BWFC Blog

Back to back twice in one month?

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 22:41:45 -0600

Once Saturday comes around we are back up in the North East to take on Sunderland, Win that match and we will have won 4 from our last 5.
Im looking forward to this game now as i finally think Bolton may have gotten over there slump they have gone through over pretty much the last 22 months.

Whenever i see Bolton and "Away Day" in the same sentance i lower my expectations. We have been poor away from the Reebok over the last year and a half and only managed two wins in the league last year coming at Boro and relegated Reading. Already three away wins this year and i reckon we have finally got over our travel sickness, early days i know but thats not bad from 7 games.

Looking at the stats its obvious to see that Sunderland are struggling in front of there home fans. Only winning two league games at home and losing the last three. Two players i am nervous about seeing on the field is Djibril Cisse and our former El Hadji Diouf better know as Dioufy. Cisse has been causing a real problem for defences with his strength and pace, knocked a few in as well. As for Diouf, supersitions i know but ive just got a feeling he will haunt us with a goal, Only if he plays of course.

No major injury news to report down our end so im expecting an unchanged side to take the field with hopefully the same tactics, to go out there and play positive football and not sit back and try hold off the pressure. Last week we challenged Middlesbrough players, closed down passes and didnt just defend our goal box. Boro may have had an off day but surely some of that is down to our tiredless defending and constant pressing. I hope to see the same from the players again.

Prediction time and as i mentioned before im looking at this one in a much more positive way. 2-1 prediction our way and as i said yesterday if we can win i wouldnt bet against Megson picking up manager of the month.

Manager of the month. A real possibility?

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:00:53 -0600

Premier League Manager of the Month awarded to Gary Megson?
It might just be what were hearing if we are able to come away with three points from the Stadium of Light this weekend!

Over November we have managed to secure 3 wins out of 4 games, the only loss coming against Liverpool. A steady 2-0 win over Manchester City and following that up with a 1-0 win at Hull, our first back to back victories in months. 2-0 at Middlesbrough being the latest win and its got me thinking...

Megson might not actually be managing us today if this little run hadnt happened. Going back exactly one month we were sitting bottom of the table and Megson was reciving a fair bit of stick from the fans. We knew it must only be a couple of games until he got his marching orders from the club. I assume he is sleeping easier at night now

Right now i hold nothing against him and we could be looking at a Manager of the Month award to go with this much needed turn around in our season.

Other Possibilites...

Not as straight forward for Gary however, he faces competition for this award from a few other managers.

The obvious one being Harry Redknapp who in the month has turned Spurs around and got them out of the relegation zone, A lose at Fulham the only downer so far. Tony Pulis has always pushed Stoke up the table much like Megson has with us. Stoke have lost one game as well but that was a 5-0 drubbing at Old Trafford. As always there is a top four contender in the running, So i am putting down Phil Scolari on this one. Chelsea have won three and drawn one scoring ten goals in the process and conceding none which is a pretty solid effort you must admit.

Take your pick but fingers crossed for the Megster. Sunderland preview should be up tomorrow.

3 Goals and 3 Points!

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:05:32 -0600

Now what Bolton side was that we saw yesterday? So confident in the way they were playing, passes going to feet, scoring three goals and all this away from home!

Going to an inform Middlesbrough i was thinking at best this was going to be a draw for us, over the last couple of months i have never looked at a match thinking that it will provide three points, were not that simple so when victorys like these pop up then it is always a nice touch.
Straight from the kick off we got right into things. Megson must have really pumped up the lads before the match and while most fans dont rate Gary for his line ups and tactics you have to give him praise when it comes to team talks.

Ten minutes into the match and we were 2 to the good, the first goal being supplied from a lofted Matthew Taylor freekick and headed in by Gretar Steinsson on the back post although it appears Kevin Davies has claimed it as it took the last knick off the back of his head. A little harsh maybe but apparently Gretar doesnt mind and with Davo going through a little goal drought i bet he was quick to claim it. Taylor then went on to add one for himself, a great first touch in the box set himself up to power the ball across Turnbull into the corner.

