Great Match!

Shame about the result.  Bolton lost, yes, but they did present themselves in an admirable manner, particularly in the last 30 minutes.

And no, I do not know what the hell Jussi Jaaskelainen was doing on the Silva goal.  Sometimes a goalkeeper, no matter how reliable, just has a howler.  Normally I don't talk about fashion on the blog, but the new home keeper's shirt is just atrocious.  Hot pink?  What is this, a Poison concert in 1987?

For me, the most impressive performance was that of Martin Petrov.  That was why we signed him.  When he is fit and on form, he is still one of the best wingers in the league.  Now, he is not going to be that good, especially for 90 minutes, in all 38 league matches this season.  But if he can keep putting in those types of crosses fairly consistently, he is going to create a lot of goals for us.  His accuracy of passing, combined with Ivan Klasnic's finishing skills, will create a lot of goals for Bolton Wanderers this season.

Next is a Carling Cup match with Macclesfield, followed by a visit to "high-flying" Liverpool.  Given the lack of squad depth at Bolton, it will be interesting to see if Owen Coyle presents an opportunity to some of our really young players Wednesday, or mostly sticks to the first team.

Bolton's Starting XI vs. Queen's Park Rangers

And so it begins...

Owen Coyle's first line-up is posted, and there is no doubt the manager has been hamstrung by injuries to Stuart Holden, Lee Chung-yong, Sam Ricketts, and Tyrone Mears.  Tuncay will not be available as his work permit has not cleared.  Now I don't know Coyle's plans, but for me, all 5 of those players would be starting if they were fit.  So here is a look at what the gaffer has conjured up with our remaining squad players;

Bolton Wanderers v Stoke City

The team lists are out, and it is Ivan Klasnic partnering Kevin Davies up top.

Johann Elmander returns to central midfield, where he was so impressive last weekend.

Paul Robinson is back, and after two weeks on the sub's bench to avoid suspension, I am sure he will be overly anxious to kick somebody.  Will be a shocker if he doesn't get a yellow card in the opening fifteen minutes.

Stoke's back four looks to be lacking pace, the best way forward might be to get Lee Chung-yong or Martin Petrov in behind.  Stoke have Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant on either side.  I think we will see a lot of diagonal balls early (from both sides) to try to bring the wingers into the game.  That is where both clubs are strongest today.

Kickoff is less than a half hour away.  Wembley is rocking.  It is going to be epic.  Cummon Bolton!!!!!!

Bolton Wingers

At the start of the season many analysts thought that the biggest strength of this Wanderers team would be its wingers, Lee Chung-yong and Martin Petrov.  That has not quite come to pass.  But the wing play has been important.  Matt Taylor scored today, and he will be very important over the next several weeks, as Lee will be playing for South Korea in the Asian Confederation's championship.

Petrov has had an up-and-down season, and there is no guarantee that he will start against Chelsea on Wednesday.  It may be time for young Rodrigo Moreno to get his chance.

No matter who comes into the starting XI for Lee, they will have to shoulder a lot of responsibility, as the Korean winger has become an integral part of Bolton's attack.

Owen Coyle has some big decisions to make.

The Bolton Midfield

Fabrice Muamba was dropped to the bench today in favor of Stuart Holden and Mark Davies in Bolton's central midfield.  Mark Davies was sent off for 2 yellow cards.  Muamba and Holden scored Bolton's goals.

Holden just turned 25, Mumba and Davies are both 22, and all three have exhibited substantial improvement as the season has progressed.  Going into the season, it was thought by many (including me) that Bolton's strength would be their wingers.  Yet Lee Chung-yong and Martin Petrov have both displayed uneven form through the first 16 matches in the premier league.  The spine of the team (Strikers Kevin Davies and Johann Elmander, Holden, M. Davies, and Muamba, central defenders Zat Knight and Gary Cahill, keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen) has been Bolton's strength this season.

Today's performance against Blackburn was good overall, not great, but the important thing, three points, was attained, and the Wanderers still find themselves riding high, sixth in the table for another week.

