Sam Ricketts fights the cold with an unusual warm up routine.

It was a disappointing result for Arsenal, but certainly not an unfair one.  Bolton are vastly improved in 2012, and they produced yet another determined display.  The home side did, however, have plenty of silk to go with their steel.  Listening to some post-match reviews, you could have been forgiven for thinking that Bolton had bullied and harassed their way to a point against an underperforming Arsenal; not a bit of it.  This was an organised and unyielding Wanderers display, but also one which displayed verve and attacking drive.  Arsenal have played worse this season and still won, and Bolton deserve full credit for keeping a clean sheet against them.

The Gunners started brightly, with Bolton failing to come to grips with the pass-and-move style for which the North London outfit have become known.  Indeed, in the early stages of the game, it seemed last year’s Wanderers had made an unwelcome return.  The Whites followed the ball around the pitch, watching Arsenal play whilst not actively trying to stop them.  As a result, the ball found its way into the box far too regularly for the home crowd’s liking, and Arsenal looked increasingly likely to take the lead.

A ball whipped in by Alex Chamberlain should have been converted, but no Arsenal player could get a touch.  Minutes later the ball dropped to Walcott, but the winger took one touch too many and found himself closed down, with Ricketts clearing the ball.  Then it was Robin Van Persie’s chance to squander an opening, cutting inside onto his right and then taking an age to shoot – the ball cannoned off Wheater to safety.  “Too easy” was the cry from the stands.

The root of the problem was Bolton’s midfield system.  Having chosen to man-mark Arsenal’s midfield trio, Bolton had surrendered the middle of the pitch to any opposition defender who decided to carry the ball forward.  As Arsenal’s defence brought the ball forward at feet, at least one midfielder was forced to move forward to make a challenge and suddenly Arsenal had a player free in 10-15 yards of space.  With time and space to turn and run, Arteta and Ramsey could pick their passes at will.  When Bolton’s midfield chose to stick to their marking responsibilities, Arsenal’s defenders were free to run right at the Bolton back line and pick passes of their own.  Bolton were lucky, in truth, that Thomas Vermaelen had been deployed at left back.  If Arsenal had had a centre half with more creativity, Bolton could have been in serious trouble.

Bolton managed to forge good chances of their own.  David N’Gog had an effort saved when played clean through, and when he flicked the rebound to Chris Eagles the winger shot just wide.  Martin Petrov, a player in fine form at the moment, was effective down the left and whipped in several dangerous crosses.  However, it was a calculated, rather than inspired, display from Wanderers in the first half – and it was generally agreed they would have to show more aggression in the second half to claim any points.

Thankfully for Wanderers fans, Bolton 2012 were back in full force for the second half; which saw the marking system in midfield modified to cut the number of free runs Arsenal had through the centre.  When faced with a defender in possession, Wanderers’ wingers started to come inside and pick up players, freeing central midfielders to close-down or intercept.  With their freedom to play openly from the back largely curtailed, Arsenal took to playing a more direct brand of football – with mixed results.  The clear height advantage of Wanderers’ back four meant that Arsenal increasingly lost possession as a result of their switch in passing styles, and Bolton’s desire to continue to play on the deck meant they came increasingly into the game.

Theo Walcott in familar pose, ie missing the goal.

With more even possession, came a more frantic game, with both sides looking to get forward and make something happen.  Bolton grew in confidence, with Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Coker carrying the ball forward with increasing regularity.  Wanderers, in general, became more attack-minded – with the fullbacks on both flanks pushing forward to offer support as moves developed.  When Owen Coyle first arrived at Bolton, his team talks seemed to regularly inspire the side to give much improved second-half displays – fans should hope that this was a sign of that returning.

Arsenal remained dangerous.  Robin Van Persie twice struck the woodwork, and only a superb save by Adam Bogdan denied Theo Walcott when in behind the Bolton line.  The home side, however, were not to be beaten, and Bolton’s defenders were prepared to put their bodies on the line to preserve a rare clean sheet.  David Wheater was imperious throughout and Zat Knight, who had looked lumbering in the first 45, seemed more switched-on and aggressive after the break.  Arsenal could perhaps have been described as unlucky to gain only a point, were it not for Bolton’s efforts at the end of the game.

If the first 70 minutes had seen Bolton defend resiliently and counter-attack when the opportunity presented itself, the last 20 minutes of the game were dominated almost entirely by the team in White.  And it was Kevin Davies arrival which, just as it had against Swansea a few days earlier, signalled the transition from Wanderers simply matching their opponents, to Wanderers outplaying them.  Arsenal tried their own ‘heroic’ substitution, but Henry failed to have a real impact on the game – though he showed flashes of the old brilliance.

As the pressure from the home side increased, one of their more frustrating habits returned.  Why is it that Bolton’s players are so shot-shy these days?  Tuncay and Kevin Davies both had shots blocked, when if they had taken the chance to shoot early they’d have had a free effort on goal.  Mark Davies and Reo-Coker both chose to take an extra touch when in good shooting positions, allowing them to be closed down and forcing them to play more difficult angles and shoot wide.  Clearly this reticence is something which will have to be worked on in training.  Nevertheless, it was Bolton who had the run of the place come the end of the game and could have won it, especially had a late shout for a penalty on Mark Davies been granted.

