I love stuff like this:

Pratley is a confidence player...massively. The abuse - no other way to describe it - he received last year was nothing short of disgusting, and i was ashamed to be associated with BWFC at times. Being booed by his own fans when he came onto the pitch, came off, even when he had possession of the ball!

No-one in the world performs well at anything when they have someone on their backs telling them they are awful all the time. Encouragement goes much further.

This year, he's had game time, performed well, and he has massively improved - his touch, passing, even his dribbling has improved. Now this compliments his intelligence on the pitch massively. He plays much better in a free role as well, he is so much better in that position than Mark Davies. Davies doesnt have the intelligence to play that role, he's much more suited deeper. But we get more points without Mavies, than with interestingly.

I get to speak to alot of club officals when im out scouting, and i had a good amount of time with an Oldham scout last year, talking to him about Tom Eaves benny, and he said that he was not fancied much by the academy coming through, but because of his willingness to learn, and his committment and attitude, he has made it, where more talented players havent. But because of his committment, his ability has dramatically risen. The same applies to Sordell, he wasnt fancied at Watford originally, but he trained so much that he improved drastically in a short period.

NGog, Sordell and Cravies are a good set of players, all offering different abilities.

Ngog is the link-up provider, who makes things happen, but also can do things with no-one else in our squad can do...if he tightened his game up and added more consistency, he would be excellent. He is Elmander, with pace.

Sordell is the talented goalscorer who struggles mentally, lets his head drop easily and sometimes not as committed. He is Klasnic, with pace.

C Davies is the physical, but technically poor powerhouse, who forces defenders to watch him, so that others can take advantage and score themselves. He is Kevin Davies, with pace.

Ive have been on a football course with one of Craig Davies' best friend over the last two weeks, and he said that Craig absolutely loves being at Bolton, and appreciates everything he has. He hasnt stopped buzzing since he found out about our original interest, because he never thought he would make it to a club as 'large' as us.

Funny how on the one hand a player with limited technical ability but lots of effort and commitment is held in high regard yet you then go on to knock a guy in exactly the same mould. You slaughtered SKD's lack of technical ability yet a guy like Pratley who will give his all and fall over his own feet at the same time is selected as the reason we win games? He has not scored many goals yet has had quite a few games.

Personally I think he has done well this is his level as he was massively out of his depth in the top flight but a fit again Holden and Mavies should see him back on the bench.

Youve missed out so many ingredients needed to describe and effectively analyse a players ability and attributes Cravies.

Pratley was played out of position as well, he was asked to be disciplined last year...but he needs to be a free bird in a free role, where he can make forward runs and exploit/create space. His intelligent movement creates opening for other players. Its his best asset.

He lacks technical ability, but its not awful like Kevin Davies. His energy and intelligence make up for his lack of technical ability. Kevin Davies has none of the above, just commitment, which is why i slaughtered him.

Pratley has improved massively with confidence, making 40 yard diagonal passes, turning and taking it past players etc. He lacks the technical consistency to do it often....but he can actually do it...Davies can not...which is why he often finds himself kicking the ball against the opposition and losing possession.

The fact you have just said he and Davies are in the same mould, is incredible.

Muamba is more of a similar mould to Pratley, but defensive rather than attacking: Pace, energy, commitment, intelligence, but lacking consistent technical ability.

Its the on-pitch intelligence which sways it, not the effort/commitment.

Spearing for example is a good player, commitment, decent technical ability, effort and drive...but his on-pitch intelligence isnt great...ball watches often...inconsistent positioning...loses key men in the centre too easily and allows them space to get at the defence. If Spearing was more intelligent...he wouldnt have to drop down to us, he would be playing for Liverpool.

So SKD has no intelligence, energy or ability. How can you so confidently claim to know anything about football? I am sorry but BSA is a great manager and he would tell you your wrong. Everyone on here laughed at your Mears thread and you spent the last 12 months telling people that Owen Coyle was a decent manager.
I am afraid you may be wrong yet again.

Still banging on about striking options when we still cant defend. Dont know if you noticed but we scored 2 at weekend, which is enough, but conceded 3, which is too many!

