problems would be solved by simply using Davies as an impact sub, he is much more effective that way. Only raw data, but below i have compiled our results when starting with Ngog, Davies, and when they have come off the bench.
David Ngog:
24 starts, 8 wins, 4 draws, 12 defeats = 28 points.
9 sub appearances, 0 win, 2 draws, 7 defeats = 2 points.
Kevin Davies:
21 starts, 3 wins, 4 draws, 14 defeats = 13 points.
10 sub appearances, 4 wins, 2 draws, 4 defeats = 14 points
We are missing Ngog, badly, his movement and link up play was pivotal last season in getting any points at all. Bolton got more points when Davies came off the bench, in half as many matches. You may take all this with a pinch of salt, but i think it speaks volumes on the way we are being set up. Sordell and Eagles would be my chosen frontline...once Ngog is fit, drop Eagles and bring him in. MDavies, CEagles and KDavies off the bench if we need points, when opposition legs are weary from chasing Ngog and Sordell, even Afobe all game. If we do, we will reap the benefits. Opposition defenders are having easy games thus far, not having to run.
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The left hand side has been a grievance of mine also. Having two right footed players on the left wing is asking for troubled. Firstly, we cannot overlap and whip balls into the box..if we do burst past, we have to cut inside. If we had 1 left footer and 1 right footer, it would be fine as we could mix it up. But our current situation makes our left side very predictable, and secondly, very easy to exploit defensively. As right sided players in the opposition know that their opposites are not left footed, they can easily drift past by going by their weaker foot, which happens to also be closest to the wing, meaning other teams are much more wider than us.
Now Eagles has been very good so far this season, he is a very flashy, somewhat inconsistent player, but i would have rather him in a more central role, or right wing if he plays. Petrov was excellent last season, get him on the left wing, he will dominate this league if given a chance.
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Im happy with the signing of Jay Spearing, he is the aggressive midfielder our midfield has been begging for, our biggest issue is the team being selected, needs to have the right balance.
A midfield two of Spearing and Andrews would be acceptable.
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Tim Ream has struggled so far this season, he looked much better in the Premier League. He needs to hit the gym, forget the pace, you need to bulk up. I recommened Kre-Alkalyn tablets, squatting, deadlifting, barbel rowing, and benchpress. Start straight away.
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Not happy with Coyle at these early stages, i said all last season i was lenient as i believed he took over a much more difficult job than people realised, and incidents and injury made our campaign much more difficult than previously anticipated.
I understood alot of his conduct, teams selections etc last season, and agreed with it.
This year, i understand it....but i 100% disagree with it.
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We have two unhappy, even angry players in our squad, Benik Afobe and Joe Riley, both think they should be playing every game...the more poor performances and results that role in, the more unhappy they will get being sat on the sidelines.
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Bogdan
Mears
Mills
Knight
Alonso
CYL
Spearing
Andrews
Petrov
Eagles/Ngog
Sordell
I have 100% confidence, this team, with power at the back, pace on the wings, sturdy nature in midfield, and movement and pace up front, we would quickly turn a corner.
We are predictable, static, and easy to defend against. Only need a few changes, but whether they are made or not..
I know we have the best squad in the Championship this season....but we need to exploit this and fast...before we start to fall away.
Been a while..
posted on 8/9/12
I wont go into details but if what I have heard is true I dont even want Alonso at our club anymore. We need a left-back.
As for the OP I agree with most of it and those results are no coincidence with and without Ngog. He is a much better player than Davies and he actually keeps the ball and tries things. All he needs is the confidence of scoring a few goals and he will take off. There is a reason he could pick and choose from the best teams in Europe when he was young. I see a rough diamond.
Riley with the big man attitude? I can understand Afobe but not Riley.
posted on 8/9/12
Badrid?
posted on 8/9/12
i think the eaves signing was coyle taking a punt on a young player just not come off.the sordell and ream signings was just chucking away the gary cahill money neither to me has got it.as for alonso i think he deserves at least a run in the team maybe even on lelt side of midfield making our left side stronger defensively.so many goals come from that side because the likes of ricketts,petrov and eagles are not doing their duty.
posted on 8/9/12
Can't agree with you on Alonso just yet .....he needs a good run in the team to get confidence in his place and settle down. He seems to have some decent ball control and joins in the attack. May be carp ....but I want to give him a good chance first.
Riley has shown enough to get a good run also. Ricketts can cover all four back spots in case of need.
Eaves ???? no idea ....never seen him kick a ball.....can't write him off yet.
Ream .....not sure ....so far I don't see much but again more games needed.
We have another guy .... Wlyde who was getting rave reviews in pre-season ....not even on the bench.
I can't figure some things that go on at our club.
posted on 8/9/12
Comment Deleted by Article Creator
posted on 8/9/12
We were defensively frail from the wings last season...we conceded more goals from the wings than any other team. Ricketts helped to plug the gap on the left hand side...but we conceded far too many goals from poor play from both Robinson and Steinsson. This year Sam Ricketts has been missing and out of position far too many times. Such as with the goals against Hull. Nowhere to be seen in the 1st and 3rd goals..and in the second one, he and KD bumped into eachother, in the process took out Bogdan, and left the man mountain that is Abdoulaye Faye a free header to score. Shambles.
We've just not looked solid at the back... Ream is struggling to get to grips with the physical nature...i thought he was a very welcome addition last season, he looked a much better player in the PL. Knight seems to be pleasing fans, but weve still conceded 7 goals in 4 games. Not good enough.
Knight makes too many individual errors or suffers from frequent bouts of laziness during games. Such as with Hull's first goal, poor from Ream who didnt clear it, but Knight made no reaction to get a block in, he just watched, whilst Mears tried to get across to block....he managed to get to it, but unfortunately, his deflection looped over Bogdan, rather than over the bar. We've seen Knight do this many times before. Frustrating.
Spearing will help protect the defence, but with that ridiculous 451 with KD up front we saw on Saturday, there was never going to be a good outlet for us to attack ourselves and relieve pressure.
posted on 8/9/12
You can put Baines & Ashey Cole back there and we would still ship goals.
Releif of the constant pressure is the problem...nobody can put a foot on the ball in the middle or upfront.
Also has there been an improvement at right back since Steiny? I can't see it ..... Steiny was no worse and had real fire in his belly.
I can say the same of Robbo .....we have shipped more goals by poorer teams since both have left......
not saying they were any good mind you....just an opinion.
posted on 8/9/12
The bare bones of this mess is we have a bloke in charge who is not up to it! Rioch ( a man respected and loved by the whole town) google him kids!.Big Sam a man who created a club from crumbs but brought a streetwise mentality ,had lads like Warhurst,Hendry and Gundi ,Frandsen in the team.This team lacks character n balls,in fact I hate watching them now,its embarrassing now.
posted on 9/9/12
It's not all about Rioch and Allardyce in our recent history IMO, nuns. I think Colin Todd's contribution to our club both as Rioch's number two and as manager is often glossed over. Will any of us ever see a Bolton Wanderers team utterly dominate a league season from start to finish the way his team did? We were invincible that season. He resigned out of disgust at Frandsen being sold - he was a man of principle.
posted on 9/9/12
Not sure how to reply to that nuns. I know that our time watching Bolton is very similar. Your bio and your comments have shown me that we have experienced similar experiences over a similar timescale.
We may disagree about OC, but your comment is one i'd expect from a fan who started watching Bolton in 1991.