Arsenal will feel they should have won the game in the first half, but should equally be relieved they didn’t lose it in the last quarter.  Bolton will be delighted with a point, and can quite rightly claim to have been the match of a side with hopes of a top four finish.  If the Wanderers play like this every game until the end of the season, they’ll be well clear of the drop come the final day.  Arsenal will have to dramatically improve to claim a Champions League spot, and both sides will agree a draw was about right.

Bolton Wanderers (4-5-1): Bogdan 8, Steinsson 7, Wheater 8, Knight 6, Ricketts 7, Muamba 7 (Pratley 6), Reo-Coker 8, M.Davies  8, Eagles 6 (Tuncay 6), Petrov 8, N’Gog 7 (Davies 7).

Man of the Match: David Wheater.  I think this might be a controversial pick, but there you go.  It was ‘Wheats’ or Reo-Coker, and Reo-Coker’s dip for the last 20 minutes of the first half meant the big centre half carried it.  Wheater was immense throughout, blocking a number of shots, clearing off the line and bringing the ball forward out of defence.  Superb display.

Coyle-Watch: Owen is becoming increasingly vocal and animated as Bolton’s revival continues.  Today’s tactics were solid and there was good use of subs.  Can’t fault the manager.

Nigel Reo-Coker: Some would argue that Reo-Coker has been our best player this season, whilst others rubbish that claim; but nobody would argue with the assertion that Nigel has been superb since he assumed the captain’s role on the pitch.  With another classy and authoritative display today, the former Villa man is quickly establishing himself as a favourite amongst the Reebok faithful.  It may be harsh not to have made him man of the match for this game, but his dip in the latter stages of the first half almost cost Wanderers their point.  In spite of that, it’s the first time in a long while that a Bolton captain has improved after gaining the armband, rather than fallen away – long may it continue.

- Azreal88

Phil Gartside. Is that a smile or a maniacal laugh?

Many Bolton fans have issues with Gartside, but actively telling a manager to throw a game is something that even critics of the chairman will find hard to believe.  Gartside has spoken on ‘Twitter’, rubbishing Megson’s story.  In response to my ‘tweet’ reading “Megson claims “ordered” to lose in UEFA. You couldn’t make it up”, Gartside said “your (sic) right you couldn’t make it up but somebody has.”  In response to another message, a clearly angered Gartside said “can’t believe he’s said that”.

The Bolton News has reported on the comments from the ex Bolton boss, and says that the club will not be commenting officially.  Whilst you can understand the club’s position, this could well be a mistake; with many fans already demanding the chairman respond.

Gartside was accused of a “lack of ambition” by Sam Allardyce, in an interview given to the Telegraph’s Jeremy Wilson in August 2011, in which ‘Big Sam’ claimed the Bolton hierarchy “didn’t want” Champions League football.  Megson is sowing seeds of discord in fertile ground and the club really needs to formally respond.

- Azreal88

Members of the media, most of whom can’t think for themselves, may have dubbed it ‘not for the purist’, but Whites fans took pleasure in the reputation – and the results.

There might be a few more of these sold now.

All that ended with the arrival of Gary Megson.  The Ginger One won one, drew one and lost all the rest, against the then big four. In the 2008-9 season, he managed one point from 42 against teams that finished in the top seven.

Some will argue that points have the same value, whether they’re achieved at the expense of title contenders, or relegation fodder.  That may be mathematically correct, but it overlooks the morale boost that lesser teams get from turning over the big boys, for sport is about nothing, if not glory.

One of the criticisms levelled at Owen Coyle was that he had failed to arrest that losing trend, bar one late season win against an already demoralised Arsenal. After the way Liverpool were swept aside at the Reebok on Saturday, there is one charge less facing the man from Paisley.

A sober analysis might include the arguments that Liverpool, without Uruguay’s favourite racist are an ordinary side and that Kenny Dalglish inherited a squad some way short of Champions League potential that a summer spending spree has failed to improve.  Then there’s Steven Gerrard, who has yet to regain much of his usual game, apart from whining and bitching to the match officials.

But sod that.  The men in white were fully deserving of their victory and it should be celebrated.  Underpinning a collective effort stuffed with commitment and fighting spirit were several worthy performances.

Adam Bogdan put his Chelsea nightmare behind with a solid display of maturity.  The Hungarian international wasn’t called upon to perform heroics, but he handled his routine tasks well, some of which could have gone horribly wrong.

It has been suggested that he might have come off his line more quickly in order to prevent Craig Bellamy scoring, but such a view assumes that Bogdan can move at roughly twice the speed of Usain Bolt.

At the other end of the pitch, David N’Gog continued to progress in his role of lone front man, holding up the ball well and showing some clever touches.  The Frenchman isn’t a natural goal scorer, but that will matter less if he can play in advancing midfielders as he did for Bolton’s opener.

Nigel Reo Coker has been criticised this season, not least on these pages.  He still lacks an astuteness in reading the game, but starting with the away victory at Blackburn the former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder has played a leader’s role and exhibited the combative qualities that made Coyle give him a contract in the first place.

Game sorted. Now to do something about that hair cut.

However the stand out performer, not for the first time of late, was Mark Davies, who is at last realising his potential.  Gone, is the tendency to drift in and out of games and his tackling and tracking back have improved beyond measure.

Mini Davo’s attacking abilities have never been in doubt, but he seems lighter, fitter and faster and is starting to enjoy his first injury free season in years.  We’ll pause for a bit there, while readers find a piece of wood to touch.

Can Bolton maintain the improvement, that started at Ewood Park and has continued since? (although not without a hiccups or two)  If so, then relegation which seemed a certainty a few weeks ago, may yet be avoided.