We were also wrongly reduced to 10 men Clegg and the home team took advantage. Plus, who you play up front, affects your defence, because it changes the mentality and line of the opposition.

Cravies.

I work for a branch of the FA and a football agency. I had offers from 3 different agencies in the summer to scout for them, such is the rep i have developed. I spend every day talking to scouts and coaches from United, City, Bolton, Oldham, as well as agents and head of academies, as well as being a qualified coach myself. If they trust my opinion, or can understand it, even if they disagree - and can have a decent discussion with me, while you cannot... then believe me, i am more than ok with that.

After 12 months of me explaining that my issue was with the players, not Coyle, you still fail to let understand my point. As i said, i felt the players needed to step up more considering the absence of our better players, and they didnt. This year, i said openly i was not happy with Coyle as he didnt pick the best options, last year his hand was often forced, but he didnt learn from it...never said any different.

And after the monstrosity of Ricketts and Butterfields recent performances, being caught out of position, given the opposition far too much space...i wont change my mind about Mears who has only conceded 3 goals down his side when he has played, if i remember correctly?

But hey, you dont like to take things for face value and instead choose to twist and find holes which is a very immature way of perceiving information. I dont know you...but from how you perceive, and how quickly you become personal on here...i would guess you are 16-17? If you are not, then i will be incredibly surprised, because you should have outgrown that by now.


Anyway....

Scrappy game tonight, Ngog had a mare, worst ive seen him play, despite a few decent moments.

Eagles was awful, his worst moment wont even have been noticed by 99.9% of our fans. His pass to Ngog when he pulled it back in the 1st half...it was a simple 4 yard pass he needed to make, play it into Ngog stride so he can strike it low and with his instep...but Eagles played it slightly behind him, and he cut right underneath it. As soon as Eagles played it i knew where the ball was heading.

Everyone struggled in the 1st, but Pratley and Sordell were excellent in the second half.

How bad is Butterfield by the way...wow.

also, Kevin Davies used to be a very effective player.

But he slowed down, his energy levels dropped, and he stopped being as effective and became easier to mark. That's just age...but he's been like this for 3 seasons. We should have used the £6.5m hes earned in that time, much more effectively.

But hey, you dont like to take things for face value and instead choose to twist and find holes which is a very immature way of perceiving information. I dont know you...but from how you perceive, and how quickly you become personal on here...i would guess you are 16-17? If you are not, then i will be incredibly surprised, because you should have outgrown that by now.


It's called disagreeing with you. For someone who claims to be able to debate football you find it very difficult to accept another point of view. You said it was the players I said it was coyle. Coyles gone and the same players are doing better. In my opinion that's the key factor in our change of fortune.

It's sad to think the way you talk about football and the way that you sometimes fail to understand the game you have a key role in it.thats worrying for English football. If that's personal then re-read your own comments. It's funny how when your totally wrong on something like Coyle or Mears it's how we perceive what you say not what you say. The best form of defence I suppose is attack.

I call football as I see it and if you had said this

also, Kevin Davies used to be a very effective player.

But he slowed down, his energy levels dropped, and he stopped being as effective and became easier to mark. That's just age...but he's been like this for 3 seasons. We should have used the £6.5m hes earned in that time, much more effectively.

when you had started I would have given you more credit. Instead you tried to say one of the most effective forwards we have ever had was useless and at that point I question whether all your coaching qualifications were worth as much as my 25mswimming badge from 1986.

Further to that holden, my point is we still talk bout our goalscoring issues when we cant defend !

Even last night we made Huddersfield look. good side!

I completely agree with defence starts upfront, which is why skd is a better option than sordel who was useless for the majority of the game.

I stand corrected soon ngog! He was v good last night and offered loads. Sordells lazy and inaffective, not because he is talentless, he has an attitude problem!

Think HH lives in a fantasy world regarding stats.Ok Pratley has improved a little this year against poorer oposition, but PL class not a chance in my opinion.
Wonder what the stats reveal about his fave Mears,now as Benny would say that is a Dog n Duck player.