Can one player really make all the difference?

[ChrisC]

This is scary stuff!

http://www.lionofviennasuite.com/2013/9 ... aig-dawson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bolton have not won a league game in 2013 without Craig Dawson

Read that headline and then take a second to let that soak in. In the whole of 2013 (thus far), Bolton Wanderers have not won once in the league without Craig Dawson. That is the impact that one player can make. Let's take a step back for a quick second.

On the 24th of January, 2013, Bolton Wanderers officially signed West Bromwich Albion and England U21 defender Craig Dawson on a three-month-long loan deal. He would make his debut for the Trotters on the 9th of February, starting in the home match against Burnley. It was a match that Bolton would ultimately win 2-1 thanks in part to Dawson's threat up front and poise at the back. Bolton would win eight of the next 11 to propel them into play-off contention. Dawson's loan ended ahead of the season's final match, a crucial clash against Blackpool at home that Bolton would ultimately draw to miss out on a chance at promotion.

Ahead of Dawson's arrival at the Reebok, Bolton Wanderers hit some rocks after Dougie Freedman had largely steadied the ship upon his appointment as manager. At that point, the Trotters had won one out of their last seven, losing four of those matches. The story was much the same after Dawson's departure. Bolton Wanderers have not won a league fixture in 2013 without Craig Dawson. The defender appeared 16 times for Bolton with Wanderers losing just three times in that stretch.

The last win came on the 29th of December when Bolton beat Birmingham City by a scoreline of 3-1 at the Reebok Stadium. That match was surrounded by 1-0 losses against Sheffield Wednesday and at Leeds United. In 2013, without Craig Dawson, Wanderers had lost twice and drawn four. Those totals were compounded with the current season's poor start, brining it to five losses and six draws in 2013 without Craig Dawson.

[thebish]

we haven't won a league game in 2013 without Sean Davies either....

[Lord Kangana]

Statattack!

Should have made a centre half a priority then, shouldn't we.

[malcd1]

we haven't won a league game in 2013 without Sean Davies either....

of course we have. We haven't won a league game without Sean Davis this season not since 1st January.

[officer_dibble]

Statattack!

Should have made a centre half a priority then, shouldn't we.

Aye
Rather than Spearing perhaps

[BWFC_Insane]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

[thebish]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

s'all swings and roundabouts and arguable... if we'd found a decent commanding Centre half - then i'd hope we wouldn't be contemplating the need to play as many as three defensive midfielders to protect the back four... and this "hole" that you describe between the two defensive midfielders and the four defenders wouldn't be there!

[StaffsTrotter]

lion of vienna site have statattack article about spearing / medo combo. Basic conclusion is that they are too similar & it isn't working

http://www.lionofviennasuite.com/2013/9 ... ot-working" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lord Kangana]

He demonstrated by playing Ream there the other week that the personnel exist. I also noted that Ream wasn't playing against either Foredt or Blackburn, but that Spearing and our existing defence did. Priorities, priorities.

[BWFC_Insane]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

s'all swings and roundabouts and arguable... if we'd found a decent commanding Centre half - then i'd hope we wouldn't be contemplating the need to play as many as three defensive midfielders to protect the back four... and this "hole" that you describe between the two defensive midfielders and the four defenders wouldn't be there!

Yeah but what I'm saying is, if he'd sent Andrews off and replaced him with a centre half, we'd only have Pratley and Medo as senior central midfielders.

And Pratley gets sent off at Forest we'd have just Medo as a recognised fit midfield player.

[StaffsTrotter]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

s'all swings and roundabouts and arguable... if we'd found a decent commanding Centre half - then i'd hope we wouldn't be contemplating the need to play as many as three defensive midfielders to protect the back four... and this "hole" that you describe between the two defensive midfielders and the four defenders wouldn't be there!

Yeah but what I'm saying is, if he'd sent Andrews off and replaced him with a centre half, we'd only have Pratley and Medo as senior central midfielders.

And Pratley gets sent off at Forest we'd have just Medo as a recognised fit midfield player.

but presumably if he'd not gone for spearing, he would have kept andrews.

is vela not fit/ ready yet or is he another of our perpetually crocked midfielders

[thebish]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

s'all swings and roundabouts and arguable... if we'd found a decent commanding Centre half - then i'd hope we wouldn't be contemplating the need to play as many as three defensive midfielders to protect the back four... and this "hole" that you describe between the two defensive midfielders and the four defenders wouldn't be there!