There are difficult games still to come, but the end of season run in, seems kind compared to the other drop zone contenders.  If it’s really the hope that kills you, then Wanderers fans are once more in grave danger. No, that wasn’t a pun. Honest.

- Richard McCormick

TweetFollow @RMc2407

Kenny Dalglish waves goodbye to the chance of a top four finish.

At first, it looked as though Bolton were going to make a slow start.  Liverpool seemed relaxed and confident, whilst the men in white seemed nervous and gave the ball away far too easily.  Liverpool’s dominance lasted all of 3 minutes, and then Wanderers took control of the game.  Fabrice Muamba, whose new-found on-the-ball composure has been welcomed by all Bolton fans, fed a short ball to the feet of David N’Gog.  N’Gog’s ability with his back to goal is starting to become telling, and his deft flick, whilst holding off the challenge of Martin Skrtle, gave Mark Davies licence to run.  As Davies carried the ball forward N’Gog was off and running, forcing Agger to go with him with him and opening-up space in the heart of the Liverpool defence.  With Skirtle lumbering in his wake and Agger on the back foot, Davies took full advantage with a trademark ‘jinky’ run giving him a sight of goal.  Owen Coyle made comments in the press recently, in which he called on Davies to add goals to his game; Mark was clearly listening.  A beautifully placed finish from the midfielder gave Wanderers the lead and sent the Reebok faithful into raptures.

Liverpool were visibly shocked, as were most Bolton fans to be honest, but Wanderers immediately set out to show the early goal was no fluke.  Chris Eagles, who had a dreadful time against Utd at Old Trafford, looked like a man with a point to prove, and it was he who would worry Liverpool next.  Eagles won the ball from Jose Enrique and set-off in determined fashion.  Eagles would trouble Enrique all game with his energy and willingness to run with the ball, and he skipped away from the former Spain U21 international before drilling a shot across the face of goal.  If Liverpool fans had seen the first goal as a freak, Eagles’ effort may have knocked them down a peg or two – if nothing else, it shut the usually boisterous Liverpudlian away fans up for some time.  Maxi Rodriguez almost gave Liverpool something to sing about, as he got in behind from a long punt by Pepe Reina.  It really should have been 1-1, but Maxi somehow contrived to ‘miscontrol’ the ball and then handle, earning Wanderers a freekick.  It was a let-off for Wanderers and should have been a wake-up call for a defence playing a high line.

Wanderers may have looked more incisive, but Liverpool are a good team and gave the home side plenty to worry about, with the majority of possession.  With Gary Cahill sold, the Bolton centre back pairing is seriously short of pace, and Liverpool looked to take advantage.  With Andy Carroll decidedly out of sorts, it was left to Craig Bellamy to terrorise the Wanderers and do his once-in-a-while impression of a top class striker.  Bellamy is capable of playing some great football, but he was initially well marshalled by Wheater and Knight.  However, after about 20 minutes Zat Knight’s habit of falling asleep returned with a vengeance.  Knight started the game in dominating style, winning his headers and making some superb tackles; but the former Fulham player always makes watching fans nervous, and with good reason.  Bellamy began to curve his runs in behind Knight, and Liverpool’s midfield looked to spray passes over the big centre back’s head to find the Welshman’s runs.  It was an effective tactic, and Liverpool started to carve out openings.

It seemed Liverpool would soon create something meaningful, but it was Wanderers who were to again shock the visitors.  Eagles once more looked to get at the opposition defence, and as he slowed his run two Liverpool defenders were drawn to him.  Last calendar year, the move would have broken down there, but this is Bolton Wanderers 2012, and things are a little different now.  It was Nigel Reo-Coker, Bolton captain for the day putting in a captain’s performance, who offered Eagles an option.  Reo-Coker pushed in through the gap left by the centre half drawn in by Eagles, and the winger found his captain with a well-executed, chipped pass.  Nigel is often derided for being a “scrapper”, but there was nothing scrappy about how he controlled the ball beautifully on his chest before volleying it past a helpless Pepe Reina.  If Reo-Coker’s impressive passing stats don’t convince his doubters that he can play ‘real’ football, perhaps his well-taken goal will.

Liverpool were not entirely at the races, but they underlined their continued threat by creating several openings that Bolton were lucky to survive.  Liverpool had a penalty shout immediately before Reo-Coker’s goal, when Zat Knight appeared to handle Carroll’s flicked pass from a Liverpool free kick.   Maxi had a chance to get a shot away, but decided to take a touch and found himself tackled by two Wanderers players.  As the ball ran free to Adam Bogdan, Liverpool protested the lack of a spot kick, but their appeals fell on deaf ears.  Every Wanderers player on the park was then forced to get stuck in and work for the team, as Liverpool upped the tempo to try and get back in.  Despite Liverpool’s endeavour, Bolton’s voracious appetite for the tackle and ‘bodies on the line’ defending ensured that Bogdan was rarely tested in the Bolton goal.

