Kick off with a glass or two of claret!

[freeindeed]

Players arriving at Turf Moor

http://youtu.be/WX_wu1wtbq0

[Turkish Trotter]

Players arriving at Turf Moor

http://youtu.be/WX_wu1wtbq0

Who was that shaking a few players hands and talking to Eagles at the end ?

[bobo the clown]

Players arriving at Turf Moor

http://youtu.be/WX_wu1wtbq0

Who was that shaking a few players hands and talking to Eagles at the end ?

Well Andrews seemed to say "how you doing Coatesie ?". Obviously not Ralph Coates, so no idea.

[Turkish Trotter]

Players arriving at Turf Moor

http://youtu.be/WX_wu1wtbq0

Who was that shaking a few players hands and talking to Eagles at the end ?

Well Andrews seemed to say "how you doing Coatesie ?". Obviously not Ralph Coates, so no idea.

Thanks bobo for those words of wisdom !!

[freeindeed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypYi_DbBFkU

Freedman reaction to Burnley game

[wanderers_on_tour]

Growing up I was spoiled enough to have Big Sam as the true figure head of the club and everyone really bought into his vision. Whilst I still believe Coyle had the best intentions I really hope Freedman is the next long standing Bolton manager. Honest, focused and clear in his vision, can only rub off positively on the players. Seems like he understands we have a job to do and can be ruthless when it dictates.

[Mar]

I'd like Freedman to be a long standing manager but he's got a lot of cleaning up to do. Coyle seems to have left us in a bit of a mess and I honestly don't expect Freedman to be able to clean it up any time soon. In fact I don't expect us to be challenging for the title any time soon, we're seemingly as strong as we were last season (in very different ways) so Freedman still has plenty of work to do, any with Financial Fair Play coming in with other teams making much more money we're going to struggle immensely. Forget the Premiership windfall money its more of a we've gotta work clever. Seeing as Gartside seemingly employs people with varying methods, here's to hoping we've found someone with the right method.

[BWFC_Insane]

Growing up I was spoiled enough to have Big Sam as the true figure head of the club and everyone really bought into his vision. Whilst I still believe Could had the best intentions I really hope Freedman is the next long standing Bolton manager. Honest, focused and clear in his vision, can only rub off positively on the players. Seems like he understands we have a job to do and can be ruthless when it dictates.

He's a proper manager. I believe in Freedman more than any other manager we've had since Allardyce. That might be like an entry into the tallest dwarf contest but still.

And for me it's not just about immediate results. I think the club will be patient and let the manager rebuild us from the ground up. It's very much needed. Sometimes you just have the feeling that the guy in charge is bob on. And that is the impression Dougie gives off.

Still young and bound to make the odd clanger, but the vision he has, that he articulates so clearly is one the club needs to work towards. We need some long term stability and desperately need to follow a plan rather than keep switching streams.

I just hope our very driven, determined and ambitious young manager is supported by the club adequately to let him progress things at a rate he feels is appropriate.

[Mar]

Growing up I was spoiled enough to have Big Sam as the true figure head of the club and everyone really bought into his vision. Whilst I still believe Could had the best intentions I really hope Freedman is the next long standing Bolton manager. Honest, focused and clear in his vision, can only rub off positively on the players. Seems like he understands we have a job to do and can be ruthless when it dictates.

He's a proper manager. I believe in Freedman more than any other manager we've had since Allardyce. That might be like an entry into the tallest dwarf contest but still.

And for me it's not just about immediate results. I think the club will be patient and let the manager rebuild us from the ground up. It's very much needed. Sometimes you just have the feeling that the guy in charge is bob on. And that is the impression Dougie gives off.

Still young and bound to make the odd clanger, but the vision he has, that he articulates so clearly is one the club needs to work towards. We need some long term stability and desperately need to follow a plan rather than keep switching streams.

I just hope our very driven, determined and ambitious young manager is supported by the club adequately to let him progress things at a rate he feels is appropriate.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

[freeindeed]

we're seemingly as strong as we were last season (in very different ways) so Freedman still has plenty of work to do

But remember that was only over 2/3 of a season. If we are as strong over a full season we should come close to enough points for automatic promotion. Other variables being Dougie's ideas took many games to become embedded (and hence we dropped points that now we shouldn't), and the league this year is slightly stronger..

[thebish]

Growing up I was spoiled enough to have Big Sam as the true figure head of the club and everyone really bought into his vision. Whilst I still believe Could had the best intentions I really hope Freedman is the next long standing Bolton manager. Honest, focused and clear in his vision, can only rub off positively on the players. Seems like he understands we have a job to do and can be ruthless when it dictates.

He's a proper manager. I believe in Freedman more than any other manager we've had since Allardyce. That might be like an entry into the tallest dwarf contest but still.

And for me it's not just about immediate results. I think the club will be patient and let the manager rebuild us from the ground up.

are you suggesting that having a slow, patient rebuild and finishing mid-table this season would actually be OK?

