Pre Season Friendlies

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Cheers LGM. Those trialists all young uns?

[Nicko58]

Tonight's line-up

Amos, Wilson, Spooner, Dervite, Honeyball, Howison, Walker, Trotter, Woolery, Newell, Taylor

Eve, Perry, Grivosti, Earing, Samizadeh, Brockbank, Lonsdale, Nasseri

Howieson is an attacking midfielder from New Zealand who was at St Mirren last season.
Eve is a Bermudan goalkeeper who was at Forest Green Rovers
Nasseri is an Iranian youngster who was at Birmingham City previously

Should we read anything into Amos, Wilson, Dervite and Trotter playing in this game rather than the proper one tomorrow?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Tonight's line-up

Amos, Wilson, Spooner, Dervite, Honeyball, Howison, Walker, Trotter, Woolery, Newell, Taylor

Eve, Perry, Grivosti, Earing, Samizadeh, Brockbank, Lonsdale, Nasseri

Howieson is an attacking midfielder from New Zealand who was at St Mirren last season.
Eve is a Bermudan goalkeeper who was at Forest Green Rovers
Nasseri is an Iranian youngster who was at Birmingham City previously

Should we read anything into Amos, Wilson, Dervite and Trotter playing in this game rather than the proper one tomorrow?

We can read whatever we like into it! Here's my guesstimates:
• Amos - not being shooed out, just giving Howard a chance to play with the "firsts" tomorrow
• Dervite – I imagine PP wants to see Beevers play a half with Wheater and a half with Greer, maybe?
• Trotter is probably at the back of the long queue of first-team central midfielders
• Wilson can't be overjoyed that PP has given trials to not just Neal Eardley but also Frazer Richardson (who's a bit more adaptable but mainly a right-back: transfermarkt says he made 37 of his 43 Rotherham appears at RB, the other six at LB).

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm intrigued that Taylor and Walker, who seem to be PP's first-choice wingers, both started - with Woolery, who has also played wide for PP, starting up top (as No.9 in PP's good old-fashioned 1-11 numbering system, alongside young George Newell). Different system tomorrow, perhaps the diamond 4-4-2? Or have we got trialist wingers?

It finished 1-1 – they scored on the cusp of HT and Woolery bagged the (deflected) equaliser on the hour.

[Nicko58]

Tonight's line-up

Amos, Wilson, Spooner, Dervite, Honeyball, Howison, Walker, Trotter, Woolery, Newell, Taylor

Eve, Perry, Grivosti, Earing, Samizadeh, Brockbank, Lonsdale, Nasseri

Howieson is an attacking midfielder from New Zealand who was at St Mirren last season.
Eve is a Bermudan goalkeeper who was at Forest Green Rovers
Nasseri is an Iranian youngster who was at Birmingham City previously

Should we read anything into Amos, Wilson, Dervite and Trotter playing in this game rather than the proper one tomorrow?

We can read whatever we like into it! Here's my guesstimates:
• Amos - not being shooed out, just giving Howard a chance to play with the "firsts" tomorrow
• Dervite – I imagine PP wants to see Beevers play a half with Wheater and a half with Greer, maybe?
• Trotter is probably at the back of the long queue of first-team central midfielders
• Wilson can't be overjoyed that PP has given trials to not just Neal Eardley but also Frazer Richardson (who's a bit more adaptable but mainly a right-back: transfermarkt says he made 37 of his 43 Rotherham appears at RB, the other six at LB).

Wilson is a strange one. As a player with quite a bit of experience of the level that we're now at, and who would be on buttons relatively speaking, I'd have thought that he'd be one of the first names on the team sheet. He certainly looked solid enough to my untrained eye when he came back into the side towards the end of last season.

[Athertonian]

Hope I'm wrong but I don't hold much hope for this season, I see nothing but another struggle. Just my opinion sorry.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Tonight's line-up

Amos, Wilson, Spooner, Dervite, Honeyball, Howison, Walker, Trotter, Woolery, Newell, Taylor

Eve, Perry, Grivosti, Earing, Samizadeh, Brockbank, Lonsdale, Nasseri

Howieson is an attacking midfielder from New Zealand who was at St Mirren last season.
Eve is a Bermudan goalkeeper who was at Forest Green Rovers
Nasseri is an Iranian youngster who was at Birmingham City previously

Should we read anything into Amos, Wilson, Dervite and Trotter playing in this game rather than the proper one tomorrow?

• Wilson can't be overjoyed that PP has given trials to not just Neal Eardley but also Frazer Richardson (who's a bit more adaptable but mainly a right-back: transfermarkt says he made 37 of his 43 Rotherham appears at RB, the other six at LB).

Wilson is a strange one. As a player with quite a bit of experience of the level that we're now at, and who would be on buttons relatively speaking, I'd have thought that he'd be one of the first names on the team sheet. He certainly looked solid enough to my untrained eye when he came back into the side towards the end of last season.

Lennon signed him, played him, dropped him, brought him back, dropped him again. Could be PP is getting back-up, could be he doesn't fancy him. In what I've seen of him we've had far worse but then again if the new guy wants his own man...

[LeverEnd]

Wilson can look fine, but when he has a bad day he's shocking. Maybe he's mentally weak and can't be depended upon.

[TKIZ!]