Craig Bellamy reacts badly after being informed that he's a scrote with bad tatoos

When Bogdan was called upon to make a save, it was inevitably Craig Bellamy who was providing the examination.  Bellamy got in behind Knight and Ricketts just after the half hour mark, only to see his tame shot easily caught be the ginger Hungarian ‘keeper; who is affectionately known as “Shaggy”.  Cries of “wake up Knight” from the watching crowd went unheeded, and Bellamy was unleashed again only minutes later.  Carroll rose highest to get to a long headed clearence and flicked the ball on to the jet-heeled striker, who set off at pace.  Zat Knight was the tortoise to Bellamy’s hare, except that in this version it was the tortoise who decided to fall asleep – allowing the hare a one-on-one with Bogdan.  Bellamy slotted the ball past the Hungarian international ‘keeper, who actually managed to get a hand on the ball and was desperately unlucky not to take enough pace off the shot to allow Sam Ricketts to clear.  Ricketts, who was once again solid at left back, turn and berated Knight for his error.  Whatever Ricketts said seemed to have the desired effect, and Knight improved steadily afterwards.

Again, Wanderers fans looked for signs of the 2011 Bolton to reappear.  Was that a head dropping?  Was the blame-game starting up again?  In short, “no”.  Wanderers went back on the offensive, and it was again N’Gog who created an opening – having had a hand in both Bolton’s goals.  The industrious striker received the ball and turned well.  Ignoring impassioned cries of “shoot” from half the Reebok, N’Gog showed quick feet to win a free kick in a dangerous position.  The Frenchman’s contribution should not go unheralded, as he did a phenomenal job of holding the ball up and taking pressure off Bolton defence – as well as being involved in both of Wanderers openers.  Liverpool’s defence had looked dodgy all game, but surely they would be able to do the simple thing and form a wall?  Not a bit of it.  Petrov stepped up and struck his free kick through a gap you could have got Luis Suarez’s ego through, with only a smart save from Reina denying the Bulgarian the goal his performance would have merited.

Mark Davies holds down Gretar Steinsson as a helium filled Chris Eagles starts to float away.

The game now rested on which side, if either, would get the first goal of the second half.  It was Wanderers who did the honours.  From a Petrov corner, David Wheater knocked the ball down in a set-piece routine right out of the Allardyce era.  A clever run from Steinsson had him in the right place at the right time, but it still took a superb finish to beat Reina for a third time and lift the proverbial roof right off the Reebok.

The second half saw chances come and go for both sides, as every spectator in the place nervously watched both clock and pitch.  Daniel Agger almost got Liverpool back into it with a long-range special that thundered off the crossbar.  At the other end, a good run from Eagles ended with a decent effort going just past the upright.  However, clear-cut chances were at a premium, and Wanderers industry in the middle of the park was a joy to behold for fans used to seeing limp and passionless displays this season.

When the endless running finally started to catch up with Bolton’s players, gaps began to appear in their formation and Liverpool sought openings.  Once again though, Bolton showed an unwillingness to capitulate that their supporters have been waiting to see for some time.  There was always a last-ditch tackle, a body thrown in the way or a clever interception to save the day – and, failing that, there was someone to just hoof the ball down the pitch and clear the pressure.  It wasn’t pretty at times, but the level of desire shown should warm the cockles of the heart just as much as any of Bolton’s goals.  And it was clear that the crowd had a full appreciation of the players’ efforts, when late substitutions brought standing ovations for those going off.

Every Bolton fan in attendance learnt things on Saturday night, and questions were answered that had previously eaten away at the faith of many.  Firstly, have no doubts that this Wanderers side contains enough quality to stay up.  Secondly, and most importantly, this group of players really do have some grit and fight in them after all.  And thirdly, with an eye on our next league game, the 2012 edition of Bolton Wanderers doesn’t necessarily wilt when confronted by the big sides.  Bolton fans everywhere take heart, because, on today’s evidence, there’s life in us yet and fortress Reebok might not be the crumbling ruin we all took it for.

Bolton Wanderers (4-5-1): Bogdan 7, Steinsson 8, Wheater 8, Knight 7, Ricketts 8, Eagles 8 (Tuncay 5), Muamba 7, Reo-Coker 9, M.Davies 9, Petrov 8, N’Gog 8 (Davies 6).

Man of the Match: For me, it has to be Nigel Reo-Coker.  Many will have other views, but I thought today saw a true captain’s performance from Nigel and he didn’t put a foot wrong.  We’ve been waiting for a leader to emerge on the pitch and drag us out of this mire, and we may just have found him.

Coyle-watch: Owen gets major credit for today.  It was the right formation, and he sent the lads out with optimism and desire.  Subs remain the affable Scot’s weakness, with his failure to bring on fresh legs in good time almost costing Wanderers dearly.

The Opposition: Liverpool were their own worst enemy today, but Craig Bellamy was a bright spark in an otherwise dull display.  The lightning-fast Welshman may not have Nigel Reo-Coker’s respect as  a person, but everyone has to respect his ability on a football pitch.

Move of the Match: Saturday’s best ‘move’ was actually a piece of individual skill from Martin Petrov.  Petrov, marked by two Liverpool players, flicked the ball through the legs of Glen Johnson and was away before the England right back even knew what was happening.  Petrov had a slow start to his Bolton career, but his energy and winning mentality have not gone unnoticed in recent weeks; Martin is quickly becoming one of the out-of-contract players who should be on Coyle’s “retain” list, wages permitting.

-Azreal88

Bolton will play Swansea in round 4 of the FA Cup after enjoying a largely comfortable 2-0 win over Macclesfield Town at the Reebok Stadium.  Macclesfield did well to force a replay with the Premier League side, but quality told on Tuesday night as the Wanderers eased to victory.  It was a night of contrasts, as the old cliché “a game of two halves” was played out on the pitch.  Bolton started well and dominated the first half, only to switch off after the break.  Macclesfield, without home advantage, failed to really get going; but managed to put in a better display in the latter stages to give their fans something to sing about.

