The Trotters v The Potters

[CAPSLOCK]

Holdens OK

[RobbieSavagesLeg]

At the end Holden limped off with an icebag strapped to his ankle (not good news).

From the horses mouth:

"Took knock on ankle but nothing serious, couldnt shake it off for last 10"

So, hopeful it'll be reet by 24th Jan.

[William the White]

At the end Holden limped off with an icebag strapped to his ankle (not good news).

From the horses mouth:

"Took knock on ankle but nothing serious, couldnt shake it off for last 10"

So, hopeful it'll be reet by 24th Jan.

Good news, then...

[wanderers_on_tour]

A cold and windy day at a horrible stadium built to make watching football an uncomfortable experience.

We are in a mini-slump, no question, with players who looked tired in the first half resorting to long ball hit and hope. Once more we were better in the second half, and Owen's subs helped improve it a touch.

Knight's concession of a penalty (almost saved) put the game effectively out of reach on a day we spent too much time out of touch.

At the end Holden limped off with an icebag strapped to his ankle (not good news) and, if Cahill was making a farewell gesture when he gave his shirt to a young kid as he left the pitch we may have more bad news to come.

Stoke are no good, by the way. But good enough to beat us on today's performance.

I think he did the same thing at Wigan Away so it might just be Cahill is a decent bloke, however i understand your concern! Playing devils advocate for a second maybe it's a sign he's in til summer and was a peace gesture to the crowd..not like he needs one.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

I'd love to know who we're dropping these players for...

Perhaps we should give Blake a run up front instead of Davo? How about Petrov, then maybe we can truly get battered down the wings.

feck sake, what a knee-jerk load of nonsense. All because we lost to a really strong Stoke team at home.

We're not playing well, but right now, that squad is the best we can put out.

Tend to agree with this.Some players could do with a bit of competition and a rest.As for Jussi like Shilton and Southall and most keepers past 35 he's lost a bit of spring. Still a great shot stopper and excellent one on one/anticipating behind the defense but vulnerable on crosses in a packed box. It was never his strongest suite but its becoming more noticable now. Whether Bogdan coiuld have done better I doubt it. You'd need to have a pretty powerful physique to command your 6 yard box against the sort of players Stoke throw in there.

[FaninOz]

I'll admit it up front that I must be an idiot as I'm the one who said that the manager has lost it, a bit tongue in cheek that original statement, but if you look a bit closer he's done it before. He had a great start at Burnley when they got promoted but other clubs sorted out his style and his last nine games there before he jumped ship to Bolton where to be honest pretty poor.

A similar thing is happening now at Bolton, excellent start with players showing plenty of energy and playing some good football that we haven't seen from Bolton for a long long time. But again other clubs have sorted out this new style and again Coyle and his players are again struggling to get positive results for their efforts.

In both cases smallish squads started to show tiredness and there was little quality in the reserves/squad players to freshen things up. However if it was me I would give Bogdan another chance by resting Jussi, heracy I know that last suggestion but then I am an idiot and a bit mad I guess.

Another heracy is that I would rest K Davies and play Moreno up front running around Elmander as the great man has had his day, is looking disinterested recently and his ball control, apart from the odd gem, is very poor. Stark raving mad some say and send the yellow cab round with the men in white and the straight jacket say others.

But as yet others have said it is time for Coyle to make some hard decisions as keeping with the same players, formation and tactics just isn't working and we can't wait much longer before a change is forced on us. Out of interest if a certain previous manager was getting the recent performances and results from what is basically the same squad ther would be a lot of Manager Out shouts on this site! I'm not advocating that, just making a mad and idiotical observation on the comments in past times.

Pre season I predicted that we would have 25 points after 23 games so I'm very happy that we have 30 points and have overperformed on what I expected. I predicted that we would get 6pts from the last 8 games and we got 7 so we did marginally better, but its the way that we have played in recent games that is worrying. Apart from at Chelsea and Liverpool where we deserved something we have been lucky to get anything out of the other games.

As for the next 8 games I predicted preseason that we would get another 6 points and if that happens we will be on 36pts after 31 games and well and truelly in a relegation scrap. Unless things change I can't see us bettering those predicted 6 points and bubble will have evaporated completely never mind just bursting.

My preseason final prediction was 42points and probably 16th place, and the way we are going that is highly likely unless Coyle does manage to either bring in some new players to freshen the squad up or gets the existing squad to start earning their wages again. His management skills are now very much on the line as he hasn't been here before and it will be interesting to see how he handles the situation.