Halftime came around with the Middlesbrough fans restless which just made things better, i dont think it ever helps when the fans boo off there own players and it may have only been a small section but it certainly echoed around the ground!. Pogatetz pulled one back from close range for Boro with 13 minutes to go after we failed to clear our lines. In the end it didnt matter as we went straight down the other end and within a minute had restored our lead when scored Johan Elmander slotted the ball into the bottom corner with his left foot. Finally scoring his second goal for the club.

Three away wins so far, already more than we got last season in the league and things are starting to look up after we picked up three wins from our last four games.
No complaints at the moment and its starting to feel a lot better supporting the Whites, we aree starting to get the "Super" tag back.

Onwards and upwards you Superwhites!

North East we march!

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:38:51 -0600

This weekend we are off to the Riverside to take on an inform Middlesbrough, one who could also be considered a 'boogey' side when you look at results over the last couple of seasons. At least we will be there in numbers as the club has got out the free travel club transport for this one.

Middlesbrough, who have gone five games unbeaten now, Will be a real test for us this weekend and should give us an idea of where we stand in this league. Boro who are up in 8th are certainly not untouchable and if we can pull out another performance like we did in this fixture last season then we may come back with the points. We currently sit 13th in the league and this was a team i was expecting around us come the end of the season. Despite this the Teesider's will be full of confidence and certainly go into this one as favorites.

Midweek talk now and Gary Megson.. has had a rant about how we dont score enough goals. Well done Gary its taken you a couple of months to catch up to the fans thoughts on this matter but if he makes an effort to change the tactics we may get a result. Last week against Liverpool we did what i feared we shouldnt which was to sit back and try and hold. We are known for defending from the edge of our penalty box which is much to risky in this league.
If we push up the pitch and get stuck into Middlesbrough with the tackles like we did previously against Man City then we should at least make things a little easier on Jaaskelainen in goal who has been bombared recently.

Line up time now and i was hoping that Megson would finally see the light to give Gardner his starting place back but it looks as if he has picked up a knock in training and now faces a fitness test to play. Riga could then be another option if Ricki G is missing, a quick skillful winger that will give us another attacking option down the right. I would love to see us line up 4411 with Davies leading the line and Elmander just in behind because at the moment the Swede has gone a couple of matches all but unheard of. Taylor, Nolan, Mumaba and Riga being the midfielders in that order and the traditional defenders. After Megson's praise for McCann I imagine that we will start 451.

Prediction time and it really depends on which Bolton side turns up. We have already secured two early away wins at Hull and West Ham which is a good start compared to last season when we only won two away all season. Ive gone with a 1-1 draw for this one and would gladly accept that scoreline, Nolan to pull one out of the bag.

Count the misses!

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:31:07 -0600

Ok not much time so here is a quick round up of the performance on the weekend against Liverpool.

First off, we should start by looking at the misses and there were plenty. Both sides were guilty of missing a couple of sitters and i can see Gardners "run around Reina and slip" being stuck in those Youtube comedy videos people make, all you can do now is laugh...i guess?

We have to take the blame for the ones we did concede though. Liverpool managed to have the time to play the ball around the park unchallenged until Fabio Aurelio picked out Kuyt in the box to make it 1-0. The second is a case of not clearing the lines. Andy O'Brien the guilty one, not getting his header away first of all and then failing to clear again after tackling Torres who won it straight back and took his time to pick out Gerrard who finally got on the scoresheet after missing his own sitter.

Overall our first half performance was just so negative, especially for a home match. We didnt seem to be in it at all and held off on the challenges, we didnt run and cover enough of the pitch and Liverpool dominated. Maybe we should have gone to the brake equal though after Rob Styles had another one of those controversial moments when he blew up right when Cahill headed home for a foul on Reina, im pretty sure thats what he gave it for anyway im really unsure as Nolan just stood his ground infront of him.