Lofty Junior demonstrates the fine art of levitation.

The League Two side were a goal down inside the first minute, after a poor pass by Jon Bateson rebounded off Ivan Klasnic.  Bateson rushed back to clear, only to completely miss the ball and slip to the ground.  Klasnic seized the opportunity and centred the ball to Kevin Davies, who slid in and managed to make a scruffy connection.  The shot was close to Macclesfield ‘keeper Jose Veiga, but he contrived to fumble the ball and it squirmed into the net.  It wasn’t classic football from the Whites, but Bolton will take whatever luck comes their way during a difficult season.

Wanderers’ second goal showed far more of their Premier League quality than had their first, and would have graced any game.  Tuncay was fed the ball by Klasnic and set off at a canter, skipping through the challenge of Macclesfield’s Arnaud Mendy and sliding the ball to Petrov who was advancing down the left.  The Bulgarian winger, who put in a real shift in the first half, still had plenty to do, but his first touch was good and his second teed the ball up nicely; allowing him to blast a shot goalward.  The pace and swerve on the shot clearly surprised Veiga, who was beaten at his near post.

Wanderers didn’t look satisfied with 2-0, and sought to kill the game off in the first half, creating several more chances.  Tuncay’s forays into the centre often lead to neat interchanges, and one such could easily have lead to Wanderers going three up.  Ricketts fed the ball to Petrov, who was afforded time and space to pick his pass.  The ball was played to the feet of Tuncay, whose deft heel-flick found Klasnic on the edge of the box.  Had the ball fallen to Klasnic’s left, it would almost certainly have been buried past the visiting ‘keeper, but Klasnic is less adept with his right and his first time shot went wide of the post.  Other opportunities presented themselves, but a lack of quality in the final third meant Wanderers were unable to breach Macclesfield for a third time.

It was not all one way traffic though, and Macclesfield managed to worry their hosts with shots of their own.  The Silkmen’s best effort of the first half came courtesy of a neat touch from Mendy which fell to Matthew Hamshaw.  Hamshaw produce a lovely bit of skill to feint past Mark Davies and make space for a shot, which curled just wide of the top corner.  It was the first real sign of danger from Macclesfield, but more was to come in the second half from the Cheshire outfit.

Wanderers’ first half display had been good, but not exceptional, and talk at half time was of using it as the foundation for a dominant second half, but any such hopes were quickly dashed.  Right from the second half kick-off, it was obvious that the players were not prepared to run themselves into the ground when already 2-0 up.  Bolton played it safe, passing backwards and sideways to retain the ball and take any sting out of the game.  The approach had tactical merit, but left the home fans frustrated, and vocally so.

Any possibility of Coyle urging his players into a more positive mode looked remote when, on 63 minutes, the manager made his first changes.  Off came Klasnic, who had disappointed, only for him to be replaced by the equally poor N’Gog. Sam Ricketts went out for Paul Robinson.  Moans greeted the arrival of Robinson, who has lost the confidence of the Wanderers fans. Robinson did nothing to change any minds on the night, with an insipid display.  Coyle’s now typical late change, saw youngster Michael O’Halloran come on for Tuncay; with the youngster offered a chance to impress in front of the home crowd.

Coyle’s changes, though seemingly done to preserve two players who lack full match fitness for Bolton’s game against Liverpool on Saturday, served to destroy any fluency remaining in Wanderers’ football.  O’Halloran is naturally a striker, and when played on the right it is his tendency to push up as an outside forward.  In turn, Mark Davies was forced to shift right and cover the gap left by O’Halloran on that side of Bolton’s midfield; effectively leaving Reo-Coker the job of marking 3 Macclesfield players.  For a player who had looked slightly off the pace all night, it was too much to ask.

If Wanderers’ right flank now looked all at sea, Robinson’s performance at left back may have finally sunk any hope of his remaining a Bolton player past next summer.  Barring a clever attacking run, which saw Robinson play a neat one-two with N’Gog before having a good effort deflected wide, his performance looked somewhat akin to a football out-takes video.  From not noticing the game had started again after his introduction, to almost clearing the ball into his own net, Robbo’s match went from bad to worse.

It is a great shame that a player who has given a phenomenal amount of running and sweat for this club, should now find himself unable to have so much as a single half-decent game for the Whites; but the sad fact is that Robbo is now a liability, even against League Two opposition.  A move to a new club and a fresh atmosphere cannot come soon enough for either party.

Well, it makes a change from being sat on the bench

The last 20 minutes of the tie were all Macclesfield, and their fans should be proud of the spirit shown by a tired group of players.  In three games this season, Macclesfield have always found ways of testing Bolton Wanderers, and it stands as a testament to their attitude and desire.  Almost a spectator in the first half, Adam Bogdan was forced into a string of saves and interceptions that tested his concentration and bravery.  A rasping drive from Carl Tremarco, at an acute angle, was parried to safety by a young goalkeeper who is staking a serious claim to be Bolton’s first choice in net.  An Elliot Hewitt volley looked goal-bound, only to be deflected onto the bar, much to the relief of a worried-looking Bogdan.  It was a lovely effort from the young Welshman, who showed great control and technique to get his shot away; the composure and quality shown by the 17-year-old will have been noted by watching scouts.

