Return of the Wheats!

[Beefheart]

Vastly better than Knight imo. Actually gets stuck in, and is far better on the ball that he gets credit for.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Game's been called off.

Spoil Sport.

Did DSB demand his ball back?

[Bruce Rioja]

It has attracted comment before, but Knight's role at offensive corners and free kicks is so weird.

Why does a bloke his height just loiter limply at the back post rather than trying to make a run from the edge of the box and compete in the air with some momentum?

Been saying this for weeks. When he's not loitering at the back post he makes a near post run to draw the defender. Is that so that Chun Yong Lee can run in an use his height advantage? It's fecking ridiculous. Both attackers and defenders should fear coming up against Zat Knight. Instead it's almost like them being given the afternoon/evening off!

[SmokinFrazier]

Wheater and Ream were a good partnership last year. They fit the big man/ball player roles that quite a few top teams like to have, such as United with Vidic/Rio, Barcelona with Puyol/Pique, Arsenal with Vermaelan/Mertesacker, Chelsea with Terry/Cahill and so on.

They'd be my ideal partnership for the rest of this season and beyond that. I'd like them to be our defensive partnership for a few years yet.

[bedwetter2]

It has attracted comment before, but Knight's role at offensive corners and free kicks is so weird.

Why does a bloke his height just loiter limply at the back post rather than trying to make a run from the edge of the box and compete in the air with some momentum?

A puzzle. Nearly all the headed goals against us come from somebody coming in at speed into the box. We seem to just try out-jumping the opposition from a flat-footed stance whether defending or attacking. Mind you, that's when our corners get beyond the first man.

Do you miss Bruno's big floaters?

[TANGODANCER]

It has attracted comment before, but Knight's role at offensive corners and free kicks is so weird.

Why does a bloke his height just loiter limply at the back post rather than trying to make a run from the edge of the box and compete in the air with some momentum?

A puzzle. Nearly all the headed goals against us come from somebody coming in at speed into the box. We seem to just try out-jumping the opposition from a flat-footed stance whether defending or attacking. Mind you, that's when our corners get beyond the first man.

Do you miss Bruno's big floaters?

Miss the big fella period.

[bedwetter2]

It has attracted comment before, but Knight's role at offensive corners and free kicks is so weird.

Why does a bloke his height just loiter limply at the back post rather than trying to make a run from the edge of the box and compete in the air with some momentum?

A puzzle. Nearly all the headed goals against us come from somebody coming in at speed into the box. We seem to just try out-jumping the opposition from a flat-footed stance whether defending or attacking. Mind you, that's when our corners get beyond the first man.

Do you miss Bruno's big floaters?

Miss the big fella period.

Agree. A great player who brought a level of experience with him which was, I think, undervalued at the time. If only Florent Laville had not had that cruciate injury I reckon we would have had the ideal central defensive partnership to rival any in the Premiership.

[TANGODANCER]

Agree. A great player who brought a level of experience with him which was, I think, undervalued at the time. If only Florent Laville had not had that cruciate injury I reckon we would have had the ideal central defensive partnership to rival any in the Premiership.

Laville, good as he was, was pretty short term due to his injury, but Bruno, Gudni, Meite, Faye, Hendry....any of them..

[mrkint]

Laville was Allardyce's best signing imo. Absolutely loved that guy.

[bobo the clown]

Laville was Allardyce's best signing imo. Absolutely loved that guy.

Really ??

He seemed good, but how many games did he play ? (15 ... I looked it up). I think there may be something of the dead rock-star about him ..... in that he left us before we got to the point of seeing his limitations & so he's an un assailed legend.

I'm not saying he wasn't good, just that maybe we overestimate him.

[mrkint]

Laville was Allardyce's best signing imo. Absolutely loved that guy.

Really ??

He seemed good, but how many games did he play ? (15 ... I looked it up). I think there may be something of the dead rock-star about him ..... in that he left us before we got to the point of seeing his limitations & so he's an un assailed legend.

I'm not saying he wasn't good, just that maybe we overestimate him.

tbf i was only about 13/14 at the time, but i seem to remember his signing coincided with our defence looking a hell of a lot stronger, and was key in us staying up. If we'd have gone down that year then god knows where we would be now.

Plus, I haven't made any outrageous, hyperbolic statements since I've come back so thought this was a good place to start. I still think Michael Ricketts is the most naturally gifted finisher I've seen in a Bolton shirt

[Tombwfc]

I remember after we stayed up at West Ham's expense there was a Sunday Supplement style 'Season Review' on Sky, where they were picking their signing of the season. Okocha got a nomination (unsurprisingly), but so did Laville (more surprisingly). I think to make that much of an impression as a centre-half at an unfashionable side in half a season says a lot about just how good he was.

But, I also seem to remember that with Gudni gone, both he and Bruno started the next season shite. Whether it was a bad combination or not I don't know. Looking back at the results, we shipped 10 goals in three games before N'Gotty was dropped for Emerson Thome. Then Laville got injured a game later.

So yeah, excellent for a very short period, but the jury's out and how well he would've done longer term.

[mrkint]

I thought Laville got crocked in the first game of the season that year? Though I guess I could be wrong

[Beefheart]

I remember after we stayed up at West Ham's expense there was a Sunday Supplement style 'Season Review' on Sky, where they were picking their signing of the season. Okocha got a nomination (unsurprisingly), but so did Laville (more surprisingly). I think to make that much of an impression as a centre-half at an unfashionable side in half a season says a lot about just how good he was.

But, I also seem to remember that with Gudni gone, both he and Bruno started the next season shite. Whether it was a bad combination or not I don't know. Looking back at the results, we shipped 10 goals in three games before N'Gotty was dropped for Emerson Thome. Then Laville got injured a game later.

So yeah, excellent for a very short period, but the jury's out and how well he would've done longer term.

I remember that. Seem to remember thatOkocha won with quite a large share of the vote.

[bwfcdan94]

Vastly better than Knight imo. Actually gets stuck in, and is far better on the ball that he gets credit for.

+1

[bwfcdan94]

Agree. A great player who brought a level of experience with him which was, I think, undervalued at the time. If only Florent Laville had not had that cruciate injury I reckon we would have had the ideal central defensive partnership to rival any in the Premiership.

Laville, good as he was, was pretty short term due to his injury, but Bruno, Gudni, Meite, Faye, Hendry....any of them..

of the pairings I have seen I always felt Faye and Meite were the best because nobody messed about with them.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Agree. A great player who brought a level of experience with him which was, I think, undervalued at the time. If only Florent Laville had not had that cruciate injury I reckon we would have had the ideal central defensive partnership to rival any in the Premiership.

Laville, good as he was, was pretty short term due to his injury, but Bruno, Gudni, Meite, Faye, Hendry....any of them..

of the pairings I have seen I always felt Faye and Meite were the best because nobody messed about with them.

Meite was average at best. Faye was good when partnered with the right player. Gudni was a total legend and Hendry was good for us, despite being in the twilight of his career. Oh to have Gudni and Bruno now...

[Beefheart]

Tal Ben Haim was excellent when playing for us. Seemed to got a bit shit after he left.

[Andy Waller]

John Newsome and Paul Warhurst were immense together.

[ohjimmyjimmy]

John Newsome and Paul Warhurst were immense together.

This - they were awesome for us...seem to recall we could only keep one though and we plumped for Warhurst.