Martin Petrov

It's a big match for the Bulgarian winger against his former club.  He left under a black cloud, and he was not shy about criticizing the weatherman.  Petrov had some problems with injuries while at Eastlands, but he was always impressive when he was able to get on the pitch.  I am sure he is dying to prove a point this Saturday, but it is up to Owen Coyle to decide how Petrov can do so most effectively for the team.

Petrov generally doesn't play 90 minutes.  He has only completed one game in nine starts for Bolton this season.  To be fair he has competed all three that he has started for Bulgaria, so he is certainly fit enough to play the whole match if need be.  Coyle has to make the decision on how to best use Petrov's energy and emotion.  Will he start him, hoping that he can create mayhem straight on from kickoff, or will he save him for the 60th minute, an impact sub in the last half hour of what promises to be a close, hard-fought match.

Starting XI v Wolves

Johann Elmander and Matt Taylor have both been under the weather this week, yet have made it onto the team sheet.  I am not a big fan of this.

If a player is trying to recover from an ankle sprain or something like that, OK, a trainer can put him through a fitness test and say he is able to play.  But a stomach bug or cold just saps stamina.  Starting two players who will probably have to be subbed, especially as Taylor and Elmander both run miles, really handcuffs Owen Coyle's ability to change things around during the match.

Most important, we have ready-made replacements for both these players.  Martin Petrov is fit again and can easily slot back in on the left side.  Ivan Klasnic has scored a couple goals recently and can certainly come in for Elmander, although to be fair, he will probably have to be taken off as well.  The wild card in all this is Rodrigo Moreno.  I would have loved to have seen the electric young Spaniard playing up top alongside Kevin Davies.  Finally, someone with pace to run onto all the flicks from Davies winning headers.

At the very least, I would like to see Moreno come on at half time, no matter the score.

Wigan Athletic v Bolton Wanderers

The two Lancashire clubs split the points at the DW Stadium.  If only they were so gregarious with the meat pies and sausage rolls...

This was probably a fair result.  Wigan's goal was offside, but they did have a few other opportunities.  Bolton on the other hand barely sent in any shots, when you would think the instruction going out on to the pitch would have been to shoot early and often, from all distances and angles, to test the shaky and dropped in August goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.  I would say he played a good game, but he didn't, he just wasn't tested at all.

Ali Al-Habsi

Wigan and Bolton play each other this week, and Wigan will not be allowed to use their on-loan goalkeeper.  This is a big blow for them.  Al-Habsi nearly single-handedly beat Tottenham at White Hart Lane earlier this season, and his insertion into the starting XI really kicked off a surge in form for the Latics.

West Bromwich Albion v Bolton Wanderers

The second half of this match was some of the best football you are ever going to see.  Just a thrilling, end-to-end affair, the technical ability, the tackling, managers matching wits, it was all there.  A great advertisement for the game, as well as for the new positive attacking mentality that has been present at many clubs who would have previously been expected to pack it in and play for a draw.  In all honesty, it was far greater spectacle than the Chelsea v Arsenal snoozefest down in London.

A draw was probably a fair result, although both clubs had several opportunities to secure all three points.  Martin Petrov may have got a deflected goal against Manchester United, but he appears to have left his scoring boots in a brothel somewhere outside Sophia.  One player I really want to mention for West Brom is Peter Odemwingie (pictured, below).  He has been a absolute revelation since he arrived, and it was a real coup for Roberto Di Matteo to sign him.

In my season preview, I wrote of West Brom;

They count on midfielders Chris Brunt and Graham Dorrans to provide the goals, as principal striker Roman Bednar just can't get it done at this level. Brunt is only 25, a Northern Irish international who has always shown a knack for scoring goals, and Di Matteo will rely heavily on him.

Good Result for Bolton!

But they probably deserved the win.  Nemanja Vidic and Johnny Evans struggled against Johann Elmander and Kevin Davies, and Bolton had several opportunities to secure all three points.  The referee didn't allow Fergie time, the customary 47 additional minutes for Manchester United to steal an undeserved victory, because Bolton was showing more of a threat, and the added time would have been a disadvantage for Mr. Ferguson and his merry band of misfits.

Seriously, Manchester United's midfield is only occasionally impressive (because Paul Scholes is old, and can't perform in every match anymore), and they lack the depth to affect the game from the bench.  Stuart Holden bossed the game from the center of the park, and Lee Chung-yong, along with Martin Petrov, finally had the effect Bolton fans have been waiting for.