Whatever happens providing we finish 17th or above and get another year in the Premiership for Coyle to move the team onwards I will be happy. But watching the past few performances hasn't been enjoyable and siginificant improvements are needed.

Oh the door bell has just rung and I must go now as the men in white coats have arrived to take me away.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Somehow it doesn't really seem that important now.

[thebish]

I'll admit it up front that I must be an idiot as I'm the one who said that the manager has lost it, a bit tongue in cheek that original statement, but if you look a bit closer he's done it before. He had a great start at Burnley when they got promoted but other clubs sorted out his style and his last nine games there before he jumped ship to Bolton where to be honest pretty poor.

A similar thing is happening now at Bolton, excellent start with players showing plenty of energy and playing some good football that we haven't seen from Bolton for a long long time. But again other clubs have sorted out this new style and again Coyle and his players are again struggling to get positive results for their efforts.

In both cases smallish squads started to show tiredness and there was little quality in the reserves/squad players to freshen things up. However if it was me I would give Bogdan another chance by resting Jussi, heracy I know that last suggestion but then I am an idiot and a bit mad I guess.

Another heracy is that I would rest K Davies and play Moreno up front running around Elmander as the great man has had his day, is looking disinterested recently and his ball control, apart from the odd gem, is very poor. Stark raving mad some say and send the yellow cab round with the men in white and the straight jacket say others.

But as yet others have said it is time for Coyle to make some hard decisions as keeping with the same players, formation and tactics just isn't working and we can't wait much longer before a change is forced on us. Out of interest if a certain previous manager was getting the recent performances and results from what is basically the same squad ther would be a lot of Manager Out shouts on this site! I'm not advocating that, just making a mad and idiotical observation on the comments in past times.

Pre season I predicted that we would have 25 points after 23 games so I'm very happy that we have 30 points and have overperformed on what I expected. I predicted that we would get 6pts from the last 8 games and we got 7 so we did marginally better, but its the way that we have played in recent games that is worrying. Apart from at Chelsea and Liverpool where we deserved something we have been lucky to get anything out of the other games.

As for the next 8 games I predicted preseason that we would get another 6 points and if that happens we will be on 36pts after 31 games and well and truelly in a relegation scrap. Unless things change I can't see us bettering those predicted 6 points and bubble will have evaporated completely never mind just bursting.

My preseason final prediction was 42points and probably 16th place, and the way we are going that is highly likely unless Coyle does manage to either bring in some new players to freshen the squad up or gets the existing squad to start earning their wages again. His management skills are now very much on the line as he hasn't been here before and it will be interesting to see how he handles the situation.

Whatever happens providing we finish 17th or above and get another year in the Premiership for Coyle to move the team onwards I will be happy. But watching the past few performances hasn't been enjoyable and siginificant improvements are needed.

Oh the door bell has just rung and I must go now as the men in white coats have arrived to take me away.

not much to add, except...

go boil your head....

[Choppers]

The Cahill thing...no way the club will let him leave when we have absolutely nobody else that can play there right now.

Rewatching the goals this morning though, Zat Knight wants a hell of a talking to about that penalty. I just don't know how he thinks he's getting there.

[FaninOz]

The Cahill thing...no way the club will let him leave when we have absolutely nobody else that can play there right now.

Rewatching the goals this morning though, Zat Knight wants a hell of a talking to about that penalty. I just don't know how he thinks he's getting there.

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

As it was we were two down and Knight was lucky to be still on the park as it probably should have been a red card!

The whole event just shows how slow our defence is against a fast breakinging team.

[BWFC_Insane]

The Cahill thing...no way the club will let him leave when we have absolutely nobody else that can play there right now.

Rewatching the goals this morning though, Zat Knight wants a hell of a talking to about that penalty. I just don't know how he thinks he's getting there.

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

As it was we were two down and Knight was lucky to be still on the park as it probably should have been a red card!

The whole event just shows how slow our defence is against a fast breakinging team.

Fook me your posts just show how clueless you are.

1) Coyle has said he'd have preferred to let Etherington go on and have a shot on his wrong foot because there was a lot to do before he scored from there.

2) If you think that should be a red card then I suggest you go and learn the rules, plenty of cover and hardly a "clear" goalscoring chance denied. A potential goalscoring chance hence the yellow.

