Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Bare Bones....

[Mar]

I look at our squad and there's prolly 8 of 'em you wouldn't notice had gone...

Coleman
Forrester
Matheson
Hutchinson
Morley
Arfield
CMG
N'lundulu

Prolly unfair on Morley and CMG for different reasons.

But the if you look at "should start"

Baxter
Santos
Johnson
Schon
Thomo
Sheehan
Demps
Dion


Then a few very debateables...

Not overly brilliant. We need a good Jan to set us up for next season.

Probably a fair assessment as to where we are at. Wouldn't mind seeing more of Morley and CMG, but I suspect CMG's contracts at the point where he's transferred while we can get some money back. Likewise with Morley, his stock has probably never been higher.

But like you said the transfer window spreadhseet needs a reset - injury proneness and leadership/bottle/character need adding in for me.

I think that would be helpful in terms of planning for a squad. We're not the gaffer so we're guessing as to who would fit the mould for ones that are going to be here long term.

For me, Vic would be one of those that would seem to have the bottle to be digging in for results but then putting fingers to mouth to silence our own fans really doesn't help.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

CMG got 45 minutes for the Bs today. Conor Carty played too.
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... ry-return/

[officer_dibble]

Tutu broke again.
Someone explain this summers transfer window to me in small sentences please!

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Someone explain this summers transfer window to me in small sentences please!

Maybe not small sentences but the kind explanation would be:
• we had to replace Jerome and Bod – I know he's turned back up but not many on hire favoured re-hiring him – so we got McAtee (beloved at Barnsley, wanted by Wrexham) and this rising star Lolos who also offered flexibility
• we needed 'winners' and 'experience' so we got Arfield
• we needed a ratter in midfield who isn't shy of receiving the ball so we got Matete
• we needed wingbacks so we got Schon and Tutu - the latter always a risk, like Kane Wilson would have been, but this time we decided to gamble
• we needed another big lad at the back so we got Forino
• we reeeeallly needed a better Baxter backup than Coleman so we got Southwood.

All those things sorta make sense in isolation. In combination, they have been underwhelming to say the least (or the most). All signings are gambles to some extent or other - even signing Shevchenko and Fernando Torres failed for Chelsea - but none of our punts have exactly romped home. Which might put question marks over Markham (question markhams?) and fair enough - but I still say this squad should be higher than 8th.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

It is fine signing an injury prone player to get extra quality. Not so much when you keep signing them and wonder why you often have injuries.

[Worthy4England]

It is fine signing an injury prone player to get extra quality. Not so much when you keep signing them and wonder why you often have injuries.

And offer that as an excuse. You don't often hear "we won that through having better quality players available to us than [opposition]. You'd expect us to, really."

[Prufrock]

In news that will shock no-one Dempsey has had a relapse, needs further surgery and will be back in two months best case, end of the season if not.

Sheehan back in training next week.

And for some reason we're letting Morley play for Wycombe tomorrow rather than coming back to us. Must mean we are close on a fee or that is mental.

[GhostoftheBok]

In news that will shock no-one Dempsey has had a relapse, needs further surgery and will be back in two months best case, end of the season if not.

Not sure the physio's side-eyes at Evatt are working.

[TonyDomingos]

And for some reason we're letting Morley play for Wycombe tomorrow rather than coming back to us. Must mean we are close on a fee or that is mental.

A lawyer might say that it is possible the loan contract is up to and including 1 January (or another date early in the month).

[GhostoftheBok]

Dempsey's injury underlines why Morley should really be kept here.

Not only is Aaron a talented lad at this level, he's also almost always fit.

We don't have many super-reliable players when it comes to fitness and we should be keeping all the ones we do have.

The same goes for Cogley, who isn't the same level of talent but is a great squad player to have available - preferably with more talented lads ahead of him.

Those are your foundational types to make sure you can always put out fresh and strong groups. You can only carry a few sicknotes and they should be exceptional players who really lift you when they're fit.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... city-trip/

Evatt on Baxter (yes), Toal (maybe) and Dempsey (dunno):

“Nathan is fine. Eoin, we are still looking at and doing some more research. We obviously can’t take a risk to lose him for a prolonged period. We'll have a look at how he is over the next 24 hours. Things have obviously got a lot better from where he was at the start of the week, but we'll make a decision late on him.

“As it stands, we are no clearer on the exact prognosis [for Demps]. We're waiting for him to get into see the specialist. Obviously, it's New Year and people return to work at different times such as consultants. I think he has an appointment next week and it'll be a lot clearer then."

[boltonboris]

“I think he has an appointment next week”

Just absolutely fills you with confidence doesn’t he

[HMX]

“I think he has an appointment next week”

Just absolutely fills you with confidence doesn’t he

“He’s fecked but I’m only telling you he’s fecked on Saturday morning”

[GhostoftheBok]

You have to wonder if the lack of a full medical suite on site means we skip scans we should be doing.

[officer_dibble]

It stinks of amateur.
It’s like he’s got the training and backroom staff of Coyle, coupled with freedman’s bullshit.

[GhostoftheBok]

Is Forino still due back next month, or have we had an update with a delay?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Is Forino still due back next month, or have we had an update with a delay?

BN mentions I can find:
Oct 3: "three to four months"
Oct 16: "a few weeks off"
Nov 26: "Eoin Toal, Chris Forino and Carlos Mendes Gomes are out with hamstring issues, but all three should be back on duty next month"
Dec 10: "Eoin Toal, Chris Forino and Kyle Dempsey should also be available by the end of the month"
Dec 18: "expected back in contention by the end of the month, but not necessarily this side of Christmas"
Dec 28: "Josh Sheehan, Chris Forino and Kyle Dempsey are edging closer to fitness, although none are expected to play a part in the final game of the calendar year"

[GhostoftheBok]

BN mentions I can find:
Oct 3: "three to four months"
Oct 16: "a few weeks off"
Nov 26: "Eoin Toal, Chris Forino and Carlos Mendes Gomes are out with hamstring issues, but all three should be back on duty next month"
Dec 10: "Eoin Toal, Chris Forino and Kyle Dempsey should also be available by the end of the month"
Dec 18: "expected back in contention by the end of the month, but not necessarily this side of Christmas"
Dec 28: "Josh Sheehan, Chris Forino and Kyle Dempsey are edging closer to fitness, although none are expected to play a part in the final game of the calendar year"

Thank you.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

To confirm Ghost's post on another thread: looks like Demps' season is over.
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... -utd-trip/

We've had the report on Kyle had it's probably the worse end of what we expected. He's going to have to have more surgery, which probably rules him out for the remainder of the season. We'll know more when the consultant enters the knee but we are pretty certain that he'll be out for a significant period. His meniscus needs completely repairing.

Obviously, he's very frustrated and annoyed. You have a mixture of emotions when you go through these things and it's only natural. He's a human being, he loves playing football and playing for this club. I think he'ss be the first to admit he has been held back at times by injuries, and that can sometimes happen. But you have to rise above it and find a way to motivate yourself to come back stronger, and I am sure Kyle will do that.

On the returns of Sheehan and Toal (who's already been back once):

Josh has been with us this week and back training, not fully yet but he will be tomorrow. Eoin Toal will be back training next week. The squad is getting pretty deep.

[officer_dibble]

Can’t even remember why Sheehan was injured now to be honest. Not sure how he fits into our best XI…