Mills & Ream. Or, "buy a full-back, quick!"

[LeverEnd]

I don't get the 'just throw *insert random youngster* in' calls.

I mean I get our first team is shit. But throwing kids in can hurt their progress if not ready and presumably Dougie would be throwing in anyone who was remotely ready at this stage if the options were there.

They aren't random at all. They are specialists in a position in which we are badly short. they have played plenty reserve games and we're in The Championship, not the Champions League.
Fans will not be looking to blame some youngster if he struggles when there are plenty of old pros letting us down.
And I don't go for all that damaging their careers stuff. They should be champing at the bit, and if they can't get over a bad game should they have one, they should grow a pair.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don't get the 'just throw *insert random youngster* in' calls.

I mean I get our first team is shit. But throwing kids in can hurt their progress if not ready and presumably Dougie would be throwing in anyone who was remotely ready at this stage if the options were there.

They aren't random at all. They are specialists in a position in which we are badly short. they have played plenty reserve games and we're in The Championship, not the Champions League.
Fans will not be looking to blame some youngster if he struggles when there are plenty of old pros letting us down.
And I don't go for all that damaging their careers stuff. They should be champing at the bit, and if they can't get over a bad game should they have one, they should grow a pair.

Disagree. If they aren't yet ready they aren't ready. No point throwing em in.

We are talking about lads who have never played a single pro game. I mean I get people are frustrated but rather a manager who protects the longer vision than reacts and makes things worse.

Look at West ham's kids at Forest. It can do damage.

[jaffka]

I'm pretty certain his preferred position is centre half. Indeed I'm pretty certain thats the position we signed him to play in.

I don't know what position he prefers but Duggie said he sees him as a full back only.

When I have seen Blackpool on the tv and he played centre half he looked good, maybe it's his height that goes against him

[thebish]

I'm pretty certain his preferred position is centre half. Indeed I'm pretty certain thats the position we signed him to play in.

I'm pretty certain it's not...

DOUGIE Freedman has confirmed that Alex Baptiste will be signed as a right-back, once his move from Blackpool is officially rubber-stamped.

Wanderers fans are waiting anxiously for confirmation of the signing of the 27-year-old defender, who is currently in the final throes of his contract at Bloomfield Road and negotiating a way to link-up with his new club slightly earlier than planned.

Baptiste played in three different positions across the back line for the Seasiders last season but Freedman has rubbished any talk that he arrives at the Reebok as a “utility man.”

“Once everything is sorted, I am signing him as a right-back, 100 per cent,” he told The Bolton News.

“He can play in other positions but I feel that is the position where he would be of best value to the team.”

[Lord Kangana]

I'm still pretty certain that he's a centre half, and that there was some debate when he arrived as to why he was going to fullback. If I could be arsed trawling the internet, I'm sure I'd find it. Someone probably will put it up in due course.

[bobo the clown]

I'm pretty certain his preferred position is centre half. Indeed I'm pretty certain thats the position we signed him to play in.

I'm pretty certain it's not...

DOUGIE Freedman has confirmed that Alex Baptiste will be signed as a right-back, once his move from Blackpool is officially rubber-stamped.

Wanderers fans are waiting anxiously for confirmation of the signing of the 27-year-old defender, who is currently in the final throes of his contract at Bloomfield Road and negotiating a way to link-up with his new club slightly earlier than planned.

Baptiste played in three different positions across the back line for the Seasiders last season but Freedman has rubbished any talk that he arrives at the Reebok as a “utility man.”

“Once everything is sorted, I am signing him as a right-back, 100 per cent,” he told The Bolton News.

“He can play in other positions but I feel that is the position where he would be of best value to the team.”

Centre half it is then !!

[TonyDomingos]

A friend who's a Blackpool regular was very surprised when Dougie said we'd signed him as right back. He was adamant he was a centre half.

[LeverEnd]

I'm still pretty certain that he's a centre half, and that there was some debate when he arrived as to why he was going to fullback. If I could be arsed trawling the internet, I'm sure I'd find it. Someone probably will put it up in due course.

There was debate because of where fans thought he should play but Dougie made it very clear he was signed to play at RB when he released Ricketts. He's probably wrong about that, but what's new?

[LeverEnd]

Disagree. If they aren't yet ready they aren't ready. No point throwing em in.

We are talking about lads who have never played a single pro game. I mean I get people are frustrated but rather a manager who protects the longer vision than reacts and makes things worse.

Look at West ham's kids at Forest. It can do damage.

Sometimes you don't know they are ready until you give them the chance. If they have a bad time take them out and train them up a bit more. If they have anything about them they will be spurred on either way.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

It seems at our club you can only play a youngster when he is probably past any reasonable definition of a youngster. If a player at the age of 20 is not ready for a few substitute appearances and the odd start for a team in the lower reaches of the Championship, I really question why we're investing a not insignificant sum in developing them. If they aren't ready for that then they're almost certainly going to be on Rochdale's bench in 3 years time. Other clubs seem to be able to play youngsters and we seem to have a couple that have some promise, so lets give them a bit of a chance.