[Mar]

we're seemingly as strong as we were last season (in very different ways) so Freedman still has plenty of work to do

But remember that was only over 2/3 of a season. If we are as strong over a full season we should come close to enough points for automatic promotion. Other variables being Dougie's ideas took many games to become embedded (and hence we dropped points that now we shouldn't), and the league this year is slightly stronger..

By saying as strong as we were last season I mean we're as strong as we were this point last season. I'm not referring to this stage at the end of last season when we had Spearing and Dawson. I mean at the start of the season when Chungy was an unknown quantity, Coyle was still in charge, we'd lost Klasnic and we were reeling from our Premiership departure, leaving us with the ever aging Kevin Davies and the seemingly distracted Marvin Sordell.

Our team like for like:

Defence 2012: Mears, Alonso, Ricketts, Mills (new), Ream, Knight, Wheater
Defence 2013: Mears, Tierney (new), Baptiste (new), Mills, Ream, Knight, Wheater

I'd say we were stronger last season, we didn't have to bed in new defenders and while Tierney and Baptiste look good propositions I don't think they'll be as impressive going forward as Alonso was. We've likely improved money wise in this area but in terms of talent, i'd say we've decreased but we've got probably a better tactical approach, two seemingly no-nonsense defenders should cause the team less problems than last season.

Midfield 2012: Wylde (new), Eagles, Andrews (new), M.Davies, Pratley, Spearing (new as of late transfer window), Lee Chung-Yong, Holden, Vela
Midfield 2013: Hall, Eagles, Andrews, M.Davies, Pratley, Lee Chung-Yong, Holden, Moritz (new), Medo, Petrov, Vela

We seem to be stronger here than last season. Less people to introduce into the mold so everyone should have an idea as to whats required of them. It's arguable that Spearing's quality will be lost but I think Medo will cover that quite well and Moritz should be able to do it well enough. The loss of Petrov is a big blow in terms of quality but you could argue his attitude caused us enough issues to balance that out.

Forwards 2012: Kevin Davies, Eaves, Sordell, Afobe (new), N'Gog
Forwards 2013: Beckford (new), Wilkinson (new), Eaves, N'Gog, Craig Davies

Seem to be stronger in this area. Beckford I would argue quite easily compensates for Sordell. Craig Davies is a marked improvement on Kevin Davies (not the Kevin Davies of old I might add, the latter year of his time at Bolton I mean). Wilkinson is as questionable as Afobe was.


There's not much between the two teams. The only standout thing really is the manager and the direction we appear to be heading.

[wanderers_on_tour]

P.s I obviously meant 'Coyle' not 'could' in my earlier post. Damn auto correct

[IggyTheDawgster]

An excerpt from The Lion Of Vienna Suite stat analysis:

"All in all Bolton appeared thoroughly mediocre today, and at times looked to be worse of the two teams by a fair shake. The stats from today seem to back up this observation as Bolton were outperformed in a number of areas. Still, a point of the road to start the season in light of a poor performance is nothing to scoff at."

Also better highlights if you've only seen the FLS vid.

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/8 ... 1-1-bolton" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SmokinFrazier]

I like a lot of what Freedman has talked about but I'm still very unconvinced by him as a manager. I commend him for improving our backroom staff, especially regarding fitness, and I would love it if we became a club who focused on bringing our own players through the academy and eventually into the first team. However, no matter how much I find myself liking Freedman away from the pitch, as soon as I see us play, I lose faith in his ability as a tactician. I see us a poor side that is flawed in several areas but the biggest worry for me is how few good chances we create. How many times have we dominated and outplayed an opposing team under Freedman? In how many games have we looked threatening all match? I don't think it's good enough, honestly. I think we should be better and I think we'll need to be if we are going to get promoted.

Freedman has grown on me as a person and I'd like him to be our long term manager because the sound of a lot of his ideas impresses me. As a manager though, I think there's still a long way for him to go, as do we as a team.

[a1]

fcukin' benidictine bastards kicking lee all day and the dude finally has a go back in the eighty fourteenth minute and gets booked.

twattenburg is the most apt of a nickname.

we were never gonna win that.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

I lose faith in his ability as a tactician. I see us a poor side that is flawed in several areas but the biggest worry for me is how few good chances we create. How many times have we dominated and outplayed an opposing team under Freedman? In how many games have we looked threatening all match? I don't think it's good enough, honestly. I think we should be better and I think we'll need to be if we are going to get promoted.

FFS can you for once just see things as half full rather than half or totally empty? You must be a real ray of sunshine to sit down and have a chat with

This transfer window has been the first chance Dougie has had a proper chance to shake things up, move players on and bring new ones in. I remind you that it hasn't closed yet. There will be more comings and goings. He managed to do a bit of business in January, but we all know that January is rarely a time you can really change things.

Dougie is the first to admit things aren't where they need to be. He's clearly restricted with funds and that makes it much harder to change the squad. He's (by the look of it) improved the full backs. We've 1 creative player fit (2ish when CYL turns up). He's brought Moritz in who hasn't had any proper training all season. He's addressed it, but we wont see if it works until he can play. We have a bunch of strikers that couldn't score in a brothel. He's brought one in that scores goals at this level.

