Tiny Danns-er. Watford at Home

[Jugs]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

Ah, this is where we differ. Clough is an automatic starter for me at the moment. He's the Mark Davies type, the player who gets us off our seats - and he's got the quality too.

I'd bring Cravies - or Heskey - on to shore up a lead.

I wouldn't replace Le Fondre with Clough - I'd have them together. Their link up play was awesome at times yesterday.

[Sponge]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

Ah, this is where we differ. Clough is an automatic starter for me at the moment. He's the Mark Davies type, the player who gets us off our seats - and he's got the quality too.

I'd bring Cravies - or Heskey - on to shore up a lead.

I wouldn't replace Le Fondre with Clough - I'd have them together. Their link up play was awesome at times yesterday.

I agree, Jugs. This seems like such an English attitude to sport to me: We've got a young, exciting, gifted player, so instead of playing them, let's replace them for someone big and ugly and mediocre...

[bobo the clown]

Clough has remarkable ability. Live it's clear to see that it's more than merely "good". His movement, his body shape when receiving the ball so he can control it from all sorts of angles and heights and speeds is better than I can recall .... maybe Andy Walker had some similarity.

His speed is remarkable and the way he met the ball for the two goals yesterday was as good as I've seen.

He'll have hot & cold periods. He'll make poor judgements at times. Some big bastard defenders will take him out .... though he does appear quite strong tbh.

I can't say how far he'll go or what setbacks he'll have and he will need resting now & again ..... but by the feck he has some ability. Right now we should nurture that not drop him coz he's young.

[Beefheart]

Clough has remarkable ability. Live it's clear to see that it's more than merely "good". His movement, his body shape when receiving the ball so he can control it from all sorts of angles and heights and speeds is better than I can recall .... maybe Andy Walker had some similarity.

His speed is remarkable and the way he met the ball for the two goals yesterday was as good as I've seen.

He'll have hot & cold periods. He'll make poor judgements at times. Some big bastard defenders will take him out .... though he does appear quite strong tbh.

I can't say how far he'll go or what setbacks he'll have and he will need resting now & again ..... but by the feck he has some ability. Right now we should nurture that not drop him coz he's young.

Have to agree with this, there were several times yesterday when I was sure he'd lose the ball but he invariably came out with it. His control in the build up to the 2nd goal was particularly good. Given the number of injuries and the poor start he inherited Lennon has to be commended for his work this season regardless of where we finish (y'know, unless we get relegated which I highly doubt), and I'm optimistic for next season.

[Vertigo]

We can't afford not to start him. The best part is, he didn't seem to tire on Saturday.

[bobo the clown]

He's already our joint top scorer for the season ... after 5 games.

[Bruce Rioja]

he can control it from all sorts of angles and heights and speeds is better than I can recall .... maybe Andy Walker had some similarity.

Clough is better than Andy Walker. Walker needed a touch to bring the ball under control whereas Clough finishes with his first touch, as evidenced on Saturday. Big clubs will have noted this already, it's also why no big clubs ever came in for Walker. Word to your mother.

[boltonboris]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

I agree, we should definitely 100% bench the most talented young player in the side who's bagged 5 in 5. Get rid of the little shit and swap him for a guy that is a bit better at having the ball twatted at him from 60 yards away

[Andy Waller]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

Ah, this is where we differ. Clough is an automatic starter for me at the moment. He's the Mark Davies type, the player who gets us off our seats - and he's got the quality too.

I'd bring Cravies - or Heskey - on to shore up a lead.

I wouldn't replace Le Fondre with Clough - I'd have them together. Their link up play was awesome at times yesterday.

Nothing like Mark Davies.

He's what everyone thinks Mark Davies is, only with an end result.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I assume the HT switch was to get Vela in there and stiffen up, a welcome tactical awareness and flexibility.

See, I think the switch was made because their winger (Abdi?) was absolutely pissing it past Vela, so he moved Jenko there to keep up with him, which would also explain why he then put Feeney there. Either way, it didn't work, but I reckon that that's what he was thinking.

That would also make sense.

