Mavies

[Worthy4England]

Mavies is ok for the odd few games he's fit to play every season, long term answer? No.

Worthy in Hoboh agreement shocker!

Is Mavies our best dribbler in MF? - almost certainly (albeit CYL at the top of his game isn't bad - just haven't seen that forever)

Does he play to his potential in all the games he plays - almost certainly not

Is he a complete passenger when he goes missing - certainly

It's three times a season where it all comes together and he looks the part.

This mostly sounds like you're describing all our players, with the exception of the dribbling and and the amount of games it all comes together - 3 games is a lot for a Bolton player, particularly one who doesn't play all that many games.

Maybe it's asking a lot for it to 'all come together' in a single game. A lot of fans directed criticism at Eagles during our first season in this division, despite him being top scorer. Did it all come together for him in every game he scored in? No, but his moments were crucial. He'd often go missing, but there's little doubting that his goals got us points. Same with Klasnic. Analysing a game as a whole is sure to bring up moments when a Championship player goes missing. But, for me, Mavies is one of our more astute players, one of the very few who can get the crowd a bit excited. One of the very few with a genuine desire to get the ball down and attack. And, you know, maybe he's often let down by the poor talent he has around him at the moment. It doesn't help that he's been managed by a very negative manager for the last 2 years.

My hope is that the new manager can get the best out of him. Because, for me, there is a very fine player in there.

I am, as you say, describing many of our players (with the notable exception that I wouldn't allow some of them to dribble)

This is why I don't think Mavies is much different than many of our players.

Tallest dwarf.

[Andy Waller]

Mavies is ok for the odd few games he's fit to play every season, long term answer? No.

Worthy in Hoboh agreement shocker!

Is Mavies our best dribbler in MF? - almost certainly (albeit CYL at the top of his game isn't bad - just haven't seen that forever)

Does he play to his potential in all the games he plays - almost certainly not

Is he a complete passenger when he goes missing - certainly

It's three times a season where it all comes together and he looks the part.

This mostly sounds like you're describing all our players, with the exception of the dribbling and and the amount of games it all comes together - 3 games is a lot for a Bolton player, particularly one who doesn't play all that many games.

Maybe it's asking a lot for it to 'all come together' in a single game. A lot of fans directed criticism at Eagles during our first season in this division, despite him being top scorer. Did it all come together for him in every game he scored in? No, but his moments were crucial. He'd often go missing, but there's little doubting that his goals got us points. Same with Klasnic. Analysing a game as a whole is sure to bring up moments when a Championship player goes missing. But, for me, Mavies is one of our more astute players, one of the very few who can get the crowd a bit excited. One of the very few with a genuine desire to get the ball down and attack. And, you know, maybe he's often let down by the poor talent he has around him at the moment. It doesn't help that he's been managed by a very negative manager for the last 2 years.

My hope is that the new manager can get the best out of him. Because, for me, there is a very fine player in there.

I am, as you say, describing many of our players (with the notable exception that I wouldn't allow some of them to dribble)

This is why I don't think Mavies is much different than many of our players.

Tallest dwarf.

Literally

[Worthy4England]

He could be something different, but if my Aunt had balls....

[Prufrock]

I think three times a season would put him miles ahead of pretty much all of the rest of them. It's all well and good saying '3' isn't very many, but compared to '0' (and in reality, most of ours are on minus numbers) it's massive.

[Worthy4England]

I think three times a season would put him miles ahead of pretty much all of the rest of them. It's all well and good saying '3' isn't very many, but compared to '0' (and in reality, most of ours are on minus numbers) it's massive.

I was rather hoping to stop using the rest of our squad as a baseline to be honest.

It's that sort of mentality that makes Tim Ream Player of the Season...

[Prufrock]

Agreed to a point, but questions like 'best player' and 'who to keep/get rid of' sort of have to be relative.

[Jugs]

You know, Bolton fans have aimed criticism over the years at players I’ve enjoyed watching. Players like Klasnic, Eagles and Moritz. Sure, they went missing at times (but then, Pratley has been missing for the last 3 years), but they were prone to moments of magic, and they got us goals and points. I think all of them were top scorers at some point. Fans moaned that they ‘didn’t do enough,’ and so they left quietly. Now we’re left with a plain, functional team that can’t score goals.

[LeverEnd]

Good point. Especially Eagles.

[Hoboh]

The last person worth carrying in a BWFC shirt was Anelka and he paid for his time off.

[Worthy4England]

Nowt much wrong with Klasnic, Moritz or Eagles. Not sure there were many baying for Klasnic to be shunted (I'm fairly sure his salary will have had most to do with him leaving). Didn't hear much stick for Moritz either. Eagles got some fearful abuse that imo he didn't deserve.

I've not heard Mavies getting any stick.

