Well having seen the debacle first hand what was supposed to be an easy 3 points against Ipswich Town I quickly came to the conclusion that this team is simply not good enough to get anywhere near the top 6 in this league this year.
Early in the year I read all the complete nonsense that we would win the league by the end of 2012 and win it with 100 points in a canter and could not understand the blind optimism or complete lack of understanding that this league is all about competing man for man , putting your foot in and winning your personal battle and showing that piece of quality when required.
We are making the same mistakes as last year , we have no chance of keeping a clean sheet and we do not have a prolific forward having spent £8m last year so no chance of promotion this year which might turn out to be a blessing.
I just hope that we can gain enough points to survive in this league because to be honest I don't see many teams below us that I can hand on heart say we would beat comfortably.
My support is with Dougie and I just hope that if we can get Wheater and Stu back early next year we can start to rebuild a proper team to challenge for a top spot in 2013/14.
We need to get rid of Mears, Knight, Mills, Andrews, Afobe, Petrov, Pratley, Ream, Sordell and NGog in January and then with the £5m for that lot along with the £7m we accept from Swansea for Mark Davies and the £3m from Stoke for Chungy we should have a chance of building a good team we can be proud of. !!!
Against Huddersfield there were some signs that they can play some football and both goals were excellent however the same problems at the back were there for all to see. We have no chance making the same mistakes over and over again so my fellow Whites stop dreaming that Doug can perform miracles and accept the best we can hope for is consolidation in this league and to move forward in 2014
It's all about staying in this league !!
posted on 11/12/12
i was not aware that eddie davies has ordered a fire sale in jan to recoup some money.sell that lot in one go yes we will go down.we will not have any centre backs left,only 1 central midfielder,1 winger and 1 forward.mills,knight,andrews are the spine of the team cant see going anywhere.like ive said previously try and ship out the useless players in ream,pratley,wylde,alonso,sordell and bring in better players to replace them.
posted on 11/12/12
Well, you are right when you say we are not good enough but whether or not your comments on getting rid of half the team are tongue in cheek or not, I'm not sure. However that would a sure fire way of making sure we are relegated to division one.
So 1* from me for your short sightedness.
posted on 11/12/12
3 mil for chungy,?and the rest .i would expect at least 7mil if we were thinking of selling wich i dont think we are,if we are to go back to the prem the likes of chungy & mavies are the players we have to hold on to,
posted on 11/12/12
Sordell will go elsewhere and score 10-15 goals a season and we will kick ourselves.
The players recently brought in do not seem that useful....Mears, Mills, Ream etc.
Spearing, Butterfield, Adofe on loan and could be called back. I don't think we can get rid of anybody until we sign better skilled players at all positions.
Skd needs to be phased out and that salary put towards new talent.
Wheater & Holden will be like signing two new players. That's one positive at least.
posted on 11/12/12
I understand that my comments may seem drastic and if it was up to me I would not sell either CYL or Mark Davies but in our financial situation I just can't see us turning down the offers.
I expect Butterfield, Speering , Afobe and Warnock to go back to their respective clubs so I would hope that Doug will already have loans lined up to cover their departures.
With regard to the others Sordell is homesick we are led to believe so it doesn't matter who our manager is he will go back down South next year probably to the Hammers.
NGog is not up to the task I'm afraid in my opinion so if we get a £2-3m offer from a French club we should take it and move on.
With regard to the defence we need to replace them all asap in my opinion. We have played 22 games this season, conceding 7 yes can you believe this 7 penalties. We have conceded 9 goals in the last 10 minutes in these games which tells me they can not withstand pressure and can not work together ( no leaders ) Also fitness levels are still poor.
Personally I would bring back Alonso and Riley and give them games to prove themselves but keeping Ricketts for cover on either flank.
I would try and sell Mears, Knight, Mills and Ream and replace with 2 new centre backs and a Distan type player ie versatile and hopefully vocal someone who can shout instructions and lead from the front.
With the new signings and new loanees if we can keep CYL and Mark Davies and with hopefully the return of Holden ,Wheater and lets not forget young Vela we would have the makings of a very powerful team for the second half of the season.
posted on 11/12/12
You're wrong about Butterfield, DF has successfully pleaded for him to remain with us.
CYL and Mark Davies may go but I doubt it very much. You don't think DF came to Bolton only to sell his better players. I would also think that when he agreed to come, he was offered a transfer chest. Just how much is anybodies guess but I reckon he will be able to buy three new players if he can find what he needs. We will wait and see.
As for getting rid of the number of players you suggest, it couldn't possibly happen even with loan players coming in.
I think you need a reality check and get real.
posted on 11/12/12
SW
Reading your comment there is a lot of "I understand", "I expect", "I am lead to believe".
I am glad that your support is with DF, and we should all be get behind the team. Now, with some winnable games coming up and then a transfer window lets just see what happens. Your comments are certainly drastic and SWIE probably right saying you need a reality check.
posted on 11/12/12
So basically we need to change the entire squad...
Meanwhile, on earth........
posted on 11/12/12
Nope not and never have suggested changing the whole squad just to replace the four loanees because the chances are they will go back to their clubs anyway and we are still owed a loan from Chelsea I think. The back four is and always has been a major concern for me I do not see any partnerships developing and they just do not do the basics right hence the reasons we are constantly giving penalties and soft goals away game after game. We have to bring in 2 strong centre backs and a utility full back in January.
posted on 22/12/12
Well after reading the match reports from people like Marc Isles and some of the supporters who braved the shocking weather this performance worries me even more than when I first raised the issue of a complete clear out in January. I was told to get a reality check and that Bogden, Knight , Andrews etc were the spine of the team and would be going nowhere !! Don't make me laugh the people who need to wake up and quick are the ones who still see us challenging for a play off place. By all accounts Peterborough should have been at least 5 goals to the good by half time. Now I accept that they had a good result last week but this is the side bottom of this league and we are the ex premiership team with a side full of top earners.
Just read that DF thought that we improved in the second half and was pleased with our desire to score yes that's right Doug we only conceded 3 more goals.
I see NGog was injured again pleased to see that Sordell came on but too little to late and after his tweeting again this week he will definitely be moving on come Jan.
It is imperative that we have a complete clear out especially that back line and give Lonergan a go because Bogdens confidence must be shot.