3) Your ridiculous post about Coyle just defies belief. He did wonders at Burnley, and to say they "started struggling" is just ridiculous. They stopped massively overperforming with the smallest squad and budget of the premiership. Those players were essentially the same ones he took on near the foot of the championship. They'd still hardly (if at all someone could check?) been beaten at home and they still had more points than us. The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

[Choppers]

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

He's not scoring from there, just put slight pressure on and let the others deal with the cross that would come, or let him shoot into the side netting.

Knight is a centre back and has always been a centre back. The fact he lacks the most basically knowledge that you cannot make that tackle is astonishing imho.

I still think a lot of our problems lie with Muamba. It's not his fault, but he's a 4-3-3 player playing in a midfield 2. He breaks up play but that's about it. The pressure on Holden to do everything else must be immense.

[FaninOz]

The Cahill thing...no way the club will let him leave when we have absolutely nobody else that can play there right now.

Rewatching the goals this morning though, Zat Knight wants a hell of a talking to about that penalty. I just don't know how he thinks he's getting there.

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

As it was we were two down and Knight was lucky to be still on the park as it probably should have been a red card!

The whole event just shows how slow our defence is against a fast breakinging team.

Fook me your posts just show how clueless you are.

1) Coyle has said he'd have preferred to let Etherington go on and have a shot on his wrong foot because there was a lot to do before he scored from there.

2) If you think that should be a red card then I suggest you go and learn the rules, plenty of cover and hardly a "clear" goalscoring chance denied. A potential goalscoring chance hence the yellow.

3) Your ridiculous post about Coyle just defies belief. He did wonders at Burnley, and to say they "started struggling" is just ridiculous. They stopped massively overperforming with the smallest squad and budget of the premiership. Those players were essentially the same ones he took on near the foot of the championship. They'd still hardly (if at all someone could check?) been beaten at home and they still had more points than us. The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

Err didn't I include that it my comments?

Also, I haven't heard or read anything about what Coyle may have said about the penalty and was just a surmise on my part, so I was wrong on that point. But have you thought that perhaps he wouldn't come out and openly say that one of his players should hack down an opponent like that.

Your and other responses to my comments about our current position just shows how black and white the views of many fans are about Megson (black) and Coyle (white), while life just isn't that. Any positive comments about Megson are teated with derision and any negatives about Coyle are treated similarly. But sticks and stones ....... etc.

[RobbieSavagesLeg]

The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

Agreed, we've been all over the place with our match-day team, that's hardly OC's fault.

[BWFC_Insane]

The Cahill thing...no way the club will let him leave when we have absolutely nobody else that can play there right now.

Rewatching the goals this morning though, Zat Knight wants a hell of a talking to about that penalty. I just don't know how he thinks he's getting there.

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

As it was we were two down and Knight was lucky to be still on the park as it probably should have been a red card!

The whole event just shows how slow our defence is against a fast breakinging team.

Fook me your posts just show how clueless you are.

1) Coyle has said he'd have preferred to let Etherington go on and have a shot on his wrong foot because there was a lot to do before he scored from there.

2) If you think that should be a red card then I suggest you go and learn the rules, plenty of cover and hardly a "clear" goalscoring chance denied. A potential goalscoring chance hence the yellow.

3) Your ridiculous post about Coyle just defies belief. He did wonders at Burnley, and to say they "started struggling" is just ridiculous. They stopped massively overperforming with the smallest squad and budget of the premiership. Those players were essentially the same ones he took on near the foot of the championship. They'd still hardly (if at all someone could check?) been beaten at home and they still had more points than us. The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

Err didn't I include that it my comments?

Also, I haven't heard or read anything about what Coyle may have said about the penalty and was just a surmise on my part, so I was wrong on that point. But have you thought that perhaps he wouldn't come out and openly say that one of his players should hack down an opponent like that.

Your and other responses to my comments about our current position just shows how black and white the views of many fans are about Megson (black) and Coyle (white), while life just isn't that. Any positive comments about Megson are teated with derision and any negatives about Coyle are treated similarly. But sticks and stones ....... etc.

All your comments about any Bolton manager are always negative. You will find that I appreciated the job Megson did up till a point. But Coyle has come in and done a marvellous job. 30 points and we're in a great position.

You were previously trying to suggest that our struggles are down to "Coyle's tactics being worked out" rather than a tired and stretched squad. What a load of total and utter bollocks.

Everyone is pointing out that you're talking shite. A bit like they did to Sir Nut. Perhaps, just perhaps you should take note of what folk say to you and have a think.

[Peter Thompson]

The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

Agreed, we've been all over the place with our match-day team, that's hardly OC's fault.