[bobo the clown]

Nowt much wrong with Klasnic, Moritz or Eagles. Not sure there were many baying for Klasnic to be shunted (I'm fairly sure his salary will have had most to do with him leaving). Didn't hear much stick for Moritz either. Eagles got some fearful abuse that imo he didn't deserve.

I've not heard Mavies getting any stick.

That's because he has barely more field time than Holden.

No-one, surely, can question his ability. That it too often comes to nowt may be down to him not making as much from his talents as he might ... or because he's working with talentless clowns who can't be on his wavelength. I'm willing to root for the latter.

[Jugs]

Nowt much wrong with Klasnic, Moritz or Eagles. Not sure there were many baying for Klasnic to be shunted (I'm fairly sure his salary will have had most to do with him leaving). Didn't hear much stick for Moritz either. Eagles got some fearful abuse that imo he didn't deserve.

I've not heard Mavies getting any stick.

Klasnic got a fair amount of 'he doesn't do enough' criticism aimed at him. People said he didn't work hard enough. He was a bit of a cult hero, and a lot of fans were behind him, but he also had his fair share of critics. The same with Moritz. It wasn't the kind of fearful abuse Eagles got, it wasn't dogs abuse, it was stuff like 'lazy' 'goes missing' 'only scores when he's feeling it.' It's fair to say there weren't many grumbles when he didn't get a new contract.

[Worthy4England]

Nowt much wrong with Klasnic, Moritz or Eagles. Not sure there were many baying for Klasnic to be shunted (I'm fairly sure his salary will have had most to do with him leaving). Didn't hear much stick for Moritz either. Eagles got some fearful abuse that imo he didn't deserve.

I've not heard Mavies getting any stick.

Klasnic got a fair amount of 'he doesn't do enough' criticism aimed at him. People said he didn't work hard enough. He was a bit of a cult hero, and a lot of fans were behind him, but he also had his fair share of critics. The same with Moritz. It wasn't the kind of fearful abuse Eagles got, it wasn't dogs abuse, it was stuff like 'lazy' 'goes missing' 'only scores when he's feeling it.' It's fair to say there weren't many grumbles when he didn't get a new contract.

Dunno, I didn't hear any at the match really for either Moritz or Klas. Might have been some mutterings in a different part of the ground I guess. It is fair to say that they often didn't last a full 90 minutes too well and seemed more of a threat when they came off the bench. Not sure Moritz was that good that I'd have grumbled when he didn't get a new Contract - I suspect, rather like Klasnic, he didn't fit our new wage structure.

Moritz put the ball in the net well, but we might have let him go (amongst other players) to release his wages, to try and afford Juke - which didn't happen in the end. I wouldn't have to spend long thinking about whether I'd have wanted Juke back instead of retaining Moritz...

[Enoch]

'Christopher Mark "Chris" Eagles is an English footballer who last played for Bolton Wanderers.'

'Ivan Klasnić is currently a free agent.'

'André Moritz joined the Indian Super League with the team Mumbai City FC.'

Maybe we could tempt them all back, £ 30,000/week each should do it!

[Enoch]

Pulis would certainly be the man to get the best from them.

[Prufrock]

I was v much in the 'Klasnic and Moritz can f*ck off, Eagles and Davies can stay' category. For what seem like obvious 'you're a footballer and you're not' reasons (with, mitigating factors for Klas).

[EverSoYouri]

Nowt much wrong with Klasnic, Moritz or Eagles. Not sure there were many baying for Klasnic to be shunted (I'm fairly sure his salary will have had most to do with him leaving). Didn't hear much stick for Moritz either. Eagles got some fearful abuse that imo he didn't deserve.

I've not heard Mavies getting any stick.

That's because he has barely more field time than Holden.

No-one, surely, can question his ability. That it too often comes to nowt may be down to him not making as much from his talents as he might ... or because he's working with talentless clowns who can't be on his wavelength. I'm willing to root for the latter.

I agree with much of this.

There is another aspect to the argument, however, if Mavies were delivering consistently, he wouldn't be Mavies of BWFC, he'd be at Chelsea or Liverpool or some such. (Same was true of Eagles...and the rest). He's game-changer on his day (but you wouldn't want to bet your house on him having all that many 'days' in a season...even if he stays fit).

[StaffsTrotter]

always remember he had a fantastic debut (v spurs ?)
think he's always had a huge benefit of doubt from fans because its always like he's returning from injury, ring rusty etc. As other have said he just doesn't produce it often enough - I thought he'd develop into a peter reid type and be able to control the midfield, but just hasn't happened - do think its a shame that he seems to be one of those players that seems to have 2/3 injury spells a season

[adamworthy2002]

On his day he's the best player we've got, it's just a massive shame he struggles with fitness and injuries so much.

[William the White]

On his day he's the best player we've got, it's just a massive shame he struggles with fitness and injuries so much.

Absolutely. But now we are at the point where him having a half-decent career is unlikely. More's the pity. A real shame.

Now, as for that bastard Johnny Evans...