International Break Gives Wanderers food for thought
Three games down in the Barclays Premier League and Bolton have made an impressive start. Two draws and an impressive away victory have seen the Whites find themselves occupying fifth place in the league. However, any early optimism for a season similar to that of those from previous years under Big Sam Allardyce may be false. Bolton only really played well in one game, the 0-0 draw against Fulham on the opening day, where an impressive debutant, David Stockdale, kept Fulham in the game.
Away at West Ham, a team without a 'keeper as good as Jaaskelainen in goal would have found themselves two down by half time, and the 2-2 draw against Birmingham City was rather fortunate considering Robbie Blake's free kick should never have been awarded. Wanderers' fixtures also take a turn for the worse in the coming weeks with away trips to Arsenal and Aston Villa, recently not very happy hunting grounds at all, and also a home match against Manchester United.
Happy-slap champion, August 2010
An interesting League Cup tie awaits away at Burnley where Owen "Judas" Coyle will return facing the hatred from all in claret and blue, so the next few games will certainly be tough for Coyle and his team. Wanderers last game before the next international break will be a tricky away game at West Bromwich Albion who would consider a home game against Bolton a must win game if they are to maintain their Premier League status.
Overall, Bolton and the Owen Coyle revolution have made a decent start in the opening of the new season but the next few games will really dictate whether the season will be one of mid table mediocrity or one where the Whites make a march on the European places in the higher echelons on the League.
Submitted by Ben Roberts
1/9/2010