All in all, a good result for Bolton, a lucky point for United, and some momentum for the Wanderers heading into and important run of (winnable) fixtures.  There are worries (no home wins, a tendency to concede soft goals), but Bolton have seven points from six difficult games thus far, and their play is continuously improving and evolving as the squad becomes more comfortable with Owen Coyle's system.  Things are looking up.

Formation against Manchester United

Strange as it sounds, this may be a good time to play United for Bolton.  Just before a big Champions League match-up, teams can be distracted from the job at hand.  And United have a big one at Valencia on Wednesday night.  Alex Ferguson may decide to rest some players against Bolton, which has proved disastrous in the not so distant past.  But there is another reason I think Bolton could get a result here.

Wanderers strength, the midfield, especially central midfield, is Manchester United's weakness.  Either Scholes or Fletcher will be rested on Sunday, but Ferguson doesn't even have the personnel to rest both.  And the replacement will be Michael Carrick, who is useless.  Bolton can exploit this weakness, but I believe that to do so Owen Coyle will need to abandon his beloved 4-4-2.

Coyle will also need to switch around some players in the team, which he does usually seem willing to do, even after a good performance against Aston Villa (The performance against Burnley was not as good, but given the 8 changes that were made, it's not really relevant to the form of the first team).  I think he will have to go with a different formation to create the best match-ups against Manchester United.  Basically, a 4-1-2-3.

Arsenal v Bolton

If anyone is interested in joining me, I will be watching this match live at the Baker Street Pub, at the corner of 63rd St. and 1st Ave., on the scenic island of Manhattan.  And just to warn you, I will be accompanied by an Arsenal supporter.

As for the match, I must admit I am not especially confident of Bolton getting a result.  I think Bolton will defend fairly well, and I think we will create a fair amount of chances on the break.  Arsenal will have somewhere in the neighborhood of 70% possession, and they will look lovely in their movement and control about 40 yards from Adam Bogdan.  It will be a joy to watch.  Of course, the problem arises when the gunners fail to turn that possession into goals.  Two of the players who specialize in turning the pretty passing into points, Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott, are out with injuries.  That may not be enough to get Bolton any points, but it could help make things nervy for Arsenal fans.

Gary Cahill v Martin Petrov

Some may claim that Bulgaria visited the new Wembley Stadium in London last night to play a UEFA 2012 European Championship qualifier, but all I was paying attention to were the Bolton Wanderers players that featured in the squads on either side.

Martin Petrov started on the left wing for Bulgaria, just as he does for Bolton, and he saw precious little of the ball, just as he does for Bolton. Now, some players always seem to be in open positions, but as you look closer you realize they have put themselves in an area where it is almost impossible to give them the ball. Petrov is not doing that, he is getting himself into threatening and available spots with great frequency for club and country.

So why isn't he seeing more of the ball? The answer is a bit strange. He is too clever. At least, he is too clever for his current teammates, many of whom are talented enough to find him in these positions, but rather young and inexperienced. There are also some veteran players who should be able to find him, but just don't have the technical ability to do so.

I think this will sort itself out. As youngsters such as Lee Chung-yong, Fabrice Muamba, and especially Stuart Holden become more accustomed to playing with Petrov they will learn how to find him in space. When that happens, Bolton will start to look a threat going forward, at least much more than they do now.

Established in the Top Flight (Fulham and Bolton Wanderers)

These two clubs play each other in the opener on Saturday, so this will be a season/match preview. These two clubs and Blackburn were promoted to the Premier League in 2001. They are the only group from the last 20 years to see all three members stay up. And ten years later, none have been relegated, and all have qualified for Europe on multiple occasions. They have also all gone through several management shifts and some big-time relegation scares. But they are still here.

Mark Hughes has just taken over at Craven Cottage, and most think he is the right man for the job. I agree. He is a good manager, and not only will he stabilize a club that was in danger of regressing after Roy Hodgson left, he will also push them forward, possibly even into the top half of the table. He does have some issues to deal though.