[SmokinFrazier]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

I agree, we should definitely 100% bench the most talented young player in the side who's bagged 5 in 5. Get rid of the little shit and swap him for a guy that is a bit better at having the ball twatted at him from 60 yards away

They're two different players who have different attributes, so it's not a case of 'who is the better player', it's a question of who is better for the team in different scenarios. How many times did Clough give the ball away and allow them to maintain their momentum when he could have killed the game off by playing for a foul, holding the ball up, slowing it down etc.? I really rate Clough as a prospect but I wouldn't start him over Craig Davies at this point. If Clough is to be a starter, it should be in place of Le Fondre.

[boltonboris]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

I agree, we should definitely 100% bench the most talented young player in the side who's bagged 5 in 5. Get rid of the little shit and swap him for a guy that is a bit better at having the ball twatted at him from 60 yards away

They're two different players who have different attributes, so it's not a case of 'who is the better player', it's a question of who is better for the team in different scenarios. How many times did Clough give the ball away and allow them to maintain their momentum when he could have killed the game off by playing for a foul, holding the ball up, slowing it down etc.? I really rate Clough as a prospect but I wouldn't start him over Craig Davies at this point. If Clough is to be a starter, it should be in place of Le Fondre.

I'll see your giving the ball away 70 yards up the pitch and raise you 5 goals in 5 starts

I know which scenario "is better for the team"

Each to their own, but I'm obviously less pragmatic when it comes to't footy

[StaffsTrotter]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

I agree, we should definitely 100% bench the most talented young player in the side who's bagged 5 in 5. Get rid of the little shit and swap him for a guy that is a bit better at having the ball twatted at him from 60 yards away

They're two different players who have different attributes, so it's not a case of 'who is the better player', it's a question of who is better for the team in different scenarios. How many times did Clough give the ball away and allow them to maintain their momentum when he could have killed the game off by playing for a foul, holding the ball up, slowing it down etc.? I really rate Clough as a prospect but I wouldn't start him over Craig Davies at this point. If Clough is to be a starter, it should be in place of Le Fondre.

But by that logic Davies would be better suited to the subs role - either when we are hanging onto a lead to harass/ be an outlet or when we are chasing a game and going long ?

[Jugs]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

I agree, we should definitely 100% bench the most talented young player in the side who's bagged 5 in 5. Get rid of the little shit and swap him for a guy that is a bit better at having the ball twatted at him from 60 yards away

They're two different players who have different attributes, so it's not a case of 'who is the better player', it's a question of who is better for the team in different scenarios. How many times did Clough give the ball away and allow them to maintain their momentum when he could have killed the game off by playing for a foul, holding the ball up, slowing it down etc.? I really rate Clough as a prospect but I wouldn't start him over Craig Davies at this point. If Clough is to be a starter, it should be in place of Le Fondre.

Le Fondre has 2 goals in 2, Clough 5 in 5, both linked up excellently against Watford and got us all excited, and yet you'd break that apart to reintroduce a guy who missed 2 sitters in his last start (Sheff Weds) and hardly has what you'd call a good goalscoring record this season?

I'm sorry but you sound a lot like Dougie when we lost 5-3 to Leicester last season. Moritz scored twice, Beckford scored once, yet both were dropped for the next home game. And sounding like Dougie isn't a good thing.

What we need to start doing - and what Lennon is doing - is playing the players consistently who are actually playing well rather than dropping them as soon as an old boy returns from injury.

[SmokinFrazier]

Yeah, I think we'd have more control over games with Craig Davies up front instead of Clough. I thought Clough was really impressive yesterday too but we'll hang on to leads better with a striker like Davies, who can hold the ball up front more effectively and kill the momentum the opposition are building. For me, Clough is the perfect option on the counter attack so I think his best role right now would be replacing Le Fondre after 60/70 minutes or so, but he's still young and I'd prefer to go with a Davies/Alfie partnership with Clough being the first choice option from the bench.

I agree, we should definitely 100% bench the most talented young player in the side who's bagged 5 in 5. Get rid of the little shit and swap him for a guy that is a bit better at having the ball twatted at him from 60 yards away

They're two different players who have different attributes, so it's not a case of 'who is the better player', it's a question of who is better for the team in different scenarios. How many times did Clough give the ball away and allow them to maintain their momentum when he could have killed the game off by playing for a foul, holding the ball up, slowing it down etc.? I really rate Clough as a prospect but I wouldn't start him over Craig Davies at this point. If Clough is to be a starter, it should be in place of Le Fondre.

But by that logic Davies would be better suited to the subs role - either when we are hanging onto a lead to harass/ be an outlet or when we are chasing a game and going long ?