Sorry pal...I'm a fan of OC and want him here for years to come, but as manager the buck stops with him he picks the side and I'm sure that he has the ultimate decision in terms of buying & selling players, I agree that we have little or no money to spend but he had the summer & has this window to do something about it...even if that means a few loan deals.

Its also down to him to coach the players, change tactics and get them playing how he wants them to play, again I have plenty of time for OC but as manager some of it (the slump) is down to him. We are far to predictable to play against - let's get the likes of SWP in (if the rumour is true), get the ball down and look at perhaps playing Rodrigo off Elmander.

[FaninOz]

The Cahill thing...no way the club will let him leave when we have absolutely nobody else that can play there right now.

Rewatching the goals this morning though, Zat Knight wants a hell of a talking to about that penalty. I just don't know how he thinks he's getting there.

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

As it was we were two down and Knight was lucky to be still on the park as it probably should have been a red card!

The whole event just shows how slow our defence is against a fast breakinging team.

Fook me your posts just show how clueless you are.

1) Coyle has said he'd have preferred to let Etherington go on and have a shot on his wrong foot because there was a lot to do before he scored from there.

2) If you think that should be a red card then I suggest you go and learn the rules, plenty of cover and hardly a "clear" goalscoring chance denied. A potential goalscoring chance hence the yellow.

3) Your ridiculous post about Coyle just defies belief. He did wonders at Burnley, and to say they "started struggling" is just ridiculous. They stopped massively overperforming with the smallest squad and budget of the premiership. Those players were essentially the same ones he took on near the foot of the championship. They'd still hardly (if at all someone could check?) been beaten at home and they still had more points than us. The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

Err didn't I include that it my comments?

Also, I haven't heard or read anything about what Coyle may have said about the penalty and was just a surmise on my part, so I was wrong on that point. But have you thought that perhaps he wouldn't come out and openly say that one of his players should hack down an opponent like that.

Your and other responses to my comments about our current position just shows how black and white the views of many fans are about Megson (black) and Coyle (white), while life just isn't that. Any positive comments about Megson are teated with derision and any negatives about Coyle are treated similarly. But sticks and stones ....... etc.

All your comments about any Bolton manager are always negative. You will find that I appreciated the job Megson did up till a point. But Coyle has come in and done a marvellous job. 30 points and we're in a great position.

You were previously trying to suggest that our struggles are down to "Coyle's tactics being worked out" rather than a tired and stretched squad. What a load of total and utter bollocks.

Everyone is pointing out that you're talking shite. A bit like they did to Sir Nut. Perhaps, just perhaps you should take note of what folk say to you and have a think.

Oh I see this is a one view acceptable site is it??? Agree with everyone and you are a good guy, disagree or say something controversial to some and I am talking shite! Are we in Russia or China or something?

Perhaps, just perhaps mind, maybe you and others could be just a little bit blinkered with regard to Coyle. He doesn't walk on water as well does he???

Remember I'm not talking about sacking Coyle or calling for his head or being disrespectful to him or other fans views in any way. I'm just making reasoned observations that have some foundation but as is usual on this site an alternative view is often taken as blasphemous by some and hence get the bullying "you are talking shite" treatment. A very sad approach to any kind of debate as it kills it off before it can get going.

[RobbieSavagesLeg]

Agreed, we've been all over the place with our match-day team, that's hardly OC's fault.

Sorry pal...I'm a fan of OC and want him here for years to come, but as manager the buck stops with him he picks the side and I'm sure that he has the ultimate decision in terms of buying & selling players, I agree that we have little or no money to spend but he had the summer & has this window to do something about it...even if that means a few loan deals.

Its also down to him to coach the players, change tactics and get them playing how he wants them to play, again I have plenty of time for OC but as manager some of it (the slump) is down to him. We are far to predictable to play against - let's get the likes of SWP in (if the rumour is true), get the ball down and look at perhaps playing Rodrigo off Elmander.

He can only pick from what is available. Up until recently his system and team selection has been successful, nay, wonderful; Winning him manager of the Month in November.
Since then big things have happened: LCY taken away, Klasnic head in clouds and injury, Holden Injury, Robinson suspension, 5 games in 13 days stretching the full-timers (Mumba, Elmander, Davies), couple of games with bad referee decisions (Chelsea, Liverpool).

What you say about him having ultimate decision in buying and selling is definitely wrong, sorry. The Money Men have the last say.