The second half performance was a lot better, the first 25 minutes we had more possession and should have put away at least one. Gardner was guilty of two misses but i still think he should be a starter each week. When he came on at halftime he just lifted our game giving us another attacking threat and troubled Carragher at times.

Middlesbrough away up next and that will be a tough one. If im correct in saying this i think we have only won 1 in the last 10(?) against them in all competitions. That one win did come end of last season however so maybe its time to turn that poor run around and win at the Riverside for the second season running.

Preview: Wanderers vs The Scouse

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:30:35 -0600

Early kick off on Saturday and despite being at home, its a really tough one!

Liverpool have been showing some form this season, they are starting to win some of those 'ugly games' and its no surprise they sit 2nd in the table. Torres is coming back to fitness and is expected to jump back into the starting 11 and his fellow striker Robbie Keane broke his Premier League duck last week scoring two against West Brom. After being beaten in the league cup midweek against Spurs, The Reds will want to get back to business in the league.

However its not only Liverpool in a confident mood, We've won our last two and sit up in 11th place, a bit of a change from two weeks ago when we were dead bottom!

One thing is for sure, we wont give Liverpool any time on the ball and pressure them as much as possible all over the pitch. We'll make things tough for them and compete for everything in a physical manner. Being infront of the Reebok faithful, the players will only want it more and i wouldnt put it past us to snatch a point, maybe optimistic? but if we look at the Liverpool of last season, these are the type of fixtures against the scrappy sides they struggled to finish off.

In the build up to this one Megson came out and said he was backing Liverpool to take the title this season. Personally i still think Chelsea will be too strong in the long run but if Liverpool come here and maul us ill have to think twice about that. If Rafa manages to stick a permant 11 together then they might have a chance.

Onto our line up now, and i cant see there being a change from the side that won at Hull. No need to change the players around and i imagine Megson will have the same out look. Tactic wise though, were going to have to make sure we dont sit too deep like we did at Hull. If Jaaskelainen didnt have a blinder last week we would have lost by a couple of goals and against a team with Liverpools talent we cant afford to make that mistake again. Our best chances are most likely going to come from set pieces, either that or crosses from the wing backs getting forward.

Elmander needs to get really stuck in this match, he is starting to get a bit of stick from the fans for his effort shown in the last handful of matches. Johan went through some matches pretty much unmentioned, but this would be a fixture that should inspire him to run his socks off. Our back four has been playing well together and are getting back to cover each other on the field. McCann has also been turning up the performances this season, killing off attacks and thats what we need him to do tomorrow. Not a player who gets forward that often from midfield and i wouldnt expect him to be turning up in the Liverpool box very often.

Prediction time, and being the Bolton fan i cant go and predict us to lose even if the odds are against us. Were at home so ill take 1-1 and we'll hang on for a point. If i had to choose a scorer it would be Elmander as he really needs the confident boost.

The round up will be a bit later than normal, as ill be spending the day in Auckland, off to the Under-17 Womens World Cup final tomorrow!

Johan Elmander, the thoughts so far?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:21:20 -0600

12 games into the season, nearly a third of the way through the season so i thought it was time to do a round up on our big summer signing Johan Elmander.

After making the perfect start scoring on his Bolton debut at home to Stoke things have just been on a drop for him. Being all the talk after the first game, Bolton fans couldnt wait to see there big money striker on the field again, although this time it was only to be for 15 minutes. Away to Newcastle, Elmander limped off the field after an earlier collision with Given and Coloccini.
The news was not good, it was revealed that Swedish striker would be out for upto 6 weeks with a hamstring problem.

Talk around the Reebok faithful was once again, "who can we rely on to score the goals?". n>
While Johan was out we scored 2 goals in 3 league games, so fans were optimistic when he returned to fitness for the Manchester United game at Old Trafford. He lasted 66 minutes before finally being replaced but looked lively. I wasnt too worried that he didnt score in that match, tough fixture and lacked game time so it was a good run out for him in the end. I had my fingers crossed we would see him score at West Ham anyway. After having the chances and troubling the Hammers defense a couple of times it was not to be. He seem isolated up front and after 73 minutes was replaced for Matthew Taylor who came on to score a 'typical Taylor thunderbolt goal'. Still no reason to complain as the work rate was there.