Macclesfield were not finished, and Colin Daniels was the next to go close, getting on the end of a great cross to head narrowly wide.  Macclesfield were running the show, but also running out of time, and with Bolton playing purely for possession it was a struggle for the tiring Silkmen to get hold of the ball in stoppage time.  At the final whistle, it might have been fair to say it was a routine victory for Bolton, whose advantage in fitness and quality was clear; but it would have been wrong to sell Macclesfield short, and if they had managed to convert one of their numerous chances then Bolton fans would have certainly feared the worst.  The Silkmen’s trip back to Cheshire can be made with heads held high, but serious questions remain over Wanderers’ attitude in certain games.  A far better performance will be needed on Saturday, if Bolton are to get anything from their game with Liverpool.

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): Bogdan 7, Riley 7, Boyata 5, Wheater 7, Ricketts 6 (Robinson 4), Tuncay 7 (O’Halloran 5), M.Davies 7, Reo-Coker 6, K.Davies 7, Klasnic 6 (N’Gog 5).

Man of the Match:  David Wheater.  Though Wheater was never exceptional, he also didn’t let his performance drop in the second half like his team mates did.  No Macclesfield player got any change out of the big man, who was solid throughout.

Move of the Match:  A series of short passes from Wanderers’ defenders saw Ricketts emerge with the ball, which he played to the feet of Petrov.  Petrov played an inch-perfect ball with the outside of his foot, which found Tuncay in the 18 yard box.  A deft flick from the skilful Turkish international fed Ivan Klasnic, only for his instinctive strike to be blocked.

Player Watch:  Tuncay Sanli.  After a poor performance from Chris Eagles at Old Trafford, Coyle may well have been looking for Tuncay to show he’s ready to perform down the right for Wanderers.  On Tuesday’s evidence, the Bolton boss could do far worse than play the former Middlesborough player against Liverpool.  With license to cut inside and play-make, Tuncay is a serious creative threat and has the pace to get in behind Liverpool’s back four to nick a goal.  Tuncay has a decent record against Liverpool, having scored two goals and created one in a total of 4 starts against the Merseyside club.

- Azreal88

Comings and Goings

The summer transfer market was slow, with attempts to offload Gary Cahill for a handsome fee meeting with failure. The desire to get rid couldn’t have been more obvious if a small ad had been placed in the classifieds.

‘For Sale : Top class international defender. Two careful owners. All offers considered.’

For sale to a good home. Or any home, in exchange of a big sack of cash.

The bid from Arsenal was derisory and caused tension between the two clubs, while ‘Arry Redknapp, true to character, made enquiries a few minutes before the end of the window. The behaviour of the interested clubs was disrespectful to Bolton and to Cahill, who it should be noted, has behaved impeccably. He will move to Chelsea later this month with the best wishes of Whites fans.

Ali Al-Habsi was sold to Wigan, Matt Taylor to West Ham and Danny Ward to Huddersfield to give Coyle some working capital. Eight new players were brought in, some on loan. None of them can be considered an unqualified success. Note the polite phrasing of that last sentence.

Pre-season was overshadowed by the broken leg sustained by Lee Chung-Yong in a friendly at Newport County. When top flight sides play such fixtures against non league opposition there’s a tacit agreement that it won’t be an eyeballs out affair. A shame that no one told Tom Miller. Or maybe they did and he’s a psychopath.

The First False Dawn

Whatever confidence there was evaporated when the fixture list for 2011-12 was published. Five of the leading clubs were to be faced early on. QPR imploded in the first game of the season giving the Wanderers an easy 4-0 triumph and a creditable loss against Manchester City took place a week after.

Then it was downhill accelerating, with feeble performances against Liverpool, Manchester United, Norwich, Arsenal and Chelsea. The worst fears had been realised.

In the middle of October something incredible happened. The Wanderers faced a side even worse at defending than them as they travelled to the primitive badlands of Wigan. A 3-1 win resulted. The season had started at last!

Oh No It Hadn’t

Steve Bruce. Job safe. But not for long.

The optimism was good for seven days. Under Steve Bruce, Sunderland were a wretched outfit and he arrived with his job on the line. Kevin Davies & Co did their best to keep Fat Head in employment with a second half display of wearying ineptitude. Things hadn’t improved.

As the month drew to an end, Manny Road published the first in a series of articles discussing potential wrong doing in at least one transfer deal involving Bolton Wanderers. Phil Gartside had cut one agent out of a deal, paid another well over the odds and lied about it.

If the word of the excluded agent had been the only evidence it would have been easier to discount, but sworn statements by BWFC employees and a document obtained from the FA gave the allegations substance.

Gartside was a jibbering wreck as he addressed a meeting of the Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association, a gathering he normally has to be dragged kicking and screaming to. But by then the Bolton Chairman was on a publicity drive, no doubt under the orders of self styled ‘Director of Communications’, Mark Alderton, a man who has watched too many episodes of the West Wing.

Perhaps at some point Alderton will realise that he’s a gopher at a small town northern football club, rather than an aide at the White House. Until then, the chances of information emerging from the Reebok that hasn’t been carefully spun first remain slim.

The questions posed by this site and Whites supporters remain unanswered. They will be asked again by other parties as the year progresses.

November

Things started brightly with a walloping of Stoke City. It didn’t make up for the hurt at Wembley. Only a return visit and a different result will do that. But it did provide some kind of closure. Pointing and laughing at those Potters fans who’d arrived wearing ‘5-0’ tee-shirts added to the fun.

What happened on the pitch seemed irrelevant at the end of the month as the news of Gary Speed’s suicide broke. The motivation behind his actions is a mystery and to protect his family from further hurt it should remain so. RIP Gary, and thanks for all you did as a Bolton player.