I'm not saying he is completely unaccountable, and I know other teams had some of the same problems but circumstances have prevented him from using his Plan A, and unfortunately we don't have the squad or money to have a Plan B. That's the difference between the top teams and us; they are in a position to weather the storm. We're not.

I'm putting our recent bad for down to circumstance. It's been proven that his system works when all the pieces are in place, it's just that someone lost some of the pieces over Xmas. I'm convinced we'll get back on track when the dog shits them out.

[BWFC_Insane]

But does he just let the player go on and probably score or give the penalty and hope that Jussi saves it. Probably the latter is what his manager would have wanted and it nearly worked out, Jussi nearly saved it and if he had we would still have been in the game.

As it was we were two down and Knight was lucky to be still on the park as it probably should have been a red card!

The whole event just shows how slow our defence is against a fast breakinging team.

Fook me your posts just show how clueless you are.

1) Coyle has said he'd have preferred to let Etherington go on and have a shot on his wrong foot because there was a lot to do before he scored from there.

2) If you think that should be a red card then I suggest you go and learn the rules, plenty of cover and hardly a "clear" goalscoring chance denied. A potential goalscoring chance hence the yellow.

3) Your ridiculous post about Coyle just defies belief. He did wonders at Burnley, and to say they "started struggling" is just ridiculous. They stopped massively overperforming with the smallest squad and budget of the premiership. Those players were essentially the same ones he took on near the foot of the championship. They'd still hardly (if at all someone could check?) been beaten at home and they still had more points than us. The slump we're currently in is down to have the smallest squad and again one of the smallest budgets in the league.

Err didn't I include that it my comments?

Also, I haven't heard or read anything about what Coyle may have said about the penalty and was just a surmise on my part, so I was wrong on that point. But have you thought that perhaps he wouldn't come out and openly say that one of his players should hack down an opponent like that.

Your and other responses to my comments about our current position just shows how black and white the views of many fans are about Megson (black) and Coyle (white), while life just isn't that. Any positive comments about Megson are teated with derision and any negatives about Coyle are treated similarly. But sticks and stones ....... etc.

All your comments about any Bolton manager are always negative. You will find that I appreciated the job Megson did up till a point. But Coyle has come in and done a marvellous job. 30 points and we're in a great position.

You were previously trying to suggest that our struggles are down to "Coyle's tactics being worked out" rather than a tired and stretched squad. What a load of total and utter bollocks.

Everyone is pointing out that you're talking shite. A bit like they did to Sir Nut. Perhaps, just perhaps you should take note of what folk say to you and have a think.

Oh I see this is a one view acceptable site is it??? Agree with everyone and you are a good guy, disagree or say something controversial to some and I am talking shite! Are we in Russia or China or something?

Perhaps, just perhaps mind, maybe you and others could be just a little bit blinkered with regard to Coyle. He doesn't walk on water as well does he???

Remember I'm not talking about sacking Coyle or calling for his head or being disrespectful to him or other fans views in any way. I'm just making reasoned observations that have some foundation but as is usual on this site an alternative view is often taken as blasphemous by some and hence get the bullying "you are talking shite" treatment. A very sad approach to any kind of debate as it kills it off before it can get going.

Plenty are critical of Coyle, but they don't all resort to making incorrect assumptions and ridiculous points.

Perhaps its time to accept that Coyle is a good manager but we're a small club with financial difficulties and one man can only work so many miracles and accept that we're going to hit hard times every now and again, but I'd rather have this slump with 30 points than the 19 we had last season!

[officer_dibble]

FIO
It's not a one view site, it's just no-one agrees with you. Wonder why?

No Coyle doesn't walk on water. There are things he does that I disagree with - bringing Steinsson in against WBA for Ricketts, failing to rotate our strike line dependant on opposition, his sometimes late use of subs (though little complaint on this recently)....though lets face it short of getting Jose Mourinhio we have the best manager available. He's the best we can get. I, along with most, didn't think Megson was the best we could get at the time but he did a reasonable job for a while before f*cking it up right royally. There are also things I think we need to sort as a team (our inability to beat a 'big 4' team when every other bugger can being one). I have confidence in Coyle to do that, and am convinced he will, given time, which most of us on here will, cos we are pleased with the entertainment on offer.

I think you are the same but you just need to learn to express your views a bit better.

Oh and most people jump straight on you cos all you do is slate the fans when you are sat on your arse in Australia.

Same with PT, he made some reasonable points I thought, but he only seems to appear when we are beaten!