Yeah but what I'm saying is, if he'd sent Andrews off and replaced him with a centre half, we'd only have Pratley and Medo as senior central midfielders.

And Pratley gets sent off at Forest we'd have just Medo as a recognised fit midfield player.

I thought you were a fan of Ream in that position nowadays? I can't keep up!! Also - don't we still have Vela knocking around?

vela, ream, pratley, medo.... we'd always want more - but it's hardly the end of the world - especially if the benefit to the sacrifice was a decent centre-half who made us more secure in the first place...

[BWFC_Insane]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

s'all swings and roundabouts and arguable... if we'd found a decent commanding Centre half - then i'd hope we wouldn't be contemplating the need to play as many as three defensive midfielders to protect the back four... and this "hole" that you describe between the two defensive midfielders and the four defenders wouldn't be there!

Yeah but what I'm saying is, if he'd sent Andrews off and replaced him with a centre half, we'd only have Pratley and Medo as senior central midfielders.

And Pratley gets sent off at Forest we'd have just Medo as a recognised fit midfield player.

but presumably if he'd not gone for spearing, he would have kept andrews.

is vela not fit/ ready yet or is he another of our perpetually crocked midfielders

But he'd have had to send a player out to bring a centre half in. And thats the point we haven't been able to move a defender out!

[BWFC_Insane]

Apparently we've spent in up front fees £1.3M this summer.

Spearing only happened because he really wanted to come here and therefore a deal could be struck on our terms.

As much as we should have signed a centre half, was there one that would make Dawsondifference available for such a low amount?

And as we've clearly been operating a one in one out policy had we shifted Andrews and instead of Spearing signed a centre half, people would start saying we didn't have enough in midfield. And we wouldn't have had.

s'all swings and roundabouts and arguable... if we'd found a decent commanding Centre half - then i'd hope we wouldn't be contemplating the need to play as many as three defensive midfielders to protect the back four... and this "hole" that you describe between the two defensive midfielders and the four defenders wouldn't be there!

Yeah but what I'm saying is, if he'd sent Andrews off and replaced him with a centre half, we'd only have Pratley and Medo as senior central midfielders.

And Pratley gets sent off at Forest we'd have just Medo as a recognised fit midfield player.

I thought you were a fan of Ream in that position nowadays? I can't keep up!! Also - don't we still have Vela knocking around?

vela, ream, pratley, medo.... we'd always want more - but it's hardly the end of the world - especially if the benefit to the sacrifice was a decent centre-half who made us more secure in the first place...

Ream can play in the holding role when you're playing 3 central midfield players. I don't think he can play in a 2. Vela has been injured.

We'd have been far to light going in with that midfield.

Midfield was as much a priority. Fact is that if you're operating on a one in and one out basis with very limited funds, this is what happens.

The one benefit of the emergency loan market is that assuming we still are operating on a one in one out basis, there is more flexibility with who we send out.

For example we could loan a striker out to bring a centre half in. We'd be a bit unbalanced but it would only last 3 months max.

[AbrahM]

With Dawson P 16 W 10 D 3 L 3

Without Dawson P 10 W 0 D 5 L 5

[Lord Kangana]

If we hadn't signed spearing we still would have had to rid ourselves of Andrews? How the f*ck does that work?

[BWFC_Insane]

If we hadn't signed spearing we still would have had to rid ourselves of Andrews? How the f*ck does that work?

Who are you "shifting" to get the centre half in?

[officer_dibble]

Does josh vela exist or have I invented him in my own bwfc world

[thebish]

Ream can play in the holding role when you're playing 3 central midfield players. I don't think he can play in a 2. Vela has been injured.

hmmm - you say that ream can do this and not that - but not with any real evidence... we couldn't point to anything more than a tiny handful of games to try to make that kind of assertive statement.

Is vela injured - didn't he play at tranmere, or am I dreaming?

your emergency was predicated on 100 ifs and buts - Pratley isn't banned for the season for being sent off - covering him would have only been a short-term issue. Vela isn't out for the season is he? when's he due back? (if he is injured)

We'd have been far to light going in with that midfield.

Midfield was as much a priority. Fact is that if you're operating on a one in and one out basis with very limited funds, this is what happens.

well - I can only say - with my limited knowledge - and no coaching badges at all - that picking midfield as a priority rather then Centre-half with thye limited fund we had does not see to be working SO FAR!

[thebish]

Does josh vela exist or have I invented him in my own bwfc world

BWFCi has omitted him in order to make a point about the midfield not having anyone in it...