False Dawn II

Bald Gary Megson. You're just a bald Gary Megson.

December started with another three defeats, but a fighting win at Blackburn Rovers lightened the mood. The players looked different. They’d grown balls and a backbone. There was a neat role reversal as travelling fans enjoyed the home abuse of Rovers manager Steve Kean. It made the treatment of Gary Megson seem like playful banter

The relief this time lasted less than a week as a moderate Newcastle side were treated to three gift-wrapped points at home on Boxing Day. It felt more like Groundhog Day.

Onward and…er, Upward

It’s been a sobering year for Bolton fans. The optimism prompted by the arrival of Owen Coyle has long gone and the overriding opinion is that he and his coaching staff are out their depth. Fortress Reebok is now a ruined sandcastle.

Despite that, the Wanderers manager has been given an easy ride by match goers. Perhaps that’s because he’s still regarded with affection. Or it may be that the point of anger has passed and that only apathy remains.

According to reports, Coyle will get the cash generated by the sale of Cahill and the rest of January to get his act together. Whoever is in charge of the team will face a tough task. To reach the magical forty points at season end, a further 27 will be needed from nineteen games. That includes those against the top teams, for whom Bolton are a fleeting inconvenience these days.

Injuries have played their part in the Whites decline, as have the departures of Johann Elmander and Daniel Sturridge and the ageing of Kevin Davies and Jussi Jaaskelainen. No one expected the season to be easy. No one fooled themselves that the squad was anything more than average. Relegation, if it happens, may be forgiven. But not if that cherished place in the top flight is meekly surrendered.

- Richard McCormick

TweetFollow @RMc2407

The Year of the Un-Coyled Part One

Smiley Phil

“I’ve got to say, that Stuart Parker’s one of my favourite players, but if he’s going to score from there he’s one hell of a player.” The words came from Bolton chairman Phil Gartside who was speaking on the BBC’s Five Live, in the wake of an entirely predictable thrashing at Tottenham Hotspur.

Who Stuart Parker is, hasn’t yet been established.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Gary Cahill was sent off for legging up Scott Parker after his clumsy touch had given the Spurs midfielder a run on goal, albeit from a somewhat unlikely position.

By the time he spoke to Mark Chapman on the Beeb, Gartside was in a forgiving frame of mind.

“We had a game against Stoke the other week. I know the Stoke chairman Peter Coates described Howard Webb as disgraceful. I’m not going to say that about Stuart Atwell,” he commented.

Grumpy Phil

You’re not? How kind. Oh, hold on. Wind the clock back half an hour or so, and here’s what Gartside told Greater Manchester Radio.

“The refereeing decision, to quote Peter Coates, when he said about Howard Webb and the decision at Bolton, is an absolute disgrace.

“The authorities will look at that and my statement, that the referee’s a disgrace, is probably questionable, but we’ve had some bad decisions this season.”

After the softening of his position on air, Garty returned to grumpy mode on the way home, just after passing through Sandbach.

“Get a life and look at the injuries,” he tweeted from his iPhone to one supporter who had suggested that taking 9 points from a possible 42 made it hard to ‘keep the faith’.

Maybe Phil’s hormonal. Or perhaps there’s more than one of him and one Phil doesn’t know what the other’s doing. That might explain a few things.

Nasty Phil.

- Richard McCormick

TweetFollow @RMc2407

Related Articles

Phil Gartside: “A Cheat, a Liar and a Fraudster”

The Ginger Harry Secombe Who Runs Bolton Wanderers

Phil Gartside – and his Friend at the FA

Wanderers fans still in denial may care to stick their heads in this.

One was the move of Gavin McCann from Aston Villa.  To recap briefly, football agent Tony McGill stated that he had been frozen out of the deal having done the preparatory work, for which he should have been paid.

So far, Whites chairman Phil Gartside has refused to comment, bar a few feeble squeaks on Twitter.  However, a comment he made at the time has now been unearthed.

“The McCann move was one of the easiest deals we’ve done. It was worked out between myself and Villa chief executive Richard FitzGerald. McGill had no mandate from McCann or the clubs,” said Gartside.

There are several problems with this claim.  If McGill had no mandate with McCann, why did the former player settle out of court when he was sued for breach of contract?

As part of that legal process, sworn witness statements were taken from three people, who were at the time employed by Bolton Wanderers.  They contradict Gartside’s account.

If the deal was worked out between the chairman and chief executive of the respective clubs, why was the agency SEM paid £300,000 – six times the going rate for a player of McCann’s value?

Over to you Mr Gartside.  Anything else to add?

The full story of the Gavin McCann Transfer

Phil Gartside: “A Cheat, a Liar and a Fraudster”

- Richard McCormick

TweetFollow @RMc2407

Just four of the words used about the suicide of Wales manager Gary Speed, who played out the later stages of his top flight career with Bolton Wanderers.

Understanding why someone should take his own life when he had so much to carry on for is a cruel puzzle. Gary Speed had a loving family, the respect of his peers and a bright future as a manager.  Just a few hours before, he had appeared on the BBC’s Football Focus, where he spoke of his determination to guide Wales to a qualifying spot in the World Cup.

Whether his actions were the response to a single event, or the culmination of a long battle with his inner demons isn’t known, but if it was the latter, he did an extraordinary job of keeping that facet of his personality hidden.