I'm intrigued that Taylor and Walker, who seem to be PP's first-choice wingers, both started - with Woolery, who has also played wide for PP, starting up top (as No.9 in PP's good old-fashioned 1-11 numbering system, alongside young George Newell). Different system tomorrow, perhaps the diamond 4-4-2? Or have we got trialist wingers?

It finished 1-1 – they scored on the cusp of HT and Woolery bagged the (deflected) equaliser on the hour.

Hey DSB, He's got Shirdel on trial and think we'll see him today int he squad. 6ft 3in winger

[Prufrock]

This is BWFCI's fault. Who gives a fcuk how tall a winger is

[Harry Genshaw]

One up early doors. Great goal from Mavies. Clough and new chap gone off injured though

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Howard's just saved a penalty on the hour. Still 1-0 us

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

FT 2-0.

Bolton: Mark Howard; Frazer Richardson (Neal Eardley 36), Alex Finney, Mark Beevers (Danny Collins 79), Dean Moxey: Jay Spearing, Darren Pratley, Mark Davies (Josh Vela 55), Max Clayton (George Newell 76), Zach Clough (Jamie Proctor 26), Gary Madine (Alex Samizadeh, 71).

Subs: Ben Amos, Neal Eardley, Jamie Proctor, Danny Collins, Josh Vela, Alex Samizadeh, George Newell, Alex Perry, Jack Earing, Cole Lonsdale, Harry Brockbank, Tom Grivosti, Will Jaaskelainen.

Danny Collins may or may not be the near-36-year-old Chester-born 6ft centre-back that used to play for Sunderland, Stoke, Forest and Rotherham. The other names on the bench after him are all academy products. Neither Greer nor Wheater played last night or today; apparently Greer is at Blackburn now.

Official Twitter said we started with a diamond (Clough behind Clayton and Madine), although Marc Iles said it was a flatter 4-4-2 with Clayton left, Davies right and Clough off Clayton, then admitted he was “struggling to suss the formation at the moment. Think it’s a front three with Clough and Clayton either side of Madine”.

On 26, Clough limped off to be replaced by Proctor. On 36 Frazer Richardson also had to go off for fellow trialist right-back Neal Eardley. On 55, Vela replaced Davies. On 71 Samizadeh replaced Madine (the young Iranian got a similar spell off the bench last night). On 76, Newell replaced Clayton. On 79, Collins replaced Beevers.

Parky watched the latter part of both halves from the stands, like a reverse Allardyce.

York started with a trialist in goal and he was picking the ball out within five minutes, Davies finishing a Madine knockdown.

Howard saved a pen he’d given away on the hour.



On 83, Proctor was fouled and scored the spotkick.



So: clean sheet, two goals, penalty-saving goalkeeper, an attacking formation so fluid the professionals couldn't work it out - all good stuff, but let's be honest, we're all hoping Zach's OK...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Iles: "Clough has a tight hamstring, Richardson tweaked his knee ligaments. Parkinson hoping both are not serious."

[BWFC_Insane]

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wa ... y_off_yet/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Iles brings out the concern cannon again. I have to say that whilst I agree we're far from a promotion contender as the squad stands, considering where we were, I'll take our current position for now.

I'm worried as I'm sure everyone else is that we've got too many of the "losers" left in the squad and haven't really got the funds to sign any, what you might term, "real quality".

But we won't be alone in this. Including the premiership relegation season we've steadily declined year on year. We need to stop that first. Not sure expecting a completed squad with fresh quality and all areas filled was ever realistic going into this season. Frankly at one point it looked like we might barely have a squad at all.

[LeverEnd]

I blame those pie eating bastards up the road gorgeous not signing Pratley.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

LE: BWFCi's told you not to call him gorgeous in public...

BWFCi: There are definitely still holes in the squad – we've had what, four or five defensive trialists? While results aren't all, and it might take a while for Parky to impose solidity, we scraped past York (92nd in the league) thanks to a saved penalty – tomorrow night we play a Premier team who just got promoted, things might get a bit ugly.

It's definitely a work in progress, and it could definitely be worse, but to me Iles seems about right. Not panic, but there's areas to address ASAP.

[BWFC_Insane]

LE: BWFCi's told you not to call him gorgeous in public...

BWFCi: There are definitely still holes in the squad – we've had what, four or five defensive trialists? While results aren't all, and it might take a while for Parky to impose solidity, we scraped past York (92nd in the league) thanks to a saved penalty – tomorrow night we play a Premier team who just got promoted, things might get a bit ugly.

It's definitely a work in progress, and it could definitely be worse, but to me Iles seems about right. Not panic, but there's areas to address ASAP.

Agree but a realistic view has to be taken. We're miles off being a settled club who can go into the season with a ready built and drilled team. That was always a concern. We've progressed a bit more though than I think we might have imagined.

I think Parkinson has generally taken a fairly dim view of our squad given his repeated comments about "a lot of work to do in terms of incomings" even after the 4 signings he's made. I see that as a positive though as I take it as a manager who finally realises how shit we actually are rather than one who sees a few Davies stepovers as being a sign we're going to rule the league.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

He certainly wants to check out alternative options in defence, doesn't he? I'm assuming the loanees will be forwards/wingers.

[Hoboh]

A big plus for Parkinson is the fact Mark Davies produced his best show of pre-season to date. He opened the scoring with a great half-volley from Gary Madine’s knock down and generally drove a midfield which has been a little too passive in recent weeks.

Oh wonderful, that's him done for 6 months then!