At the moment, the defense, a real strength for them last season, seems to be falling apart. Two particular pieces of rather bad news have come out int he past few days. Phillippe Senderos, whom the cottagers were hoping would be an upgrade over Aaron Hughes and an excellent partner for stalwart Brede Hangeland, has snapped his achilles on international duty for Switzerland, and he will be sidelined for at least six months. This hurts, but not as much as the latest statement from goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. The big Australian was very good last season, and without him they could have slipped further down the table. He has been linked to Arsenal for most of the summer, and now he has come out and said he wants to go. Trouble is, Fulham have absolutely nothing behind him. This is a squad with a solid and deep attacking midfield, a good variety of forwards, and some hard tacklers in the middle of the park. They have to sort the situation in goal out quickly though.

As for Bolton, Owen Coyle has stabilized the club just in time for their tenth season in the top flight. Whereas Fulham will be looking to push back into the top ten this season, I think the Wamderers will be trying to consolidate their position, a move further up the table will be the goal next season.

Bolton's strength is in the midfield. Lee Chung-yong and Martin Petrov are both pacey and skillful, and they will be counted on to keep Fulham on the back foot. There is an abundance of power and technique in the middle, with young destroyer Fabrice Muamba winning ball after ball with his, uh, uncompromising style. As soon as he wins it, he passes it off to silky smooth Stuart Holden, who will use his pace and passing ability to bring it forward and allow the wingers to get ahead of play and put in quality crosses for big Kevin Davies to win in the air.

Fulham have their own hard man in the midfield, Dickson Etuhu, partnered by skillful (but aging) Danny Murphy. The match up in the middle, Etuhu and Murphy versus Muamba and Holden, could determine who takes the points on Saturday. I think it will be a fast paced, end to end affair, with a lot of chances created on both sides. Whoever displays better finishing will take the three points. I think Bolton may win the battle on Saturday, but Fulham will win the war, by finishing one spot ahead of Wanderers in the league table come May.

Bolton sign Bulgarian winger to stabilize young midfield

I just had to use this break in World Cup action to give an update on my mighty mighty Bolton Wanderers. Owen Coyle has managed to sign a top class left winger who was never able to establish himself at Manchester City due to three managerial changes, fitness issues, and a revolving door of player acquisitions.

Fact is, Martin Petrov is class. He showed it for Bulgaria, he showed it in Germany, and he showed it at Atletico Madrid. He even showed it in spurts at Man City, where he had to fight his way into the team past a flotilla of big name, big money signings. For me, this is the Coyle equivalent of when Sam Allardyce signed Jay-Jay Okocha for Bolton back in 2002.

Petrov runs at defenders with pace, puts in a good cross, and scores goals. He can play on either wing, and given the youth and versatility Wanderers have in the midfield, he will be allowed a good deal of freedom to attack.

I have to say, I really like the way the midfield is shaping up. We still have several veterans such as Matt Taylor, Ricardo Gardner, Tamir Cohen, and Sean Davis (who is really like a new signing). But it is the kids we are excited about. Some of the luster has faded from Joey O'Brien (24 years old) and Chris Basham (21), but if they ever return to fitness, I still think they can be useful players, if nothing else for their versatility.

After he put on a show for a surprising South Korean team at the World Cup, all eyes will be on Lee Chung-yong (22). He will receive a much needed rest over the next few weeks, and take his place as one of the first names on the team sheet once the season starts. But he is just the tip of the iceberg in a loaded stable of midfield youngsters.

Fabrice Muamba has established himself as a destroyer in the center of the park. His passing improved dramatically following Coyle's arrival, and as the 22 year old continues to improve, an England call-up is looming in the not-too-distant future.

Mark Davies is also 22, and so thoroughly dominated Arsenal last January that William Gallas decided the only way to stop him was to brutally fracture his leg. Davies will be back at full strength this season, and gives Bolton a tireless box-to-box central midfielder willing to defend and attack with equal aplomb.

Stuart Holden (24) is perhaps the most intriguing of all. He can play on either wing or in an attacking central role, and may be able to provide the creative spark Wanderers have been lacking in the middle of the park. He looked outstanding in the US warm-up matches before the World Cup, and many soccer fans stateside are perplexed as to why he did not feature more in the US campaign once the tournament started. I am fine with it, because he will be fit, well-rested, and ready to contribute once the season starts.