Bolton welcome Nottingham forest to the uobs, a repeat of 'that' match back on that gloriously sunny day when against all odds Bolton stayed up thanks to 2 late goals in a 3-2 win. 5 months later with several personnel changes Bolton sit in 18th place with a 6 point gap on the relegation zone, an inconsistent Nottingham forest side are 3 points better off in 12th. One stat I noticed, Bolton are unbeaten at the macron/Reebok in the last 10 games v forest. Team news. Several players have moved on since the last match between the teams. Key men that day lefondre, wilbraham, Robinson, Howard Henry, pratley and morais have moved on. I have given up guessing what pp will come up with. What we do know. Gary O'Neill is out for at least the next two matches after picking up an injury against Rotherham. The lesser spotted Luke Murphy could take his place. Sammy ameobi and will Buckley are approaching full fitness but will not be involved against forest, not will Stephen Ireland who is still not match fit. Erhun otzhumer will be recalled to the squad after bizarrely being left out against Rotherham for tactical reasons. Josh Vela as the only homegrown first teamer will be at least on the bench due to efl rules and both Megennis and saturdays goalscorer Christian doidge won't both start up front together as pp has decided they are too similar. Ko 8pm. If you attending in person ken wants you to buy a shirt please. Also on sky sports football red button and ifollow thingy.
posted on 26/10/18
comment by The Ghost of Gerald Cid (U6427)
posted 17 hours, 44 minutes ago
Sorry, but I just don't think changing the team is to blame. It's the fact that those who do come in are just not up to scratch. Then again neither were the players they replaced (illness to Olkowski not withstanding).
I've never thought squad rotation is the demon that it keeps being made out to be.
By the way how awful is that Grabban's beard? Patchy at the sides and tramp like at the front - Forest fans should tell him to get rid pronto.
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If you know your best team and play them regularly every player gets used to how his teammates play and more importantly what is expected of them. I always think a settled team gets better results than a team with four or five changes every game. But that's just my opinion.
When we had Rioch and later Allardyce as managers, they didn't make so many changes every game. It was when someone was out injured or seriously out of form. They were the two best managers ever to manage Bolton.
posted on 26/10/18
Just to add to my post, I do agree that we don't have the quality in the squad but again that is down to lots of circumstances outside the control of the manager. Mainly cash to buy decent players.
posted on 26/10/18
Agree with above. Got an average championship keeper in Alnwick. Back 4 olkowski quality, wheater good solid defender. Lowe and vela average level midfielders. Ameobi the only genuine quality attacking player. The rest imo are playing at at least one level too high and I include doidge, megennis, ozhumer in that too. When I look how bad grounds has been, how bad Wilson was on Saturday wildschut, Taylor and little were on Wednesday we have a problem in the wide areas.
posted on 26/10/18
Swie You missed the late great Ian Greaves off the list of managers who played a settled side with minimum changes each week. He brought some young uns through as well
posted on 26/10/18
Ken's piling the pressure on as well with his latest comments, well the bits that aren't come and spend money on kit and tat etc. Suggesting he'll do whatever it deems necessary to arrest the slide.
Playing Hull at home tends to do the trick though - even when we were awful during the relegation season we beat them. That said we'd not lost to Forest before Wednesday in the league since 1978.
posted on 26/10/18
Well has Parkys time come , he’s had the best part of three Squads since is arrival , he got us promoted from division one with what for that league was a strong squad, ( by the skin of his teeth. ).
He then kept us in the championship last season.
( by the skin of his teeth )
This season saw Anderson back him with a lot of new blood, and a large squad of players, it’s coming to the end of October and the guy hasn’t got a clue who are is best eleven, he makes on average five changes a week , regardless of who PLAYS WELL, Magennis as not been the same player, ( can he really be blamed playing up front on his own, ) regardless of the opposition top 6 or bottom 6.
Vela once an asset can’t get near the team sheet.
Just what do they in training , can’t be seen
The team start most matches half - asleep , cant pass a ball to a player in the same strip.
One dimensional football
This as gone on now throughout his management.
So IMO it’s time for a change, and see we’re we can get to.
posted on 27/10/18
Up early it's a big day today.
What will be will be but what will it be.
The combinations of what will happen depending on the performance and results there's a mixed bag of feelings amongst fans of what they want from the day.
So what do you want ?
- Another poor show complete with a P45
- A win and a let off the hook
- An average draw leaving Ken undecided
My choice wasn't on the list just a plain old P45 before team sheet would suffice for me. Never a dull moment is it remember it's the end of the month so don't take your eyes of all those red bills on the mantlepiece.
posted on 27/10/18
I see Dennis Politic has slipped out on loan to Salford City is this a plan to weaken the youth team to stop them showing the Prof up
posted on 27/10/18
Politic's loan move probably more about development.
As we've seen with Samizadeh and the other chap doing it in under age football and doing it in "proper adult" football are 2 different things altogether.
If we are going to change manager it will have to come with a totally brand new mindset something I fear the club doesn't have the capacity to do.
On the subject of Ken trying to get the fans flocking back. He should realistically try and do something different before games to get people to at least want to come to the stadium even if the football isn't the greatest.
posted on 27/10/18
Hit nail on head. How long b4 Bolton and Salford will be in the same league? Good move for politic. Btw tom walker is getting rave reviews from a Salford fan I know. Also ken should reopen the fanzone. Big loss to me that. Get them pis5ed b4 going into the ground seems a good idea.