However the next three performances (Blackburn, Tottenham and Everton) lacked the sting he carried earlier in the season. Questions started to be raised on how much effort he was really putting in. Over those three fixtures we didnt score a goal and managed to get a point, A 0-0 draw out of a scrapy Blackburn match.

Elmander picked up an injury so missed our next home game against Manchester City, but was soon forgot about as we managed to pull all three points away from the Richest Club in the World. He got over it during the week and was brough back into the side for the Hull match, but once again, he had one of those games were he was hardly mentioned.

Off form and not 100% fit its no surprise that Johan has been dropped from the Sweden side who play Holland in a friendly next week.

8 Appearences, 1 goal. It was never going to be fireworks straight away but i was hoping for a slightly better return. He still might be gelling with our style of play but Megson needs to make sure he gets more stuck in and it can only be a matter of time before we see another goal. I personally would like to see him play off Davies more than just standing along side him. Making runs forward for the flick on's instead of staying static, eventually one will drop into his feet after he gets use to Davies and visa-versa. After 24 games we will have a better opinion, but i know i must give him time if i see an improvement in his work rate, if the efforts not there from him i wont be best pleased.

Fingers crossed he strikes this weekend, Liverpool at home and it would be a confidence booster if he was to score against the league leaders.

Taylor the scorer but Jaaskelainen the Hero

Sat, 8 Nov 2008 18:57:48 -0600

Bolton Wanderers sealed back to back wins for the first time since April after Matthew Taylor found the net to secure a 1-0 win for the Whites which could be described as the old Bolton style of ' An Ugly 3 Points'.

Much of the praise has to go in the direction of Jussi in goal though. Jaaskelainen made save after save to keep Hull City at bay and i wouldnt be surprised to see him in the team of the week after that solid performance.

r /> Meggo lined us up 442 with Elmander coming back into the side to partner Davies upfront, Taylor and Gardner were out wide and McCann and Muamba performing the holding role in the middle.

Hull City started the better side and in a dull first half seemed the more likely to find the back of the net after Marlon King hit the conjuction of the bar and post. Both sides would have got the boost of confidence from the managers at the brake, "You can win this" and just after the restart it was Matthew Taylor's half-volley finding its way through a congested goal box to trickle past Myhill and into the back of the net. Celebrations from the Bolton fans but that also kick started Hull. They bombared down onto the Bolton penalty box in hope of an equaliser but credit to our defense (and Jussi in goal) we managed to hold them off. Bolton also had a few chances to extend the lead as substitute Ebi Smolarek went on a run from halfway beating one player in the process and shooting just over the bar.

He came on with just over 10 minutes to go for a poor Johan Elmander. It might be early days but im yet to see whats so special about Johan and why we paid so much for him. In his first game of the season he ran his socks off and picked up a goal but ever since then he has just seemed lazy and dis-interested. Thinking back on it now, He was barely even mentioned in todays game against Hull.

In the post match interviews Hull manager Phil Brown hailed Jussi's performance as "world class'' after he helped condemn Browns side to a third successive defeat while Matthew Taylor stated he thought some of Jussi's saves were 'just plain ridiculous'.

Currently we have jumped out of the relegation zone to sit in 9th place, but after Sundays results we could drop a couple of places. Either way its just a good feeling to be out from below that red line!
Now hopefully we can stay the right side of it!

Preview: Bolton vs The side we created?

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 06:00:00 -0600

...Yes thats what a couple of papers are going with, we helped shape the Hull of today.