Yeah, possibly, I can see the reasoning behind that. Given the strikers we've got, we have a good number of options that are all useful depending on what we want to get from the game. If we're 1-0 up against a side that are attacking slowly and aren't posing much threat, bringing Clough on to counter attack them is ideal. If the ball is coming straight back at us relentlessly, Heskey would be a good option. If we need a goal and aren't creating much, Eidur would be a logical choice and so on.

I'm not sure why what I said has been turned into some kind of criticism for Clough by some people? I'm really happy to see him in the team, I just don't think he's better than Davies is right now. He has some quality attributes but I wouldn't start him week in, week out. Maybe I'm wrong with that, I don't know, but my first choice strike partnership would still be Davies and Le Fondre at this point. If we going up against a side you expect to create lots of chances against, Clough/Le Fondre or Clough/Eidur would be fine with me too, so it's not like I don't rate him or anything because I do, I just don't know if I'd start him week in, week out regardless. If he can keep on performing well, my opinion on that may change but as things stand, I'd go with a safe option in Davies, who has looked very good under Lennon.

[bobo the clown]

Bolton aren't going up, or down, this season. We therefore have an extended period to sort out who's who and to develop players. I can't recall us having a young player of our own who is so exciting.

He's brought something we've cried out for for a decade, maybe more. A fast, run at you, goalscoring striker.

I know he'll need careful handling and will have fade - out periods now & again but ffs. 5 games, 5 goals and not one moment of fluke .... and we're debating dropping him to the bench !? For either Craig 'God Bless Him' Davies or Adam (he's here on loan btw) Le Fondre.

I'm glad we have options but I despair sometimes, I really do.

[Andy Waller]

Bolton aren't going up, or down, this season. We therefore have an extended period to sort out who's who and to develop players. I can't recall us having a young player of our own who is so exciting.

He's brought something we've cried out for for a decade, maybe more. A fast, run at you, goalscoring striker.

I know he'll need careful handling and will have fade - out periods now & again but ffs. 5 games, 5 goals and not one moment of fluke .... and we're debating dropping him to the bench !? For either Craig 'God Bless Him' Davies or Adam (he's here on loan btw) Le Fondre.

I'm glad we have options but I despair sometimes, I really do.

Look Bobo, if you're just going to talk common sense, get out.

[Worthy4England]

Bolton aren't going up, or down, this season. We therefore have an extended period to sort out who's who and to develop players. I can't recall us having a young player of our own who is so exciting.

He's brought something we've cried out for for a decade, maybe more. A fast, run at you, goalscoring striker.

I know he'll need careful handling and will have fade - out periods now & again but ffs. 5 games, 5 goals and not one moment of fluke .... and we're debating dropping him to the bench !? For either Craig 'God Bless Him' Davies or Adam (he's here on loan btw) Le Fondre.

I'm glad we have options but I despair sometimes, I really do.

Yup. I think it's unfortunate for Cravies as he was really our only option when he got injured, so timing couldn't have been worse for him. Like any other bugger who has been injured, whilst he's been out injured, we've tried something and found that it works (we tried a few combo's to get there - Heskey/Gudjohnsen, Wilkinson got a shot, then Le Fondre came into play), I think Cravies now needs to show that he can displace one of the two blokes that deserve their selection - as do Heskey or Gudjohnsen.

[StaffsTrotter]

Bolton aren't going up, or down, this season. We therefore have an extended period to sort out who's who and to develop players. I can't recall us having a young player of our own who is so exciting.

He's brought something we've cried out for for a decade, maybe more. A fast, run at you, goalscoring striker.

I know he'll need careful handling and will have fade - out periods now & again but ffs. 5 games, 5 goals and not one moment of fluke .... and we're debating dropping him to the bench !? For either Craig 'God Bless Him' Davies or Adam (he's here on loan btw) Le Fondre.

I'm glad we have options but I despair sometimes, I really do.

Thought clowns were a front for manic depressives anyway

Agree with above, other than I'm not sure if ZK is a striker certainly of the up top variety, seems to me he is one of those guys who operates and benefits from the attacking midfield area - is that the fabled no 10, or forward point on the diamond, blah blah

[Bruce Rioja]

Agree with above, other than I'm not sure if ZK is a striker

Zat Knight? He wasn't a defender either. Didn't stop Douglas chucking him up top, mind.