There is more to do. We all know that. He's had tuppence and ha'penny and I think he's done a fine job with it. Better than any manager could have since we had Allardyce. Until we have a decent CB to partner Wheater of Knight we're going to struggle. Until we've got a midfielder that can genuinely sit and allow the more creative types and up and downers do their work, we're going to struggle. Beckford has been with us 5 minutes. Give Eagles et al a couple more weeks and you'll probably see them threading the ball into the right areas for him.

So, in summary. Cheer up. You'll feel better. Let Dougie get on with it without the doom and gloom and if things aren't improved by a couple of weeks after the window closes then by all means let the storm clouds gather...

[BWFC_Insane]

I like a lot of what Freedman has talked about but I'm still very unconvinced by him as a manager. I commend him for improving our backroom staff, especially regarding fitness, and I would love it if we became a club who focused on bringing our own players through the academy and eventually into the first team. However, no matter how much I find myself liking Freedman away from the pitch, as soon as I see us play, I lose faith in his ability as a tactician. I see us a poor side that is flawed in several areas but the biggest worry for me is how few good chances we create. How many times have we dominated and outplayed an opposing team under Freedman? In how many games have we looked threatening all match? I don't think it's good enough, honestly. I think we should be better and I think we'll need to be if we are going to get promoted.

Freedman has grown on me as a person and I'd like him to be our long term manager because the sound of a lot of his ideas impresses me. As a manager though, I think there's still a long way for him to go, as do we as a team.

Isn't what we tried to do under Coyle to go out and "dominate teams" and create a "flood of chances"? I mean it didn't work because we evidently didn't have good enough players to do that. What Freedman got us doing was grinding out results and wins. If only we'd been doing that since the start and not played the naive way Coyle had us doing in an attempt to "completely dominate" then we'd probably have been in the play-offs at least.

Fact is that this division is on the whole, tight. There isn't massive amounts between teams. And the opposition are always organised and always work hard. We are trying to play football, but in a realistic way.

Burnley grafted very hard to try and stop us but unlike last year we had a system and a group of players that could at least stand up to their hustle and bustle and at the very least be hard to beat.

AT is right in that we have one real creative spark in Eagles (and lets hope to god he's not seriously injured after Saturday) and the rest is a fairly workmanlike side at best. Until we can add in Moritz, possibly Hall as well. And until Mark Davies is back.

But even then we aren't going to be "taking sides apart" on a regular basis. Few do in this division. Certainly don't remember Hull doing so to many last season but still managed promotion.

[ChrisC]

I lose faith in his ability as a tactician. I see us a poor side that is flawed in several areas but the biggest worry for me is how few good chances we create. How many times have we dominated and outplayed an opposing team under Freedman? In how many games have we looked threatening all match? I don't think it's good enough, honestly. I think we should be better and I think we'll need to be if we are going to get promoted.

FFS can you for once just see things as half full rather than half or totally empty? You must be a real ray of sunshine to sit down and have a chat with

This transfer window has been the first chance Dougie has had a proper chance to shake things up, move players on and bring new ones in. I remind you that it hasn't closed yet. There will be more comings and goings. He managed to do a bit of business in January, but we all know that January is rarely a time you can really change things.

Dougie is the first to admit things aren't where they need to be. He's clearly restricted with funds and that makes it much harder to change the squad. He's (by the look of it) improved the full backs. We've 1 creative player fit (2ish when CYL turns up). He's brought Moritz in who hasn't had any proper training all season. He's addressed it, but we wont see if it works until he can play. We have a bunch of strikers that couldn't score in a brothel. He's brought one in that scores goals at this level.

There is more to do. We all know that. He's had tuppence and ha'penny and I think he's done a fine job with it. Better than any manager could have since we had Allardyce. Until we have a decent CB to partner Wheater of Knight we're going to struggle. Until we've got a midfielder that can genuinely sit and allow the more creative types and up and downers do their work, we're going to struggle. Beckford has been with us 5 minutes. Give Eagles et al a couple more weeks and you'll probably see them threading the ball into the right areas for him.

So, in summary. Cheer up. You'll feel better. Let Dougie get on with it without the doom and gloom and if things aren't improved by a couple of weeks after the window closes then by all means let the storm clouds gather...

A fecking Men!!!!

You won't change him though.

[mrkint]

Bit of a struggle for both teams on sat. Happy with a point.

Some positives to consider. Pratley's appreciation society is growing in members by the hour, MoTM by a mile. Beckford was making some nice runs, and hopefully with practice the timing will improve so he can get behind defences, and wingers/pratters can run into the space he creates. Both newbie fullbacks looked ok.

Some negatives. SLOWEST DEFENCE IN THE WORLD. Lee looks like he's lacking some match practice a tad (Tierney was none to happy with him). Andrews was anonymous. Need to flood the box more when attacking. Didn't do it much on crosses, but did it well for the goal. Bogdan and the defence inspire the equal amount of confidence in each other, which is none.


Any news on Eagles' injury? Hopefully just the knock it looked like.

Still, much to build on, much to improve. Onwards and upwards/