Looking back at this side we had when Phil Brown was under Big Sams wing its easy to make a couple of key comparisions between the two sides.
The holding midfield role, We had Campo and Hull have got Boateng.
The playmaker, We had Jay Jay Okocha and the Tigers have Geovanni
and up front to bang them in we had Djorkaeff and Hull have got Marlon King.
Ok so comparing the sets of players i think its clear we had the better three but Hull have certainly taken on the role Big Sam had at Bolton and hats have to be taken off to Phil Brown for sticking to what he knows works. It may not be pretty but its grinding out the results that are needed.

Hull are flying high in 6th place and after there start to the season they will be targetting this one as a match they can pick up three points in. We must go there and keep our heads up and not be scared of the Tigers and there record. Wigan had a smash and grab at the KC Stadium going out 5-0 winners earlier and i dont see why we cant go there and win as well. Our away form this year has been all over the place. We've got an early away win under our belts but some of our performances on the road are best forgotten. It really will depend on the case of "picking up where we left off" after our impressive performance against Man City. Its just a shame we cant throw out the same Eleven again because thats what i would have done if i was Gary Megson. As i said in my previous post, Nolan will be out of this one and we will feel some effects playing wise.

Its not all bad news though as Johan Elmander is back to fitness along with Riga who limped off halfway through the last game against Manchester City. Ricardo Gardner will also be one who should be considered to start after his cracking Man of the Match off the bench performance against the richest club in the world. Ebi Smolarek has all been forgot at the moment but i would bring him up off the bench with 20 to go to run past tired Hull City defenders. Its hard on Ebi, he has featured in a few games against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United which wouldnt be the easiest start to a new league. Im interested to see Megson sort this one out but ive got a feeling he will set us up 451 despite the fans calls for a 442 formation. Its on the road so we always go lined up defensive and try and hold off the attacks.

Prediction time now and i reckon both sides will cancel each other out on the field and it'll finish in a 1-1 draw. I'm going with Elmander to score this week. Its about time he scored his second club goal and started to prove to me that we havnt been ripped off on him!

Onwards and upwards!

Captain's 5 card count. Whats the damage?

Thu, 6 Nov 2008 02:42:23 -0600

This weekend Bolton Wanderers travel to the KC Stadium to take on the Premier League surprise package Hull City without leader Kevin Nolan.

After picking up his 5th yellow card of the season Kevin was looking at the lighter side of this ban. "We had a lot of chances and i know that i should have slotted but hopefully that will come next week...actually it wont as im suspened" he said with a chuckle after the game against Manchester City.

On to the point now, with Nolan out how much this effect us?

Having been the target of abuse from a couple of Wanderers fans this season, some argue that he wont be a loss and only rate him for his leadership skills on the pitch and not what he can do with the football. However this has not come at the best time, Kevin really stepped up his performances in the last two games and the effort was there to be seen. Must have had a strong talking to after his 'mare against Spurs i reckon.

Tactic's wise Nolan brings us an attacking edge from midfield. Yet to score this season but he is always pushing up to assist the strikers down the middle of the park.
Normally partnered in the center with a defensive minded player in either Muamba, McCann or Joey O'Brien it is important that Nolan is up there to create the chances. Lately we have been a danger out wide and this is partly down to Kevin spreading the ball around the field. Our first goal against Manchester City was made from Nolan drifting the ball out to Steinsson on the right flank to cross.
Taking him away, i cant see any of our other centre mids being up the field and able to do that.

Now we cant judge how much we will miss him until we see how Megson lines us up. Elmander is back from injury to add to our striking options along with Riga who can play down the wing.
Fans have been calling for a 442 formation but away at Hull i expect Megson to line us up 451 and attempt to control the midfield. In my opinion that is not a bad thing considering this formation worked against Man Citys attacking threat and with the Tigers scoring 3 at Old Trafford we will once again have to be careful.
Muamba and McCann would be the obvious pair in Centre Midfield but with them both being holding players a lot will be resting on our wide players who ever they may be.

Selection headache Megson?? Then having to sort Tactics with the modified line up?
Thats why they pay you i guess and its time for you to earn you money!