Speed arrived at Bolton in the summer of 2004 for £750,000.  It seemed a steep fee for a 34 year-old.  He repaid it several times over.  This wasn’t a glamour signing like Jay Jay Okocha or Youri Djorkaeff, but it was, in its way, just as important.

Sam Allardyce knew that replacing the extravagant talents of Djorkaeff was nigh on impossible, so he chose a man who the stats showed frequently outworked players ten years his junior.  It was as wise a decision as the big man made.

In that season, and the ones just after, the Whites were a formidable outfit that no one liked playing against.   Of course there were talented individuals in midfield, but it was Speed who held the show together.  One of those players was Ivan Campo, who has a different reason to remember his former team mate.

In a match against Crystal Palace he suffered a clash of heads with Speed, and missed several games afterward.

“We are just waiting for word from the surgeon, who stitched his face back together,” said Allardyce when asked about the Spaniard’s progress.  Speed himself was rarely injured, a testament to a self-imposed fitness regime that allowed to him to play in the Premier League until he was nearly forty.

Tributes continue to pour in, but perhaps the most telling one, at least as far as Bolton is concerned, comes not via a household name, but from one of the young players he mentored during his time at the Reebok.

“R.I.P Gary Speed. Was a pleasure knowing him and playing with him. My hero,” wrote left-back Scott Jamieson, now back in his native Australia. It is a wise choice of idol.

In an era when so many bring disgrace on the sport, football needs its good guys.  The loss of Gary Speed is not easy to bear.

- Richard McCormick

TweetFollow @RMc2407

Geremi. Mark Curtis. Google it. Go on, you know you want to.

Two of those transactions resulted in legal action with another case pending. One involved an agency being paid £300,000 for apparently doing nothing. In all of them, the person brokering the deal was replaced at the last minute, without a satisfactory explanation being offered.

Phil Gartside has been mentioned more than a few times, although it may be that the Whites Chairman is little more than a trained monkey, with football agent Mark Curtis acting as the organ grinder.

Curtis and controversy are never far apart. A fuller treatment of his deeds (at least some of them) is contained in the previous article in this series, but suffice to say that he has the uncanny knack of being on hand when a player on the move dumps his agent, leaving him or one of his associates to act on behalf of the buying club, thus obtaining a hefty commission.

But there is another high profile person who could offer some insight, if he chose to. The name Sir Dave Richards sounds like something out of a Dangermouse cartoon. In fact it belongs to the chairman of the FA Premier League, who is a close associate of Gartside’s.

Andy Carroll. Mark Curtis. Google. Go.

One might expect someone in such an exalted position to have a blemish free record in both football and business. That isn’t the case.

Prior to being recommended to the FA by Ken Bates, Richards was chairman of Sheffield Wednesday. He left, with the club on the brink of relegation from the Premier League and in a disastrous financial predicament. The latter was only resolved more than a decade later, when Milan Mandaric negotiated a deal which made him owner, but left creditors millions of pounds out of pocket.

Richards’s record in business was similarly chequered. In July 2001 his company went into administrative receivership.

Now the man with the wacky name may find his position under threat, or at least he ought to, given the pitiful state of the FA’s compliance unit. Sports minister Hugh Robertson has pledged to legislate against football if there isn’t internal reform. Given the amount of money slushing about within the Premier League, Robertson will no doubt face determined opposition, but if he succeeds, several clubs, including Bolton Wanderers, may have something to fear from a retrospective investigation.

Bolton 5 Stoke 0. Watching are Phil Gartside, middle row, far left. Mark Curtis, middle row, third left. Sir Dave Richards, front row third left.

The reaction to this series of articles has been mainly positive. To some they have provided proof of long suspected bad faith – although those claims have never been made here.

Others have been more sceptical, which is healthy. After all, football agents are not known for having altruistic motives.

A small, cerebrally challenged minority, have responded with hysterical rage. Manny Road has been accused of ‘dragging the name of Bolton Wanderers through the mud’.

Leaving aside the sadly unimaginative rhetoric, those claims are laughable. The owner of this website puts thousands of pounds into Bolton Wanderers every season in advertising and sponsorship, and has done for many years. Perhaps those having tantrums can reveal the size of their contributions before getting precious.

Or they could threaten to ‘fill in’ Henry Winter, the Guardian’s David Conn, or Dan King of the Daily Mail, all of whom have written on the subject.

Information came to light. It showed there was a case to answer. Therefore it was published.

So, at the risk of upsetting the more sensitive souls here are…

A Few More Questions for Phil Gartside

What is the role of Mark Curtis at Bolton Wanderers?

How much has Mark Curtis been paid while you’ve been chairman?

Why do continue to use an agent found guilty of improper conduct?

Do you have any foreign bank accounts?

The transfer of David N’Gog took longer than expected. Was this because he was told to dump his agent and refused to do so?

Not that there are likely to be answers forthcoming. “Bolton fans think they should be finishing top six every season,” snorted Gartside, at the start of a meeting he’d arranged with this supporter, after the scale of Gary Megson’s ineptitude became clear.

The Bolton Chairman’s silence shows that he continues to view followers of the club who pay his fees with contempt.

Other Articles in the Series

Is this the Real Reason Why Bolton Wanderers are so Bad?

Phil Gartside: “A Cheat, a Liar and a Fraudster”

The Ginger Harry Secombe Who Runs Bolton Wanderers

Oh, and one more question for Mr G

Is it ok if we refer to you as ‘Light Fingered Phil’ from now on?

- Richard McCormick

TweetFollow @RMc2407