[thebish]

Disagree. If they aren't yet ready they aren't ready. No point throwing em in.

We are talking about lads who have never played a single pro game. I mean I get people are frustrated but rather a manager who protects the longer vision than reacts and makes things worse.

Look at West ham's kids at Forest. It can do damage.

Sometimes you don't know they are ready until you give them the chance. If they have a bad time take them out and train them up a bit more. If they have anything about them they will be spurred on either way.

at the start of the season it DID look as if maybe Odelusi and Hall might have a significant role to play... maybe they flattered to deceive and are not as good as we thought - but they did make some impact early on...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Not many people, once calmed down, are saying play an entire team of greenhorns, as West Ham did at Forest. Kids can be seen as a panacea but this is penicillin, to get the provable liability ZK out of the team. I'd be very happy to see us try Baptiste in the middle, where he has played before and received good notices, but the problem is that both Mears and White are right-backs (and White only recently converted there from right-winger). I couldn't tell you whether either has a left foot; to be honest I couldn't pick White out in a crowd. But I do like his surname...

[BWFC_Insane]

Disagree. If they aren't yet ready they aren't ready. No point throwing em in.

We are talking about lads who have never played a single pro game. I mean I get people are frustrated but rather a manager who protects the longer vision than reacts and makes things worse.

Look at West ham's kids at Forest. It can do damage.

Sometimes you don't know they are ready until you give them the chance. If they have a bad time take them out and train them up a bit more. If they have anything about them they will be spurred on either way.

I think a manager should have a fair idea. I mean we're talking about lads who might be decent one day. I highly doubt we've got the next Wayne Rooney or whatever slumming it in the reserves. I suspect right now any kid we've got would be worse than the first team options. As bad as that might sound and as poor as he is, Knight is a pro who has played hundreds of games, expecting a young kid yet to feature in a first team anywhere to come in and be better is asking a lot in any circumstances. I mean those that watch the reserves have said White has some way to go yet, If I recall correctly. I don't think it is like he is really solidly knocking on the door.

[Prufrock]

Aye West Ham played about 8 at once. We don't want to do that, just give them a chance when we're short in their position!

And Baptistery mainly played at CB for Blackpool, where he looked good. The way it sounded at the time to me was that he fancied himself as a full back, and that was part of the deal whether explicit, or much more likely, not.

[BWFC_Insane]

Aye West Ham played about 8 at once. We don't want to do that, just give them a chance when we're short in their position!

And Baptistery mainly played at CB for Blackpool, where he looked good. The way it sounded at the time to me was that he fancied himself as a full back, and that was part of the deal whether explicit, or much more likely, not.

But being short in a position doesn't mean it is the right thing to throw a kid in. It simply comes down to whether they are a) ready and b) good enough to make the step up at this stage.

I would bet that had we had any youngsters in those brackets they would have been tried in the same way Odelusi/Eaves/Vela etc have been.

[bobo the clown]

These 'kids' aren't 15, are they. They are 19-21. If they were showing real talent they'd be knocking on the door anyway.

He brought Bolger, for example, a year ago. White was playing last season for Sheff Wed. It's hardly 'make or break' for them if they come in and are stretched a bit.

[Dr Hotdog]

White was playing last season for Sheff Wed.

Incorrect. He never played for Wednesday's first team.

[Loyal White]

Just play White. Give him a go.. We'll probably lose anyway, so may aswell see if he's any good

As above.

Kellett?

Last I heard Kellett's injured.

Had a knock yet still played in a reserve game and did some damage.

Not sure when he's due back.

[boltonboris]

Has anyone considered Baptiste and Mills at CH and White and Mears at fullback?

4 Right footers though.. Wouldn't work.

[boltonboris]

Aye West Ham played about 8 at once. We don't want to do that, just give them a chance when we're short in their position!

And Baptistery mainly played at CB for Blackpool, where he looked good. The way it sounded at the time to me was that he fancied himself as a full back, and that was part of the deal whether explicit, or much more likely, not.

But being short in a position doesn't mean it is the right thing to throw a kid in. It simply comes down to whether they are a) ready and b) good enough to make the step up at this stage.

Jesus fvckin Christ.

If they're not ready to oust Zat shitting Knight at this age, they'll never be.

Should we just continue to use the same shocking defenders, playing hopelessly out of position? Ream is a centre back playing at full back, Baptiste is a centre back playing at full back. Knight isn't fit to be anywhere near the squad. Yet you plod along with the shit you spout above because you think the manager is still doing the right thing. NOW is the time for change. Wether that be personnel, or manager. It cannot stay how it is. Which would you prefer? A 19 year old coming in to oust the worst player in the division, or the manager being sacked.. Because that's they way it's going